Impeller replacement frequency

Knot Waiting

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 23, 2006
Messages
761
Since I've owned my boat I have replaced the impeller in my drive annually. However; this year I need to buy new tires for my trailer so money is going tone tighter than years past. In your opinions is it safe to skip a season (fairly moderate use and little sand/beaching) or should I scrimp n' save to get the money for a new impeller? Thanks.
 

Pete104

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
1,439
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

If you need tires you need tires. Your better off being safe on the road.

The impeller is going depend on your use. If you put 100 hrs on it last season, you should change it! 50 hrs or less, watch the gauge & listen for the alarm.
 

dan t.

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Feb 28, 2008
Messages
1,131
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

Well its up to you , but the last impeller I changed on my alpha 1 gen II had about 500 hours on it and looked and cooled just fine. Unless you have been eating a lot of sand or mud I wouldnt worry about it.
 

BonairII

Commander
Joined
Jun 7, 2011
Messages
2,727
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

How much is a new impeller on your motor?
 

ksukats57

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
78
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

What drive and motor are we talking about?

I did mine this year (alpha 1 gen 2) in about an hour's time and $40 of parts or so. Well maybe $50 by the time I bought gear lube.

Mine had been in there a few years I'm sure and it still worked and looked just fine. I'd say you're fine and just keep an eye on it.

Keep a tow strap and a paddle on board just in case ;)
 

MarkSee

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
1,172
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

Since you mentioned "moderate use", how about looking at it this way depending on the price of gas where you live: at $5 a gallon that's roughly 10 gallons of gas = the cost of the impeller change. If you use 10 gallons of gas every 1-2 outings in the boat, what about just using the boat 1-2 times less this season, change the impeller and not need to worry about it?
Mark
 

Knot Waiting

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 23, 2006
Messages
761
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

The impeller kit is about $80. Since I'm gonna pull the drive anyway to grease the U-Joints and check the alignment I might as well just bite the bullet and do the impeller. ....stupid integrity, cant even bring myself to cut corners, lol.
 

ksukats57

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
78
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

what drive/motor setup do you have
 

jtmarten

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Messages
825
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

The impeller kit is about $80. Since I'm gonna pull the drive anyway to grease the U-Joints and check the alignment I might as well just bite the bullet and do the impeller. ....stupid integrity, cant even bring myself to cut corners, lol.

$80? You can get 2 complete kits with top/bottom housings for less than that (for A1G1).

I do mine every 2-3 seasons, generally replace the entire housing, not just the impeller.
 

rschap1

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
95
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

After overheating my old boat last summer, I say bite the bullet and replace it needed or not.
I got pretty lucky. Saw the temp gage jump and zoomed back to my boat lift. Maybe at most 1/4 mile.
By that time I had melted the rubber exhaust couplers and wrecked the manifold to riser gaskets.
When I replaced the impeller I found the leaky gaskets after filling center cylinders full of water:(
Came pretty close to wrecking the motor. I was pulling my son and his friend on tubes, but do keep an eye on my gages.
It happened QUICK!
I will not press my luck nearly that much anymore.
Impeller was on it's 4 th season...I should have known.
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

what drive/motor setup do you have
He's got a 350 Merc with I assume an Alpha as he mentions removing the drive and the impeller in the same job. In his profile ;)
 

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Aug 31, 2004
Messages
62,321
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

I't's not necessary to replace the impeller yearly. Doesn't hurt anything if you do, but it's not necessary.
We would suggest to our customers to replace the impellers every other year on the short vane pumps. The Gen II pumps could go 3 years. Mostly because of corrosion problems in salt water more than problems with the impeller.
The service manual doesn't even give a time.
 

Knot Waiting

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 23, 2006
Messages
761
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

Sorry, totally forgot to reply with what drive I have, didn't mean to ignore you ksukats57. QC it right (naturally, lol) its an Alpha 1. Also caught that iboats is having a sale on their parts so I ordered mine today. If there is anything to be learned on this forum its that it's better to err on the side of caution. Still never hurts to ask though. Thanks guys.
 

mercs4mark

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Dec 19, 2010
Messages
141
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

ya know looking at your profile and if your in Wisconsin....I would change the impeller every other year you only get a good half a year use on the boat....and thats if your out every weekend...think about how much use you get out of it....i'm with Don.....sometimes I think we go overboard with the maintnance and we all do it.
 

ksukats57

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
78
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

No worries Knot,
Hope you get it all back together and on the water without any hiccups along the way. (Yeah, right...like that ever happens).
 

rschap1

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
95
Re: Impeller replacement frequency

How you use and treat things matters too.
I have neighbors that will pull their boats out of winter storage, add gas, and turn the key.
I tell them how spinning the dry impeller is going to pull the vanes off...
I get looked at like I am crazy.
Hook up the muffs and and at least get some water to it before spinning, that will help extend the life.
AND
keep sand, muck, and trash out of it.
I did a little "dredging" a few weeks before mine gave up.
No doubt that I helped kill it by pumping silt and mud:(
 
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