Know the water circulating pump replacement auto equivelent?

The bearing on my water circulating is starting to fail. I surmise it from the fact that the pulley attacked to it has some play forward and aft. The other pulleys do not, e.g. raw water pump, power steering, alternator. I have a 1994 5.7 GI. I tried getting a replacement for it at my local auto parts store and every pump I asked for was two to three inches taller than the one on the boat; which of course not allow the belts to line up. I've tried to look at other threads to determine what it auto equivalent is, but did not have any luck.

So... do you know what auto equivalent water circulating pump I should replace mine with?

If your engine is raw water cooled, an automotive pump will not be suitable regardless of whether it fits or not.

Either this one

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/p...83&returntopage=sierra_marine/sierra00844.htm

or this one

http://www.marineengine.com/parts/p...99&returntopage=sierra_marine/sierra00844.htm

should fit your engine. Both are listed as direct replacement for yours (but again, Sierra does not always get it right)

EL,

Thanks for posting the links and the advice to not use an automotive circulating pump. However, looking at the gaskets tells me that neither of those pumps will work. There is a part number on the pump, but it is too corroded to see it. Here are some pics to show you what type of pump I have. I measured it and it is about 5 1/2 in. tall to the flange where the pulley get screwed on. And about 10 in. between the "two" legs.

You definitely need the short body engine circulating pump for a marine application...... and on any marine SBC!
The automotive pumps became long body somewhere in the 70's, I believe.
If you had the Closed Cooling system, the early Chevrolet "short body" automotive "circ" pump works just fine!

However, the reason for the Marine version is not necessarily the short body alone!
There is a ceramic shaft seal in this pump.
This prevents coolant (aka river/lake/sea water) from reaching the sealed double bearing pack!

In an "open" system, like what you have.... (aka raw water cooled engine)...., there is no lubrication for the ceramic seal (as there is with Ethylene Glycol in a closed system).... so this seal (not the bearing seal), is a special ceramic seal.
It is also designed to work with not so pure sea water.... i.e., sand/silt, etc.

The rear SS cover and the Bronze pump shaft "Impeller" are also designed to work with the more corrosive sea water.

Stick with the Marine "Circ" pump, or you will be replacing it rather soon.

.

I will definitely follow the advice from two of our most knowledgeable contributors.

Now to find the right one, it is either Sierra 18-3583 or 18-3599. The "left leg" has three holes while the "right leg" has only two. Also, it appears the left legs third hole goes right through to the water intake hose. What are the two plugs for? I'm assuming its in case we want to put some sort of sending units in there. Maybe a water pressure or water temperature sensor.

The two ports are for a WH or Cabin Heater coolant "Return".
The Stbd-most Port is the better of the two, IMO.

This is NOT a port for a sensor..... you want to sense temp as the coolant is about to Leave the engine block.... not enter!

Do a search for SBC marine engine circulating pump
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&...earch+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

... so no putting sensors of any kind there, gotcha.

The match for my engine was the 18-3583; for those of you with similar engines.

Thanks, yet again, EL and Rick!!!