Warning: I tried using a different pump sealant on the main dredge pump and it almost cost me a day of work.

We were doing a channel clearing job on the Ohio River last month and ran out of our usual heavy duty pump sealant. The supply boat had a different brand, the kind in the blue tube, so I figured it was worth a shot. Big mistake. About two hours into running, the pump started overheating and we had to shut down. When we pulled it apart, the sealant had basically turned to a gummy paste and wasn't holding at all. We lost nearly half a day cleaning everything out and waiting for the right stuff to get delivered by truck. I learned that not all 'marine grade' sealants are made for the constant pressure and grit we deal with. Has anyone else had a bad experience with a specific brand of sealant they thought would work?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_stella1mo ago

Remember a similar mess with a cheap bearing grease on a conveyor belt motor. It looked fine in the tub but thinned out into a runny mess after a few hours in the summer heat. Seized the whole motor up and we had to replace it. Sometimes that little price difference ends up costing way more in downtime.

shane_fisher371mo ago

Yeah @the_stella, my cheap grease phase was a short, expensive lesson.

james_campbell121mo ago

Wait you used the stuff in the blue tube on a dredge pump? I mean that stuff is barely okay for a bilge pump seal, idk what they were thinking selling it for heavy work. It turns to absolute goop under any real heat or pressure.