Barry Newton Posted August 1, 2023 Share Posted August 1, 2023 I have a 2001 Autocruise Starfire. I am trying to replace the fresh water pump but I cannot remove it from the tank. I have disconnected the wiring but cannot disconnect the pipe. Has anyone tackled this before? Do you have to remove the tank? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 2, 2023 Share Posted August 2, 2023 This 2012 MHFun forum thread related to replacement of a 2000-registered Autocruise Starfire's water pump. https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/water-pump-problems.48390/ That thread and your comment "I cannot remove it from the tank" suggest that the pump is the submersible type and housed inside your motorhome's fresh-water tank. When there is an 'in-tank' water pump, it's commonplace in UK-built motorhomes for the fresh-water tank to be external and mounted beneath the motorhome's floor. A right-thinking motorhome manufacturer will have made allowances for replacement of the water pump (the pumps are decidedly not immortal!) and will have installed an access 'hatch' (or hole) in the floor so that the pump can be removed. However - as these AutoSleepers-related discussions highlight - not all motorhome manufacturers are right-thinking... https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/stupidest-water-pump-installation-ive-come-across.226579/ https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t8645-wheres-my-water-pump I vaguely recall a thread on this forum (I can't recall the make/model of motorhome) where someone had managed to replace a submersible pump via a removable inspection/cleaning hatch in the side (or base) of the fresh-water tank, but it was a devil of a job. If you cannot get the pump out from above the tank, you'll probably have to remove the tank to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Newton Posted August 3, 2023 Author Share Posted August 3, 2023 Thank you Derek Yes it is a submersible. It is amazing how much strength you can generate by losing your temper. I wrenched it out of the tank. But It is near impossible to get the new pump in. I can only get one hand through the inspection hole and cannot see a thing. Also, the updated pump is 4cm shorter than the original so I will need to connect it to a hose so it so it reaches the bottom of the tank. The joys of motorhoming Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 4, 2023 Share Posted August 4, 2023 Barry Some photos would be helpful if this issue ever comes up again. I suggest photos of the following: 1. The 'hole' in your motorhome's water tank through which you extracted the pump. (I assume you got the pump out from inside the motorhome and through the top of the tank?) 2: The old pump once you'd got it out. (Knowing the pump's make and model would be useful.) 3. The updated pump. (Also details of its make and model.) There are a few (appalling amateurish) YouTube videos about replacing a motorhome submersible pump, but the fresh-water tanks involved are internal and their upper surface has an unscrewable 'cap' through which the pump's water hose and electrical cable passes. Not a lot of help if the tank is external, if access through the motorhome's floor requires the dexterity of a fully-trained small-handed veterinarian with an iron grip, and/or if the motorhome manufacturer has sealed the pump's hose/cable entry/exit point with a high-strength adhesive. A submersible pump needs to have a non-return valve (NRV) in its water hose. This may be integrated into the pump itself, or the pump may have been designed to have the NRV attached to the pump's outlet, or the NRV may be 'in line' separate from the pump (but close to it) in the water hose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GandJP Posted August 4, 2023 Share Posted August 4, 2023 Not quite applicable but dont even think of removing the tank so you can work on it. I once had an issue with my Autocruise Stardream water storage tank in that we had been away and on getting home I parked as usual by the side of my house. A few days later I notices what I thought was something that had blown under the van but on further inspection I realised my whole tank was actually sat on my drive can you believe? Here are a couple of pics I took at the time. The tank was sat in a trapped position so I had to lift the rear so I could drag it out so I could actually drive the van to my local man for repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Newton Posted August 6, 2023 Author Share Posted August 6, 2023 Hi The old pump is the Whale Self Venting Submersible GP9216 and the pump they have sent is GP162/ GP1652 12 V Submersible. The problem now is I can only get one hand in to attach the hose to the existing plumbing and it is a 2 hand job. There is what looks like a big plastic nut on the outside of the tank where the hose enters. I tried to get a spanner on it but it is so narrow I cannot get a grip of it. I am not even sure if this is meant to come of. Sorry I cannot add a photo as the tank is enclosed in the cupboard. Any help would be much appreciated. Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 The photo of the top of GandJP's external water tank appears to show three water connectors in the tank's upper surface It looks like these are held in place by a plastic nut that could be undone from above the tank's upper surface and then the connector could be pushed into the inside of the tank. However, undoing those nuts with the tank in situ may well be impossible, as will be reaching the underside of the connector through the inspection hole in the tank. When you say "Sorry I cannot add a photo as the tank is enclosed in the cupboard" does that mean your Starfire's fresh-water tank is inside the motorhome, or is it under the floor? If it's inside the motorhome, you might still have to remove it to replace the pump (and that might require significant surgery on the cupboard) but it might be easier and more 'civilised' than removing an under-floor tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Newton Posted August 6, 2023 Author Share Posted August 6, 2023 Hi Derek The tank is inside the van. The top of the tank is in full view and I can just reach the front of the tank where the hose connection is. It is similar to the above photo but my connector is on the side. Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 If I were in your position might consider changing the pump assembly and making the discharge separate from the original. Possibly utilising the tank filler cap with pump discharge fixed to it. IE unscrew the cap and the pump lifts out attached to the cap CAKtanks distribute a wide range of fittings for tanks, maybe a browse through their downloadable catalog might help with ideas http://www.caktanks.co.uk/files/cak_catalogue_2012/2012_CAK_Water.pdf rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 Barry I rejigged my Rapido motorhome's water system so that the water-feed hose connected to an elbow fitting on the fresh-water tank's upper surface rather than from a fitting near the tank's base. The elbow fitting I employed was this one and was inserted from inside the tank through the inspection hole and held in place using the black nut (plus a good dollop of silicone sealant). In an earlier posting you said It is amazing how much strength you can generate by losing your temper. I wrenched it out of the tank. But It is near impossible to get the new pump in. I can only get one hand through the inspection hole and cannot see a thing. Also, the updated pump is 4cm shorter than the original so I will need to connect it to a hose so it so it reaches the bottom of the tank. As you've now said that the top of the tank is in full view (and presumably that means the inspection hole is in the tank's top and accessible) it sounds like Tony's lateral-thinking suggestion would be the best approach. You could either exploit the tank's filler cap if it's large enough, or insert a connector close enough to the inspection hole that you could reach it through the hole (as shown in the image below). Obviously you'd then have to seal off the tank's current on-the-side water connection, but that should not be too difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Newton Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 Thank you Derek Great idea. I will try this and get back to you with the results. Much appreciated Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Newton Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 Thank you Tony I will try this Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Newton Posted August 24, 2023 Author Share Posted August 24, 2023 Thanks everyone, I have rerouted the plumbing to the top of the tank where is is more accessible and everything is working again. Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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