This is my first post after creeping around the forum for a good month. This is a very very very cool and helpful site you have here. Thank you for all the knowledge and expertise! I am a new (to me) boat owner and I'm just about as green as it gets. Much of my knowledge has come from soaking up different tips and tricks on the sticky posts and general forum posts here.
So... here goes...
I purchased a pontoon with a 1978 Johnson V4 85HP motor.
Compression was 95/96 psi across all 4 cyl.
Changed the lower unit oil.
New plugs.
Added a can of Seafoam treatment to the gas tank and fired it up on muffs.
It ran like a top (so far) & I did the happy happy happy dance!!
The single stream of water coming from under the cowling was strong. I have no idea how old the impeller is - so I have read that that means I should go ahead and replace it. After reading post after post and watching different videos, I pulled the trigger and ordered "an impeller" for my motor. To my dismay, it is literally... just the impeller. I feel I what I should have bought is the entire water pump kit. Much of the forum posts just say 'impeller' - so I didn't even know there was a kit available. I suppose you don't know what you don't know until you've messed up a little.
Two questions:
1. Not knowing the condition of the cup, gaskets, o-rings, impeller... should I have bought the entire water pump kit?
2. If you're opening up those gaskets/seals and such, why would anyone just buy/install JUST the impeller? I can't imagine the scenario - unless you really really only replace that 1 part.
Any other related helpful tips/thoughts for my ole' 1978 juggernaut would be appreciated as well.
Thanks in advance for your help!!
So... here goes...
I purchased a pontoon with a 1978 Johnson V4 85HP motor.
Compression was 95/96 psi across all 4 cyl.
Changed the lower unit oil.
New plugs.
Added a can of Seafoam treatment to the gas tank and fired it up on muffs.
It ran like a top (so far) & I did the happy happy happy dance!!
The single stream of water coming from under the cowling was strong. I have no idea how old the impeller is - so I have read that that means I should go ahead and replace it. After reading post after post and watching different videos, I pulled the trigger and ordered "an impeller" for my motor. To my dismay, it is literally... just the impeller. I feel I what I should have bought is the entire water pump kit. Much of the forum posts just say 'impeller' - so I didn't even know there was a kit available. I suppose you don't know what you don't know until you've messed up a little.
Two questions:
1. Not knowing the condition of the cup, gaskets, o-rings, impeller... should I have bought the entire water pump kit?
2. If you're opening up those gaskets/seals and such, why would anyone just buy/install JUST the impeller? I can't imagine the scenario - unless you really really only replace that 1 part.
Any other related helpful tips/thoughts for my ole' 1978 juggernaut would be appreciated as well.
Thanks in advance for your help!!