How often to replace Bravo 3 impeller, very difficult job

[KD4UPL]

I've got a 2004 Rinker Captiva 232 with a Merc Mag 350 and a B3. It has about 350 hours on it. I bought it with 330 earlier this year. The boat has only ever been in freshwater lakes. I have no idea when the raw water impeller was ever changed.
In order to even see the pump housing I will need to remove a storage tube that is right beside the engine. This will gain some side access but the fuel cooler is still in the way.
Directly in front of the engine is the back side of the rear seats. There is maybe 2 or 3 inches of clearance between the pulleys on the engine and the bulkhead. It's impossible to reach the pump housing from the front. I would need to remove the rear seat and then remove the bulkhead which seams to be one piece with a large portion of the floor. I think the floor section is covering the fuel tank.
So, basically, I've got to tear the boat half apart before I could even lay hands on the pump. How often does this really need to be done? I have no temperature issues at all right now. I'm thinking I should just pay someone to change it for me, analyze the condition, and then watch the temp gauge and see how many years I can get out of a new one.
Any thoughts on this plan? I'm wondering if it would actually be easier to pull the engine then take the interior apart. But, if pulling the engine requires it moving forward more than 2 inches or so I would have to pull the boat apart anyway.

 

[Lou C]

I reconfigured the rear seats and bulkhead on my boat to make the maintenance easier. One thing I look at when looking at boats is how easy it will be to do maintenance (starter, exhaust manifolds, steering ram, p/s system, etc). If its a bear to work on I would not buy it and I'd advise anyone asking me for advice, to not buy it. It will just cost you a crazy amount of money and make your boating experience miserable. For what.

This pic shows how I did it. The rear seat was changed from a one piece design to a 2 piece design that can be removed in halves.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Generally every 2-3 years

Most boats are put together to sell and make proffit, not make it easy for owner maintenance

 

[tpenfield]

I try to go for 2 years or 100 hours on the Bravo impellers. Since you don’t know when the impeller was last changed you’ll be changing it to get your baseline.

Definitely a PITA to access. Take the whole pump out, because if you think getting at the pump is fun, wait until you try to get the new impeller in the pump housing

Make sure to apply some liquid dish soap to the impeller and internal of the pump housing so it has some initial lube when you start the engine.

 

[Scott Danforth]

KY jelly works as well

and yes, the lady at walmart will look at you funny when you buy KY jelly and gear lube at the same time.

 

[alldodge]

Agree 2 to 3 years and your 2004 has a bunch of stuff in the way that my 1995 doesn't. I have a 454 and its fairly easy to do, but my Formula I have to hang upside down to do it.

If you install a water pressure gauge you can keep an eye on how the water pump is doing

 

[thumpar]

I just did mine last season after 2 years. The fins have a set but no wrinkles at the base of them where the cracks start so could have gone at least another year. On mine I have about the same front access because of the back seat. My side access is better though but still limited because of a divider. It helps that I have a 10 year old that can get in there but I have done it a few times on my own and I always do the finally tightening.

 

[tpenfield]

KY jelly works as well

and yes, the lady at walmart will look at you funny when you buy KY jelly and gear lube at the same time.

I'd recommend the self-checkout line if you go this route

 

[Scott Danforth]

but what is the fun in that?

 

[Walt T]

Very funny guys. Seriously the water pump is usually held on by 2 bolts but I always check with a headlight and a mirror. Sometimes there's a third bolt. I can do these blindfolded and upside down which is how most of them are done

 

[Lou C]

OMC's better idea.

 

[Walt T]

O yea I agree but its not reality.
Upside down and twisted around
Is our totaliteeeee..

So now its time to say goodnight to Walt and all his friends
He would like to thank his friends for kindly droppin in
I look forward to this localitiee
And hopin youll take a likin to our hospitaliteeeee

 

[thumpar]

When I do mine it is remove the pulley then the 3 nuts and the pump will be loose from the bracket. I leave the bracket on the engine. I do use my phone camera and an endoscope to help.

 

[KD4UPL]

Thanks for all the advice on this. I think I will have it professionally done in the spring; no reason to let the new impeller set still over the winter. That will give me time to figure out where to add a water pressure gauge. That seems like a great idea.
Could anybody point me toward a diagram of that somewhere?

 

[alldodge]

Just installed a pressure gauge on my cruiser this year. Find a mechanical gauge that reads no more then 40 psi. The 40 will place the cruiser and WOT reading around 20 to 25 psi.

I removed the block drain plug and installed a Tee fitting. This way the gauge can be connected using 1/8 air brake tubing and run it up to the helm, and the other is still used as a drain.

 

[Lou C]

Great idea! I think some outboard use water pressure gauges.
If it were me and I foolishly bought a boat with poor access, I'd take the boat to my favorite fiberglass guy in Lindenhurst NY (Raybo Marine) and say, lets figure out a way, to make these panels removable, to make this boat accessible. It would cost a bit of money but if you are a do it yourselfer, it is worth it to correct the boat builders' stupidity.

 

[Walt T]

I've replaced so many Bravo pumps I can do them in my sleep. Sometimes its two bolts sometimes its three. Access can be a problem I suppose but when you automatically know and can blindly find the bolts holding.... ah well I'm preachin to the choir

 

[KD4UPL]

I had the boat professionally winterized and gone over last week. I was asking the mechanic about the impeller replacement. The marina used the "suck the antifreeze thru the muffs" technique. He said that my boat had really strong suction indicating the impeller was likely still in good shape. He said some boats will barely pull the antifreeze out of the bucket.
Without getting into a debate about winterizing in this manner does anyone know the validity of judging impeller health by suction power?

 

[alldodge]

Without getting into a debate about winterizing in this manner does anyone know the validity of judging impeller health by suction power?

The impellers are very good at pumping liquids, and not so good with air. If there is a little bit of water in the impeller the suction is increased, no liquid, not much suction. This is why IMO its never a good idea to not use a pump to push it to the impeller

Don't how you would test how well it sucks

 

[KD4UPL]

There was no other pump. The guy had a bucket of antifreeze sitting on the swim platform with a hose connected to the muffs on the outdrive.