Me Impeller got hot d*&m it!!

[Mr Googler]

Put the boat in the water for the first time today.

Started up all great. After 5-10mins at 1200rpm out of gear sqeaking noise....then a small amount of rubber smelling smoke. Stop the the engine straight away and the impeller face plate was very hot.

I think what happen is I checked the strainer which is after and higher than the impeller when it was out of the water thus is drained out!!

What a pratt I am.

I primed it up through the strainer and squeezing various pipes and all seemed ok but it started sqeaking a bit again.

Does the learned panel think I need to replace it. Will 2-3 mins of being hot knacker it.

Thanks for your thoughts and dont tell me off, I feel stupid enough as it is!

 

[PaulGooch]

Tis doomed and must be replaced i'm afraid (IMO)

 

[RAI]

Take it out and look at it. Then put a new one in. The old might still work as a spare.

 

[RIN]

Paul
Did exactly the same thing myself after going back in the water. Since we were moving the boat to the Solent from Poole I started it up and left it in gear for 10 mins to check everything ok. Then the alarm went off. stbd impeller reduced to a rubbery thimble. Port one ok it must have sucked the water up. Will remember to top it up through the strainer next time

No point taking any chances if you could smell it and it got hot - I think you should replace it

Richard

 

[powerskipper]

yup

Put the boat in the water for the first time today.

Started up all great. After 5-10mins at 1200rpm out of gear sqeaking noise....then a small amount of rubber smelling smoke. Stop the the engine straight away and the impeller face plate was very hot.

I think what happen is I checked the strainer which is after and higher than the impeller when it was out of the water thus is drained out!!

What a pratt I am.

I primed it up through the strainer and squeezing various pipes and all seemed ok but it started sqeaking a bit again.

Does the learned panel think I need to replace it. Will 2-3 mins of being hot knacker it.

Thanks for your thoughts and dont tell me off, I feel stupid enough as it is!

replace it, if it has got hot it will be damaged, makes the rubber brittle, and it can then break up, and all those little bits go though the engine and you have to take loads of bits off to find them all.

 

[Mr Googler]

thankyou

Cheers for all the comments.

Lucky I ordered an impeller for spare beginning of the week so its a no brainer I guess. Just not looking forward to it as its in a tight spot and the weather is looking very good so no doubt I will try and rush it so I can get out and knacker my knuckles!

Wish me luck

 

[omega2]

impeller

A tip for you, if you had the boat out for the winter, then it should have been removed and tied to the helm with a piece of string, to remind yoiu to replace it when you were going to commission again. That way you have surely primed the system before starting up. We do not have that problem as we are running all the time, our prob is trying to dredge the creek with the cooling system, soft mud up intakes does much the same job. In our case we have to poke a broom handle down the intakes to clear the mud, and hope and pray that will be sufficient. Don't beat yourself up about it, we've all done it.

 

[PaulGooch]

Cheers for all the comments.

Lucky I ordered an impeller for spare beginning of the week so its a no brainer I guess. Just not looking forward to it as its in a tight spot and the weather is looking very good so no doubt I will try and rush it so I can get out and knacker my knuckles!

Wish me luck

Good luck Make sure you turn the sea cock off before you take any bits off, or you might siphon the marina into the boat.

 

[Mr Googler]

Cheers Paul

I'm going to clamp the intake tube as there is no seacock from the leg intake.

The trailer will be on standby if all goes wrong

 

[PaulGooch]

Cheers Paul

I'm going to clamp the intake tube as there is no seacock from the leg intake.

The trailer will be on standby if all goes wrong

Ah, was thinking shaft drive Paul. Mines on a shaft and syphons with the seacock open, not sure if a leg would do the same. If the hose at the leg is above the water line, disconnecting it will stop any syphoning.

 

[Piers]

Ouch! Easy mistake to make and I'm sure almost all of us have done something similar...

And your knowledge of paramedic medicine won't be able to revive it. Thinking about it, is this a case of death by natural causes, or murder....maybe a post-mortem is called for?

Seriously, though, and as the panel says, discard it. Whilst removing it, just make sure any bits that fallen off are retrieved. You don't want them starting to block the intercooler / heat exchanger etc....

Piers

 

[Greg2]

Had exactly the same problem and was wondering whether to replace mine or not - think I will now. Bit of a concern when I loosened the water strainer cap to break the vacuum that sometimes occurs on first start up and wisps of smoke came out. Took me a second to realise what the problem was.
Never happened before - both engines have self-primed every time previously

 

[RIN]

Ouch! Easy mistake to make and I'm sure almost all of us have done something similar...

And your knowledge of paramedic medicine won't be able to revive it. Thinking about it, is this a case of death by natural causes, or murder....maybe a post-mortem is called for?

Seriously, though, and as the panel says, discard it. Whilst removing it, just make sure any bits that fallen off are retrieved. You don't want them starting to block the intercooler / heat exchanger etc....

Piers

Isn't the first thing after the impeller the strainer - on most engines anyway. Surely the bits would be trapped there? I hope so because after moving to the Hamble a couple of weeks ago see post above, I never had time to look in the strainers for the bits of my impeller. I hope I find them in there when I get down to he boat next week

 

[Mr Googler]

sorted

Changed the impeller over. It looked in OK condition except for 2 large chunks missing from a couple of vanes. The strainer is after them impeller so fingers crossed they will end up in there. May have fallen out whilst I was doing it!!

New issue now with UJ I think. Got a knocking when turning left or right. Will PM volvopaul to see whats involved!!

Had a great day out today though and the impeller housing stayed nice and cool thank god

 

[david_bagshaw]

Tis doomed and must be replaced i'm afraid (IMO)

+1 and probably its shaft seal as well, probably where the rubberysmell escaped from.

 

[PaulGooch]

Had exactly the same problem and was wondering whether to replace mine or not - think I will now. Bit of a concern when I loosened the water strainer cap to break the vacuum that sometimes occurs on first start up and wisps of smoke came out. Took me a second to realise what the problem was.
Never happened before - both engines have self-primed every time previously

Often do self prime Greg, but not always (as you found out lol) A good trick If the strainer is indeed a high point, is to take the top of the strainer and fill the system with a hose.

 

[PaulGooch]

Isn't the first thing after the impeller the strainer - on most engines anyway. Surely the bits would be trapped there? I hope so because after moving to the Hamble a couple of weeks ago see post above, I never had time to look in the strainers for the bits of my impeller. I hope I find them in there when I get down to he boat next week

Just to be awkward, mine isn't. Seacock > strainer > raw water pump > gubbins

 

[jparham]

I smear some rubber grease on impellers/ends and around housing. Hopefully this helps it self prime and keeps friction at bay until water is fully circulating. Has worked so far!

 

[Greg2]

Often do self prime Greg, but not always (as you found out lol) A good trick If the strainer is indeed a high point, is to take the top of the strainer and fill the system with a hose.

Yep, I'll do that next time!!

Tried to change the impeller yesterday but it wouldn't come out easily and much water was pouring out so I left it for another day. It looked in good condition though so maybe it is okay - only ran for a short time...

 

[Piers]

No strainer on my Cummins 450hp engines to stop impellor bits ....