The shipyard has just reassembled an overhauled centrifugal pump. On testing, water is coming from the mechanical seal area. Which of the following are likely reasons for the leakage?

Correct Answer: Option A — The shaft o-ring was not installed.

Mechanical seals utilize O-rings or gaskets to create a static seal between the seal components and the shaft or housing. If the shaft O-ring is omitted during reassembly, the fluid will bypass the primary sealing faces entirely, resulting in immediate and significant leakage upon pump startup.