Replacing Pump Shaft Seals, How Hard?

[DMA120]

Hi everyone! First post here. I picked up a 1995 Hot Spring Grandee for $100 a few weeks ago and i knew going into it that it wouldn't be perfect and I would have to do a bit of work. The tub has been filled and flushed per the instructions I have read on here. As far as I can tell the tub and plumbing does not have any leaks except for the main diverter valve on the #2 pump which is accessible and is only a very small drip when the pump is running. The leak that concerns me is is one that i think is the shaft seals on the pumps. Beneath the pumps there is always a small puddle of water that will drip below the deck that the tub is on. I have checked the plumbing all around the pumps and it is all dry, no leaks with the pumps on or off so I'm leaning toward the shat seals being bad? To the best of my knowledge the pumps are original to the tub so the seals would be pushing 15 years old.. how long do they normally last? How hard are they to replace? These are the version 2 pumps.

Thanks

Darren

Indiana

[ps558]

Hi everyone! First post here. I picked up a 1995 Hot Spring Grandee for $100 a few weeks ago and i knew going into it that it wouldn't be perfect and I would have to do a bit of work. The tub has been filled and flushed per the instructions I have read on here. As far as I can tell the tub and plumbing does not have any leaks except for the main diverter valve on the #2 pump which is accessible and is only a very small drip when the pump is running. The leak that concerns me is is one that i think is the shaft seals on the pumps. Beneath the pumps there is always a small puddle of water that will drip below the deck that the tub is on. I have checked the plumbing all around the pumps and it is all dry, no leaks with the pumps on or off so I'm leaning toward the shat seals being bad? To the best of my knowledge the pumps are original to the tub so the seals would be pushing 15 years old.. how long do they normally last? How hard are they to replace? These are the version 2 pumps.

Thanks

Darren

Indiana

They really are not that hard to replace if they have not been leaking for a long time and motor shaft is not rusted. The seal located in the back of the plastic pump housing. You need to remove the pump from the spa and then take the cover off the front of the pumps. This will let you see the impeller. Now you need to hold the shaft, there is one of two ways. 1st is to put a pair of needle nose vice grips around the motor shaft only. Not the plastic throat of the impeller. The vice grips will rest on the volute(piece behind the impeller) Gently with a pliers try to spin the impeller off the shaft counter clockwise. Word of advice the impeller might be brittle from age and could crack.

The second way is to remove the back cover of the motor and try to hold the back end of the shaft some have a screwdriver slot, some have a flat spot for wrench, and some have a hole in the shaft for a allen head wrench.

Once the impeller is off on the back side of it is one half of the seal assmebly, black carbon piece. The other half is in the pump volute, white in color. Sometime you can pry out the white piece with a skinny blade screwdriver and sometime you need to remove the volute. There are 4 screws in the back of the motor loosen them and volute will come off and then you can push the white piece out. I don't know what seal is in them, so take them with to match them up.

worst case the impeller will break and need replaced and at 15 years replacing would not be a bad idea. If the motor shaft is really rusted the impeller might need to be drilled off the shaft. This almost only happens with the older Aqua Flo and some waterways pumps. .

Good water chemistry will keep the seal in good shape for a long time.