Source for Caterpillar Impellers

[PatrickF]

Does anyone have a source for “good” aftermarket impellers? Specifically I am looking for Cat part number #7E 0321. I believe this is the Sherwood 17000K impeller. There are several less expensive options online but this not a part I’d want failing unexpectedly. Just wondering if others have had luck with a particular vendor or brand. Thanks

 

[tiltrider1]

I am not currently on my boat to double check but I am pretty sure I use Sherwood impellers.

 

[psneeld]

Does anyone have a source for “good” aftermarket impellers? Specifically I am looking for Cat part number #7E 0321. I believe this is the Sherwood 17000K impeller. There are several less expensive options online but this not a part I’d want failing unexpectedly. Just wondering if others have had luck with a particular vendor or brand. Thanks

On my phone so I haven't caught where you are, but in 3 different locations along the East Coast, I used Cat dealers. I signed up with one as a Cat engine owner and was on a discounted parts program. Yes, a bit more expensive, but the parts were OEM and usually available at the parts desk.

Worked for me. Can't say they still operate that way, but worth a try.

 

[luna]

My account at the Cats Parts Store on-line lists the 7E-0321 impeller at $86.12 USD.
The Cats Part Store shows this impeller as 4.2" long by 3.6"in diameter with only two blades that are 180º apart and the blades are longer than the hub, kind of unusual. It's listed to fit a 3126 and 3208, but likely not all of them.

That does not seem too expensive to me, but we all have our own expense threshold.

Google by way of MarinePumpDirect shows an original Sherwood 17000K as a 12 bladed impeller that is 2.875" long by 3.3125" in diameter. With an o ring and key its yours for $56.26.

I don't think they both fit the same pump.

Even if they did, for $30, I'd buy the Cat part.

 

[Greg QS]

Ebay
seemed good, fit right in saved$$ used last month
marinepartsandpumps
(10734)
This was the vender

 

[PatrickF]

My question was simply if someone had a non caterpillar brand that has worked well. I also have an account with Caterpillar and do currently use OEM parts, but while cruising it is hard to always hard to get a Cat dealer and with shipping the impellers end up being about $100 each. I was just interested in other people’s experiences with other brands or sources. We all know Cat doesn’t make the part.

 

[PatrickF]

Luna, This so the impeller I just got from Cat with that part number. The image on their site is wrong.

 

[tiltrider1]

My raw water pumps are not made by Cat. They do have a Cat referenced part number and I bought them from Cat. However in researching directly with the pump manufacturer they them selves did not make the impeller and bought impellers either from jabsco or Sherwood. I would need to check my spares to remind myself which was the original impeller manufacturer. Regardless, a Sherwood impeller is going to be perfectly fine. In 40 years I have only had one impeller failure. It was on an Onan generator, the hub spun inside the impeller. It was an impeller that came with the boat, was unmarked and I have no idea how old it was before I installed. Was only a minor issue as I always carry spares.

 

[jgwinks]

Marinization parts like raw water pumps are hardly ever made by the engine manufacturers. The pumps are usually Sherwood, Johnson, or Jabsco so the 17000K may well be the correct one, and available from any chandlery or even Amazon. $70 on Amazon.

 

[luna]

Ok, so the image on the Cat site is wrong, how would I know as I don't even know what engine you are dealing with. Even if i did, it's likely that I would not recognize the right impeller anyway.

What did Cat charge you for the 7E-0321, the same $86.12 they quoted me?

If it is a Sherwood 17000k then $56 seems like a steal, buy 2 they are cheaper in pairs I think and then you will have a spare so no shipping costs or delays are incurred when you need one in Timbuktu.

How often are you burning up impellers?

You should also be counting your blessings as the impellers in my Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon auxillary pump on my Cat 3408 cost $503 and $564. Yes, you need 2 impellers plus a pile of other parts and a 10 ton press just to change the impellers. It's not a simple job to do on these pumps.
In addition there are no cheap Chinese repops available.

The alternative is either a new pump from Cat at about $9000 or you can send your old pump to Gilkes in Kemah Texas and they will send you a rebuilt one for an unknown price.

