How tricky to replace pump shaft seal

[darthv]

Hello , I am a fairly handy amateur and it looks like I have a leaking pool pump. It seems to be leaking right between the pump and motor housing at the bottom suggestive of a shaft seal problem.
I have a whisperflo pump and an ao smith centurion motor. I’ve never fixed any internal problems with pumps and I’m wary of opening and ending taking too long to get it right, leaving time during the hot summer when the pump is not working and algae can go crazy.

wondered really if this is recommended to tackle for an amateur or should I just try to find a pro to do it

 

[ajw22]

Pour 5 ppm of liquid chlorine in the pool daily and stir it in with your pool brush while the pump is down and you can take your time.

Use a quality shaft seal and lube. Pump Seals - Further Reading

There are a few videos on YouTube of how to do it for you to judge if it is within your ability...

 

[setsailsoon]

Dart,

Good thing you noticed this as it will soon lead to a motor failure. The chlorinated water travels down the shaft to the bearing and will quickly result in a loud motor. When this happens it also often requires a motor change that adds a couple hundred $ to the repair. It's a piece of cake for anybody that's just a little DIY savvy. Coincidentally I just did this yesterday for a friend that lives across the street since he's out of town for a couple months. Watch the video carefully. Turn breaker off before you start. Make sure you have the seal and o-rings ready before you start. In most cases there's a flexible conduit like the one in the video with enough play that you don't even need to disconnect power at the motor. In some you'll need to disconnect and reconnect the 240 v power. Take a photo of the connection before you take it apart.

Good luck, and please do let us know how it goes for you.

Chris