Sea Doo Pump seal installation

[Grady]

We are rebuilding the pump on a 98 GTXLimited. The new seal is a single lip as compared to the old double lip. We have wrecked one new seal trying to get the shaft through it, very tight fit. We took it to a Seadoo shop to have them install the shaft and they also ruined a seal as well as the shaft. We have ordered a new shaft and seal. Are there any tricks to try when installing the new shaft through the seal? Can a special tool be purchased aftermarket?

[Bill O'Neal]

Yes, and the "Sea Doo" shop should have one on the tool board. There is a part number in the service manual for it.

In all the years I've done this (12), I have yet to see a ruined shaft from trying to install it into a pump.........

[Grady]

Long story, but the technition replaced the bearings and the shaft would not slide through again so he tryed to force it and marred the surface of the shaft. I removed the bearings and reinstalled them and the shaft went through and spins very easily but the shaft is now ruined. I am not going to take it back there so I will try to get the part number and order the tool. Any way to do it without the tool?

[Bobby]

I had trouble installing the seal also. What I finally did was take shaft and seal out on table and install seal backwards over shaft with lots of oil on it. Let it set there for about 30min, then but shaft thru pump, then worked seal over end of shaft, after getting it over shaft by rocking it in a circle I then put sealer on outer edge of seal the install with deep socket. This worked great and held pressure overnight, pressure tested with old radiator pressure tester. Just change fitting on bottom of gauge to 1/8 pipe thread. Hope this helps you.

[Bill O'Neal]

To install new bearings, I use an old prop shaft and 2 old bearings slid up onto the prop shaft as spacers. I then place the new bearing onto the end of the shaft and push it into the pump using a hydralic press. They go right in straight without and damage to them. I've really never had any problems installing a seal. Before I bought the seal installation tool, I used a socket a little smaller than the OD of the seal, and tapped it in with a hammer.

[Grady]

Thanks, I will try the tips mentioned above.

To clarify, it is very difficult to get the smaller inside diameter of the seal over the larger outside diameter of the shaft without damaging it.

[Bill O'Neal]

The seal has an angled lip, make sure you are not pusing the shaft through from the wrong side of the seal.

[Grady]

The double lip seal that was on there had the seal pointing towards the bearings. I found a post on this site that confirms this. It will go on very easy if we install it with the seal pointing towards the impeller.

[Grady]

We successfully installed the seal by buying a piece of copper pipe from Lowe's that matched the O.D. of the shaft and installing the seal on it backwards. We lined the piped up with the shaft and slid the seal onto the shaft, spring facing the bearings. This worked great.