Service ????? If it ain' broke dont break it

[Bonefish Blues]

To service or replace ?

To '...replace the impeller every year on my Honda 30'

 

[Boathook]

To '...replace the impeller every year on my Honda 30'

Used to buy a honda service kit that came with filters, washers, impellor, etc.

I can't remember the exact price but around £180 rings a bell. Possibly could have got the bits cheaper elsewhere, but it kept the main dealer on my side. I used to pick the brains of him or his mechanic if I wasn't sure about anything.

 

[Hot Property]

Used to buy a honda service kit that came with filters, washers, impellor, etc.

I can't remember the exact price but around £180 rings a bell. Possibly could have got the bits cheaper elsewhere, but it kept the main dealer on my side. I used to pick the brains of him or his mechanic if I wasn't sure about anything.

I tend to inspect/ change the impeller on my 100 and 150 Honda's every couple of years.

Taking the leg off takes time so the additional cost of the actual impeller is negligible.

I have a lift and hold for the oil change once a year. It's afloat the rest of the time so false economy not to replace, (including the big anode on the bracket - when I bought her this had disappeared despite being serviced by a " proper" company on the IOW).

 

[Mr Googler]

In my experience, the best reason for regularly changing an outboard impeller is that if you don't, when you actually have to change it, it is all corroded and stuck to bu66ery and is somewhere between next to impossible and impossible to do

What tosh…..nothing ever needs inspecting or servicing. Itll be fine for at minimum 5 years

 

[wonkywinch]

Oil does 5 things. Lubricate, seal, clean, cool, and cushion. And it's cheap. Why wouldn't you change it?

 

[ari]

Dont feed the troll

Quite! Amazing that he still gets bites (and more so that he seems to need them).

 

[oldbloke]

I may not agree with Mr Plumbs but he does have a point. What percentage of outboard motors do have their impeller changed before being compelled to by lack of pumping, I'll bet it's a very small percentage, and what percentage explode, seize or need rescuing by the RNLI ?

 

[bluetooth]

I agree but when my impellers on my many many outboards last for over 5 years why on earth would you replace them every year like so many people do. Ther all know the the impeller they take out is as good as the one they put in

Is this because most of us have one boat whilst you have, well can't remember but I think a few years ago it was, at least 14 but no doubt you will clarify. Whatever it is, the amount of use on each impeller is around 90% less than ours.
Might this be a reason why you achieve such good longevity / less failure of the impellers?

Do you do end of day and season fresh water run though to get rid of seawater?

I can also understand u dont want to change impellers each season, as that would be quite a number!

 

[ari]

I may not agree with Mr Plumbs but he does have a point. What percentage of outboard motors do have their impeller changed before being compelled to by lack of pumping, I'll bet it's a very small percentage, and what percentage explode, seize or need rescuing by the RNLI ?

Everyone I know services their boat regularly. Don't you?

You'd have to be a bit special to put to sea without maintaining your equipment properly.

 

[ontheplane]

Also it's about choice isn't it.

I would choose to maintain my engine as probably 70% of the value of the boat is tied up in the engine value - so a few hundred pounds every year is worth it - plus I value having reliability.

However I agree that a bad service is worse than no service at all - someone taking apart a good engine and putting it back together badly would certainly make it worse.

But put back together well it should be more reliable than leaving it to fail on it's own.

I work in the motor trade and cars that are not serviced properly tend to fail more often than cars that are - but often it is down to luck.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Everyone I know services their boat regularly. Don't you?

You'd have to be a bit special to put to sea without maintaining your equipment properly.

As described up there, Mr Plums has motors he barely uses for more than a couple of hours a year. Ours might only add up to 30 or so. We do our oil. every 2 years, or rather up to now we’ve paid someone to do it. However, as that someone billed us the best part of £500 for a Honda 15 this winter, it’s been added to my own list of jobs.

 

[oldbloke]

Everyone I know services their boat regularly. Don't you?

You'd have to be a bit special to put to sea without maintaining your equipment properly.

You must have a very small circle of very obsessive friends.

 

[ari]

You must have a very small circle of very obsessive friends.

No, most people respect the sea and value their safety I find.

 

[Refueler]

Your engine, your choice. As you say it all works OK today.
But if you want some reliability out at sea..........

I would change the impeller. If that fails you have a dead, possibly damaged engine if you don't spot it soon enough. Very old oil and it just wears a bit faster.

I have engines far older than that and only ever changed 1 impellor in all the years I've been boating.

Disasters are ganging up waiting to hit me !!

 

[Momac]

I have engines far older than that and only ever changed 1 impellor in all the years I've been boating.

Disasters are ganging up waiting to hit me !!

 

[Bouba]

The problem of broken impellers isn’t just the immediate effect of overheating....it’s also accounting for all the missing bits of rubber

 

[Momac]

The problem of broken impellers isn’t just the immediate effect of overheating....it’s also accounting for all the missing bits of rubber