Running without impeller...

(loudsubz) · (loudsubz) **Join Date: Aug 2001** 11-01-2008, 3:42 PM

Today I did my winter layup on the boat. I had the water going and ran the engine at startup for about 45 seconds untill I noticed there wasn't any water coming out of the exhaust, so I shut down the engine (nothing on the engine was too hot because it was from a cold start).

I took apart the impeller and noticed it was seized, so I replaced it and went about my business winterizing.

Question for you guys. How bad is it not to have water flroing through the exhuaust when the impeller is out of comission like that? Do you think I caused any issues within the 45-60 seconds I had the engine running?

(liveoz) · (liveoz) **Join Date: May 2002** 11-01-2008, 3:50 PM

I think you are ok, The thing most likely to get damaged would be the impeller itself. I would try to find out why it was siezed before running it again.

(loudsubz) · (loudsubz) **Join Date: Aug 2001** 11-01-2008, 3:52 PM

Well I replaced the impeller because it looked in real bad shape (fins cracked and almost broke off, as well as severly warped). I also drained the block 2 weeks ago and drained the impeller so it has been sitting dry so it might have just broken the final straw.

(4x4chevyguy) · (4x4chevyguy) **Join Date: Oct 2008** 11-01-2008, 4:14 PM

matt running the boat for a min or so will not hurt it. you must get all of you old impeller out of the eng if it went in to it. If you are missing any of it you need to find it

walt 11-01-2008, 5:42 PM

A few seconds won't hurt the engine. Did you replace the impeller housing too ? If it's a plastic housing you probably should.

(loudsubz) · (loudsubz) **Join Date: Aug 2001** 11-01-2008, 9:35 PM

No I didn't replace the housing as all I had was the rubber impeller on hand, but if its a good idea to replace the housing I will do that too over the winter.

When you talk about the housing, are you talking about the complete body that had the bolt holes that bolt to the metal bracket? Or the small plastic liner that goes inside the housing?

I didn't have any chunks missing off the old impeller so I was lucky, it was still one piece.

walt 11-01-2008, 9:50 PM

I think you have to replace the whole housing. If it's the common cheap'o impeller housing they often go bad as well as the impeller especially if it got hot. You can replace it with a better brass housing but it cost substantially more. I would at least inspect it to see if it's ok or not.

If you re-use a bad housing the impeller will fail prematurely.

walt 11-01-2008, 10:00 PM

Is it a Merc ?

(loudsubz) · (loudsubz) **Join Date: Aug 2001** 11-02-2008, 6:25 AM

yeh a 5.7L Carbed Merc.

(bftskir) · (bftskir) **Join Date: Jan 2004** 11-02-2008, 3:36 PM

use a kit from Sierra 18-3150

(mars) · (mars) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 11-03-2008, 2:45 AM

AFAIK Mercs use a brass housing.

walt 11-03-2008, 5:11 AM

http://www.mercstuff.com/inboardwpkits.htm

(davomaddo) · (davomaddo) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 11-03-2008, 10:08 AM

No,