I'd be ecstatic at a $56 (or $86) OEM impeller change cost and would not hunt for the $30 Chinese repop! But thats just me.

 

[twistedtree]

You should also be counting your blessings as the impellers in my Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon auxillary pump on my Cat 3408 cost $503 and $564. Yes, you need 2 impellers plus a pile of other parts and a 10 ton press just to change the impellers. It's not a simple job to do on these pumps.
In addition there are no cheap Chinese repops available.

Isn't the Gilkes pump a centrifugal pump with a non-contact impeller? So shouldn't need any maintenance or impeller change for years and years? How did yours hold up? I have been intrigued by the idea of such a pump.

 

[Greg QS]

I change impellers every 2 years regardless of hours. Impellers came out fully intact with slight curling.

Same service for the Gensets.

 

[jagates10]

Try these folks. Prices seem pretty good. https://marinepumpdirect.com/

 

[luna]

Yes, my Gilkes pumps are centrifugal, non positive displacememt pumps where the bronze impellers do not touch the pump body, much like a swimming pool circulation pump.

The pumps are 30 years old, 27 years in active service, of which I have had control for 15 years.

At rest, the pump sits half full of raw water as indicated by the corrosion line in the pump chamber. The impellers displayed uniform corrosion, but suffered from erosion at their perimeters.

What caused me to open them up was the ceramic raw water shaft seals started to leak about a drop a day about 2 years ago.

A couple of notes on use of this kind of pump.

- They will not self prime, so you have to fill the raw water circuit should you drain the system. I drain mine after each outing.
- They allow you to fresh water flush your raw water circuit with the engine at rest without fear of overpressurization, because the water just runs through the pump.
You still need an exhaust system that drains the flush water out of the boat, which I have, so I also do this after each outing.

With over 25 years and 4000+ hours of service without any maintenance at all, I consider them good pumps.

 

[twistedtree]

Yes, my Gilkes pumps are centrifugal, non positive displacememt pumps where the bronze impellers do not touch the pump body, much like a swimming pool circulation pump.

The pumps are 30 years old, 27 years in active service, of which I have had control for 15 years.

At rest, the pump sits half full of raw water as indicated by the corrosion line in the pump chamber. The impellers displayed uniform corrosion, but suffered from erosion at their perimeters.

What caused me to open them up was the ceramic raw water shaft seals started to leak about a drop a day about 2 years ago.

A couple of notes on use of this kind of pump.

- They will not self prime, so you have to fill the raw water circuit should you drain the system. I drain mine after each outing.
- They allow you to fresh water flush your raw water circuit with the engine at rest without fear of overpressurization, because the water just runs through the pump.
You still need an exhaust system that drains the flush water out of the boat, which I have, so I also do this after each outing.

With over 25 years and 4000+ hours of service without any maintenance at all, I consider them good pumps.

Thanks. That's all consistent with what I had learned so far. It's interesting that yours is only half flooded when not in use. I understood that it's important for the pump to be installed below the waterline so that it is always naturally flooded since it can't self prime. It's just like a circulating pump for an HVAC system. My pump location is below the water line, so that's not an issue, and there is a Gilkes pump option for the engine. I'm not sure what it includes aside from the pump, but probably an adapter flange and perhaps a drive gear. If not for the price, I would give it a try. I hate changing impellers, so the whole concept is very appealing.

 

[luna]

My pumps rest about 1'-6" above the waterline and with them only being half full they have no problem priming the rest of the way at engine start.

Part of my engine start procedure is to watch the flow of raw water through the 3" Groco strainers, which is the only location I can actually see the raw water flow.

One thing to keep in mind is that as these are non positive displacement pumps they suffer greatly from restrictions in the plumbing. In my case once through the engine heat exchanger, with the exception of a 1" feed to the gear cooler, it's all immediately dumped out the shower heads, by way of 3" cooper tubing. Aftercooler, oil cooler and hydraulic steering cooler are all jacket water cooled.

 

[fgarriso]

Jobsca 18958-0001

 

[Cold Duck]

Little late but learned the Sherwood 17000K is the same impeller. But I just bought from Cat ($88) since I needed the seal and might as well get them at same place, same time. Internet has the 17000Ks for $50-60 many places.