Impellers

[Mikey]

I just got around to dewinterizing my boat last weekend, sadly due mostly to weather and from a recently strained back. I put everything back together and started the motor using water strainer/garden hose, when i came upon a noise which i have encountered before two seasons ago.

Seems the Impeller is swelling or something? It is Longer/ splines are longer not allowing the impeller to slide all the way in and actually sticks out slightly at the point where the cover plate with the 4 screws goes on. If you push the impeller in by fingers/thumb or a wrench,what ever the impeller will go but then pops back out about a heavy 1/16 of an inch. Doesn't seem like much but as motor runs ,eventually after about a minute it causes a Squeel. I had this issue before and the fix was to use my brand new at the time impeller,which i had in the boat as a spare. By comparing the two side by side and length to length, the olde one was slightly longer.

Today i went and bought a new one and have not had a chance to compare the two. Hoping this will solve the problem,,,,AGAIN.

My impeller as stated in maintenance manual gets coated in vaselene,stuck in a baggy for winterizing which i have done from day one.Why ?now two times is this happening? Has anyone else ever had this issue?

Dealer mechanic i talked too has never seen or heard of this,they winterize using antifreeze leaving the motor full and impellers still in place. I use antifreeze but fill, then drain most, pulling plugs and hoses etc seeing as we have some very cold winters and my boat is stored outdoors so i don,t want to chance Even the Antifreeze freezing...

Anyone else had this issue? Any thoughts?

[gregski]

I wonder if it is absorbing the Vasoline and swelling? Vasoline is not good for rubber products. When you install an impeller, a little Vasoline might be OK because it will be worn off pretty quickly with use, but I wouldn't want to store it that way.

[uniwarking]

What's interesting though, as Mikey mentioned, is that the manual actually says to do this. Mine says this as well.

I had the shop do my winterization, they left the impeller in place.

[bergermaister]

I had the shop do my winterization, they left the impeller in place.

I agree - first few years I let them winterize it this was their procedure so I followed suit. No antifreeze though - all plugs and hoses disconnected and blown out, left that way. I will do a few squirts of silicon spray or WD 40 into the housing before reconnecting the hose to help the impeller lube/break lose if it needs it.

[sivs1]

Just changed out the impeller today. Was super easy to remove the cover, total PITA to remove the impeller, easy to put new one in and somewhat easy to realign the cover and put the screws back in.

[bergermaister]

Fun huh! I was having some overheating going on on first fire of the year sitting in the driveway. Was not looking forward to having to do the impeller again. Luckily is was just a bum thermostat.

[ian ashton]

Just use your spare and then order a replacement.

Are you saying the boat comes with a spare? I've bought and carried a spare after blowing one on the water in our '08, but didn't know SC threw an extra in. Where is it?

[zabooda]

A blown impeller does as much good as a blown prop. I usually don't carry much but I do carry things that I can change out and get me back to the dock. I did have to sacrifice 8 cubic inches of space for it though.

[moombahighrider]

Exactly. Your spare impeller is waiting for you at the boat shop for a 'small' fee.

[DOCDRS]

Yes , all boats come with a spare impeller. It is located on the underside of your clamshell for dd's and taped to the rear port side hidden by the muffler on vdrives. Saved my bacon more than once.