Volvo 2003 Impeller Removal

Jabberwock

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I would be grateful for any advice on the best way to remove the old raw water impeller from my Volvo 2003. There is only 3 or 4 inches between the front of the water pump and a bulkhead in front. So far I have only tried prising it out with one screwdriver without it budging.
 

nigelhudson

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I removed my impeller (Volvo 2002 but they seem the same in the manual) using a plumbers tap wrench. They are like angled pliers that are just narrow enough to slip between the vanes of the impellor and grip on the hub. This avoids using the screwdriver method which can damage the edge of the housing. If you can find a wrench which is sufficiently angled you may be able to get in the gap between the pump and the bulkhead. Even if you can only get it moving with the wrench you should be able to complete the job with a screwdriver.
 

Sui Generis

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I agree with Nigel's approach. You can reduce the potential of damage to the housing when using a screwdriver by wrapping insulation tape round the shaft of the screwdriver as a padding. If all else fails, there is the option of taking the whole pump off the engine and changing the impellor on the bench.
 

jimh

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yes - problem is (and I share the same problem) you can't fit the Jabsco impellor remover between the bulkhead and the front of the housing.

I have seen a plastic tool that is safe to use prised against the inside of the housing and would require little room - a pair of them would be ideal for opposite sides of the impellor (same action as a screwdriver - but less likely to damage the pump) - think I saw them as part of a 'quick impellor access' kit ???
 

BrendanS

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Don't normally post without actual experience, so this is second hand, but much advised over years. Applying leverage from one side doesn't work well. What does work, without specialist tools, is applying leverage from both sides at once. Two screwdrivers, (suitably wrapped so they don't do damage?) will often do the trick, on opposite sides. Others more knowledgeable will now tell tell me why a puller is better
 

kingfisher

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If I remove an impeller, it is to chuck it, so why buy expensive retractors?

I use two screwdrivers on my volvo 2001. Before you remove the old one, note which way the blades are folded.

If you don't have the space in front of the pump to angle two screwdrivers, why not grip the blades using two needlenose pliers (the ones with the bent needlenose)? You could even temporarely glue some padding on the pliers, should you desperately want to keep the impeller.
 

nita

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Last weekend our impeller died on our Volvo 2002 (an older but similar model) as we entered Cherbourg harbour. (After an interesting night sail through the harbour) I replaced the impeller after removing the old one using the technique described above. I wrapped a couple of bands of electrical tape around the shaft of two screw drivers about 3/4 of a cm from the tip and using both on either side of the impeller I levered the impleller out. The tape worked perfectly in protecting the impeller housing. If all else fails a squirt of WD 40 can help, but you need to make sure you clean it out afterwards and properly vaseline the new impeller. Hope this helps.
 
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