Abstract: A mechanical seal is disposed in surrounding relationship to a pump shaft within an enlarged-bore seal chamber defined by the pump housing to create a sealed relationship therebetween. The mechanical seal includes a gland ring stationarily fixed to the pump housing for closing off an outer end of the enlarged-bore seal chamber. An annular erosion protector is disposed within the enlarged-bore chamber in close and generally overlapping relationship to the inner axial face of the gland ring. This annular protector has radially projecting protrusions which project axially inwardly along the outer portion of the enlarged-bore chamber, and also preferably has an annular part which projects radially inwardly so as to effectively cover substantially the entire inner face of the gland ring. The erosion protector is effective in significantly eliminating direct erosion-contact of pump fluid against both the gland ring and the surrounding wall of the seal chamber.