PDA

View Full Version : Impellers



Conquistador_del_mar
04-15-2010, 12:22 PM
I thought I would mention how important it is to replace water pump impellers on a regular basis since I don't remember many posts about it. Just yesterday, I was replacing the fuel pumps, fuel lines, and other engine related things on my twin engine Cigarette. Last year I had to replace the port impeller figuring the starboard one was probably alright since the man I bought it from said he had replaced one of them about a year ago. Not wanting to take any chances, and since I was already there, I took out the water pump. It was all but disintigrated - :eek:. I thought I would pass this along. Bill

Tidbart
04-15-2010, 01:14 PM
Not knowing your setup, did you pull all the cooling hoses off and remove the impeller parts? They get stuck at some of the coolers.

B

Pismo
04-15-2010, 01:19 PM
The original impeller on my 1979 228 Merc pre-Alpha lasted 2000 hours until 2001, now you are lucky to get three seasons out of them.

Conquistador_del_mar
04-15-2010, 10:56 PM
Not knowing your setup, did you pull all the cooling hoses off and remove the impeller parts? They get stuck at some of the coolers.

B

Thanks. I will check the huge oil cooler which is the first part the water runs into after the pump, but it was only missing some smaller blade parts. You got me thinking about the fact that one could have totally disintigrated in the past and no one checked. Good thought.


The impeller on my 1979 228 Merc pre-Alpha lasted 2000 hours until 2001, now you are lucky to get three seasons out of them.

Are the newer Mercruiser impellers not made as well - lesser quality rubber? If there are impellers made of better quality, I would certainly pay the extra amount. Bill

Tidbart
04-16-2010, 06:23 AM
Thanks. I will check the huge oil cooler which is the first part the water runs into after the pump, but it was only missing some smaller blade parts. You got me thinking about the fact that one could have totally disintigrated in the past and no one checked. Good thought.

That is where I found a lot of blades when I pulled my engine apart. Bob

CHACHI
04-16-2010, 07:04 AM
Bill, grab a hose and backflush your coolers. This could dislodge anything

that may have "worked" it's way down the tubes.

Ken

joseph m. hahnl
04-16-2010, 04:52 PM
I think that water type has a big influence on longevity of impellers.
A boat Left in the salt should be done Regularly. Fresh water will not need to be replaced as often. Also Running Glycol through the drive for winter layup would be a cause for concern. As mentioned, These days the new generation of cheapened materials is becoming common ground for chronic failure. For instance
An After market Bellows kit of today will not last as long as a OEM from yester Year.

Also by replacing impellers regularly you might be able to get more life out of the pump body. But I think at some point it to will need to be replaced also.