Change your impeller

IMO you should your impeller every season and inspect the impeller housing while your at it.
The housing is made out of plastic on most boats and it doesn't take much to score it.

Walt,

How many hours/seasons on that one?

That came off a boat I just bought and I believe it has 180 hours on it.

I think I am going with the every other year schedule. I only put on 50 hours a season. The Merc V drives are a PITA to change so no since over doing it.

I'm sure your safe with only 50 hours and no dry starts. I'm told that a impeller can go a few hundred hours most of the time but I figure that it's so cheap to change I'll do it every year.

I'd hate to ruin a weekend over a cheap part that I could of replaced at the beginning of the year.

not a bad idea to keep a spare in your boat or your tool box just in case... the guy i got my last boat from always kept a spare in it.. not a bad idea.. could really save a weekend!!

Richard,
A spare prop too.

Most of the time when I pull the impeller I can see some sort of wear on it. (cracks or torn fins)

where exactly would it be located?funny thing is i have a spare but not really an idea of where to change it out

btw....merc vdrive

Jonny,

It's a small pain in the ass on a V-drive. Follow the belt that goes around your alternator and water pump and you will find it.

roger that....thank you sir

Here is blow up of the waterpump/impeller for my Sanger.

Biggest problem is when a boats sits long periods of time, they dry out and then when you take the boat out they fall apart.

Jonny--
You will need to unbolt the waterpump bracket which is # 12 on the drawing and remove entire pump assembly. Once out the impeller should be cake.

You might have to remove the gas/water separator too just to get it out of the way.

I think next year I am going to step up and buy one of those all-brass replacement pumps from Skidim.com and eliminate this rubber impeller/plastic pump housing deal from my life completely. Removing the source of a potential problem and a maint. PIA will be worth the 2 or 3 hundred bucks the thing costs.

Walt, that's "nice." I changed mine not long ago, and every singe blade had at least a small amount missing. The housing was in great shape though. I replaced it anyway, since I bought the kit. May as well use it.

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/overtons/detail/pdetail2.cgi?r=detail_view&item_num=37552&fcat=2C2 G

$289 at Overtons. I was thinking about getting it... Didn't. We'll see if it was a good choice.

Discount Inboard Marine has it for $244.99
http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=JAB43210-0001

They state it is only for V-Belt applications tho, which leaves me out...

Wow you guys are really letting some hours mount before you change your impellers.

I have been changing mine every 50 hours along with my oil and tranny fluid.

I keep an extra in the boat and another in my truck plus tools to do the change.

The brass housing sounds like a great idea but I wonder if it prolongs impeller life ?

I doubt it. The impeller can get hosed for all kinds of reasons. My I/O didn't have it changed for about 8 years. I finally did, and it looked brand new. ?????? I guess it just depends.

The thing about the brass is that you will not have to replace the housing. Just pop the impeller out, swap with a new one, and put it back together.