Disintegrated Impeller

[Avidx22]

Hi!
Boat had a hard time starting after a short cooling off so I throttled up on starting. Tac went to 5K for a second. Never do that again. However, after a few minutes in idle boat water temp went to 210. Ran it around a bit and it cooled. Stopped in idle and it went up to 210 again. Funny but buzzer never went off nor red light. Maybe not hot enough?

Anyway, took off impeller hose to check rubber impeller and most of the fins were gone and some fell out in my hand. Yikes!!!

Questions: are there pieces of rubber now in the water cooling system clogging up the pathways or would they get flushed out. Should I check both water inlets on the block in front to see if pieces are there?

Any advice?
Garret
Avidx22

[Supraman]

How old was your impeller (age / hours of use)?

[Avidx22]

Hey Supraman!
It was pretty old but not many hours plus it was stored in the housing over the winter but I did not expect it to come apart like that. Would you expect bits of rubber to be lodged in the cooling system or would they get flushed out? I am wondering if I should check the engine water pump housing and the housing where the thermostat rests for rubber.

What say you?
Avidx22

[anchorman]

I can't help you with where Rubber vanes went.  However, when winterizing my epic 22 I put white grease on impeller vanes. 
So when spring startup happens, dry vanes don't rip off.

[Avidx22]

Hi Anchorman,
Good idea with the grease.
I took off the thermostat housing and didn't find any bits of rummer so maybe they all got flushed out. I skied over the weekend and the temp stayed where is ought to be. I guess it's okay. Thanks! Avidx22

[Supraman]

I've put a new impeller in every spring.. It's likely overkill, and the ones I remove are typically in great shape, but I figure it's cheap insurance... I put +/- 100 hours on my boat each year.

I think I read somewhere that you should check the transmission cooler for impeller pieces. If it were me, I would pull off every hose that's downstream from the raw-water pump to try and find those pieces...

[Avidx22]

Hi!
Yep, will probably do that just in case. Do you take out the impeller by removing the raw water pump or do you remove the plate that is held in by those four machined screws? It's a pain to take off the entire pump, no?

[tryme]

I have been using these.  as running dry will destroy a normal impeller. 
http://www.defender.com/category.jsp?path=-1%7C51%7C2234245&id=2234249

I just hope you didn't get any pieces in any of the small water ports in the block. 

good luck

[Avidx22]

Hi!
Thanks for the link. I hope no bits are in there either but the engine temp has stabilized so maybe they got flushed out.
Avidx22

[Supraman]

Hi!
Yep, will probably do that just in case. Do you take out the impeller by removing the raw water pump or do you remove the plate that is held in by those four machined screws? It's a pain to take off the entire pump, no?

I take the entire pump out to change the impeller. There isn't enough room on a v-drive to change the impeller with the pump in place. Removal isn't too bad... It's 3 bolts and two hoses.

I've always used Johnson impellers https://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Pump-09-812B-1-Impeller/dp/B0039XQ5DG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468358473&sr=8-1&keywords=johnson+812

[Avidx22]

Hi Supraman,
Thanks for the link! That's the one I use and that's the one that fell apart. I'll never let that happen again.
Tx!
Avidx22