Servicing a Berkeley 12JB-B jet pump

[jdog]

Can you guys give me some advice on servicing 33 year old Berleley pump? It says Model # 12JB-B on the serial # plate on the housing. It seems strong but is there anything I need to do to it? I always grease the zerk fitting next to the u-joints but thats the only one I see. Everything else is sealed with bolts.
THanks Jay

[Squirtcha?]

Here's what I do with mine as far as pump maintenance goes.
You're right about the zerk where the shaft enters the pump. It should be greased either before or immediately after each outing. I usually do mine after that way it's ready to go for the next time, it'll also push out any water that might be laying in there. Just make it part of your routine maintenance each time you take it out. The area under the zerk will have some grease around it, (squeezed out from the last time you did it). Wipe off the excess so you can tell when the fresh grease has filled the area.

You'll also notice two bowl (pipe) plugs, you'll want to get a bottle of 90wt gear oil and remove both plugs. Put the nozzle into one of the holes and squeeze until it begins to run out the other side. As soon as you see this, replace both the plugs. This should also be done after each outing. If you find that you're having to put in a lot of gear oil (more than a squirt or two) after each outing, your bowl seal may be bad and if so, will have to be replaced.
Also shoot some grease into the ujoints on the driveshaft occasionally.
That's really about it. Do these three things and your pump should last you a long time (unless you let it ingest some rocks, sand etc.)
Just out of curiosity..........do you know what your max speed and rpm are? Does the pump slip when taking off from a dead stop, or can you stand on it?
[ June 10, 2003, 10:06 PM: Message edited by: Squirtcha? ]

[jdog]

Thanks for the info Squirtcha, I didn't know it would be that easy. Your pump looks way newer than mine. Where would those two gear oil bolts be located on a 33 year old Berk. pump?
I went from Laughlin to Havasu Saturday and was playing with my brother who has an outboard. He said I was doing 55mph racing along side of him but that was based on his boats speedo. We have no GPS. At the time I was pushing right around 43-4400 rpm. That was pretty much it. Stock motor as far as I'm aware and stock pump. Hole shots are good. Pump seems to be good and strong. I think everything on this boat was done at least once.
These #s could be way off. You know how speedo's on boats are.
When I greased my zerk fitting I took off the cover that sheilds the u-joints and there was alot of left over grease on it is that normal?
THanks again. Jay

[Squirtcha?]

My pump is a Berkeley JB also, although mine's only 27 years old. Your bowl plugs should be right where you can see em. Towards the back and should be on top, although I messaged back and forth with a guy that found em on the bottom (someone had put his bowl on upside down).
Yeah, it's pretty normal for them to sling da grease. I don't have a driveline cover on mine but I do need to fab one up.
Your rpm and speed sound about right to me.
[ June 10, 2003, 05:30 PM: Message edited by: Squirtcha? ]

[JayBee]

How have you identified the age of these pumps? Does one of the numbers on the Berkeley tag contain a date code? I have been curious about when my JC was made...
Thanks,
Jason

[Squirtcha?]

I don't know how to decipher the serial numbers but I know Jack at MPD has done it a few times. I'm just going by when the boat was built and assuming the pump was made around the same time. 1976

[Danhercules]

Here is a pic of my pump before I painted it. You can see the plugs for the oil a little better. See the oil stains running down? Thats them.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...t=7&thecat=500
Hey Squirtcha, Thats a hell of a long pump!!!! WOW. (Notice I did not say a long squirter!) eek!

[Squirtcha?]

Yeah, it was just a wee little stub when I bought the boat. It keeps growing every year. I think it's done now though.

[jdog]

This site is great!! When I bought this boat last year I didn't know anything about jet boats. You guys taught me everything about parts and maintenance.
Squirtcha, thanks again for the info. Your pump looks different than mine because mine is the short stub yours was before you added on.
Jason, like squirtcha, I'm only going by the year of the boat. Everything looks original. There is no date on the pump manufacturing plate.

[JayBee]

My reason for asking is because I still wonder if my boat came from the factory with the jet. I think it did, but I was curious as to whether or not the pump age matched the boat...