Water pump replacement

[1st grady]

When you replace the pump, do you typically replace just the impeller or do you replace the entire kit? In 2007 I replaced the entire kit. After just 150 hours in four years ( always a ten minute flush) I am thinking I could get away with just the impeller. I believe that they are recommended to be changed just for dissasembly of the lower unit, so it doesn't get frozen together.
SIM sells the impeller for $25 ( X 2) compared to the kit for $60 (X 2) . With all the other maintenance items, wash down pump, bait well pump, lots of fiberglass and gelcoat repairs, new anchor and ground tackle, new cranking batteries, VST filters, fuel/water filters...am I being frugal or stupid.? How much does the housing actually wear? :?: Rubber rubbing against stainless.

 

[JiminGA]

I'd suggest you call Andy at SIM and discuss it. I'm betting he will advise the entire kit, and he will explain why. IMO it doesn't hurt to spend the extra dollars for all the components in the assembly - that water pump is a vital part and personally I wouldn't take a chance.

 

[ahill]

What's the contact info for SIM?

 

[duconce]

Personally I would buy the kit, it comes with everything you need. I would also change the 2 seals below the pump if they are 4 yrs old. It only requires removing the 4 bolts that hold the seal housing in place. The water pump sits on top of these and they are the most likely to leak. As far as the impeller goes, there is still a lot of material that goes through the housing with the water and makes small grooves, the new impeller will wear to match. It's kind of like changing brake pads and not turning the rotors, they will work but wear out faster.

 

[1st grady]

Contact for SIM
http://www.simyamaha.com/

 

[nick1048]

This past weekend I was working on my engine and got the impeller kit that Yamaha provides and found quite a problem. I've been having overheating issues, hence my changing the impeller. I found that the impeller itself was in fair shape, but the impeller housing had melted and the melted plastic had completely clogged the channel that the water flows up into the motor. I went and got a new housing piece ($30 suprisingly!) and switched out the new kit (o-rings, metal plate, gasket, new bolts, etc) and she seems fine now. Ran her for about 25 minutes and cool to the touch.

What I'm getting at is to check everything out thoroughly and take it from there. Personally I would probably replace everything. I found that one of the O-rings was just about to go along with the damaged housing. Good Luck

 

[1st grady]

Thanks, guess I'll be putting the kit on the list.

 

[seasick]

This past weekend I was working on my engine and got the impeller kit that Yamaha provides and found quite a problem. I've been having overheating issues, hence my changing the impeller. I found that the impeller itself was in fair shape, but the impeller housing had melted and the melted plastic had completely clogged the channel that the water flows up into the motor. I went and got a new housing piece ($30 suprisingly!) and switched out the new kit (o-rings, metal plate, gasket, new bolts, etc) and she seems fine now. Ran her for about 25 minutes and cool to the touch.

What I'm getting at is to check everything out thoroughly and take it from there. Personally I would probably replace everything. I found that one of the O-rings was just about to go along with the damaged housing. Good Luck

I have heard of this melting scenario several times but wonder what exactly is going on. I don't see anyway that the housing could get hot enough to melt unless the pump was run completely dry in which case the engine would be overheating. Perhaps some sort of exhaust leak is possible but if that is the case, then the replacement housings should melt also.
Chime in folks...

 

[nick1048]

I asked the dealership/part shop about it and they said it is from running dry. Whether from something clogging up the intake valves on the bottom of the motor or running it out of the water with bad earmuffs or something like that. This is my first spring with the boat, so I'm not 100% sure what happened with it. It is super-hard plastic and must have been hotter than hell to melt the way it did, but hopefully now the problem is taken care of.

 

[Fishtales]

I'd recommend you do the entire assembly and do it every 3-4 years. We do ours every 3 years and never had an issue. The season is too short here in the NE to have your boat out of the water for any reason so we change it out as does everyone else per the dealer recommended schedule.

 

[nick1048]

Ya, I agree. The parts shop told me for Yamaha you should do it every 2, maybe 3 years, and for Mercury every year.