Shurflo water pump issue

[mikefos]

We are on the road in a campground and have the Shurflo 4008-101-A65 pump. It suddenly stopped pumping water but still runs. Cleaned the strainer of quite a bit of mineral sediment, although it was cleaned while winterizing last. Anyway, the pump won't prime but runs. Thinking about replacing it if the exact same one fits w/o any plumbing line modifications. Perhaps before ordering one I should attempt to take apart and see if anything is plugged up inside. How difficult is it to disassemble and clean? Is it worth the effort? Pump is 8 years old.

Mike

[mikefos]

mobeewan wrote:
Make sure your not sucking in any air through the pump inlet tubing. The slightest bit can keep the pump from priming. Recheck to make sure the strainer bowl is properly seated and is tight.

Check any flexible vinyl tubing between the tank and pump. I have had to replace the short pieces of vinyl tubing on the pump inlet a couple times because the tubing had lost its pliability and was no longer sealing on the fitting hose barbs no matter how much I tightened the hose clamps. Air was being sucked in between the tubing and barbs. New tubing and new hose clamps solved the problem.

I'll check this, although the inlet tubing goes through the floor to the tank so don't know how I can check that segment. I'll check what I can see and access right before the pump. I would have thought though that blowing water through the antifreeze tube into the pump would have at least primed it some.
Thanks,
Mike

[mobeewan]

Make sure your not sucking in any air through the pump inlet tubing. The slightest bit can keep the pump from priming. Recheck to make sure the strainer bowl is properly seated and is tight.

Check any flexible vinyl tubing between the tank and pump. I have had to replace the short pieces of vinyl tubing on the pump inlet a couple times because the tubing had lost its pliability and was no longer sealing on the fitting hose barbs no matter how much I tightened the hose clamps. Air was being sucked in between the tubing and barbs. New tubing and new hose clamps solved the problem.

[mikefos]

dhull wrote:
If you have a winterizing pickup hose hookup to the pump then open it up fill with water and blow into it while running the pump with a spigot open. Your manually priming it. This has worked for me with same pump. But your is 8 years old....

Thanks for the tip. Tried it but didn't help. I'll pull out the pump and attempt disassembly to see if something inside is clogging things up or broken. In the background I'll price a replacement.
Mike

[Gjac]

It is easy to take apart and clean the rubber diaphragm, the problem I had was sealing it back up. After several tries of evenly torquing the parting plane bolts I finally had to add some silicone sealer at the parting plane The flange of the rubber diaphragm is suppose to act as a gasket but needed a little help. Mine was 18 years old when it would not prime and was drawing air in at the parting plane and leaking slightly also. Yours is much newer and should re seal without any added sealant.

[dhull]

If you have a winterizing pickup hose hookup to the pump then open it up fill with water and blow into it while running the pump with a spigot open. Your manually priming it. This has worked for me with same pump. But your is 8 years old....

[corvettekent]

They are very easy to take apart, clean, and reassemble.

You can also buy just the pump without the motor on Amazon.