SEI drive water pump failure; engine got hot

Cresco750

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jul 7, 2012
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192
SEI 106 drive / Mercruiser 228 / raw water cooled.

Yesterday, about three minutes after applying cruise power I happened to notice the temp gauge trending towards the upper limit of the scale and by the time I had bought the boat to a stop it had climbed into the red. This was after I had motored out of the harbour chanel at around 1500rpm for ten minutes and temp in the normal range. I shut the engine off, let it cool for about half an hour and fired it up again. It started straight away and idled smoothly, but the temp gauge was clearly heading north, so I got a tow back home.
Today I pulled the drive off and as I expected I found the raw water pump impeller had failed. This is an SEI drive, about two years old and only done around 60hrs.
Upon further inspection I can see no damage to the pump housing or water pocket cover in the upper drive. Hopefully I shut the engine off before any further damage was done, but what else should I check? I've heard that exhaust shutters and rubber exhaust couplings can be affected by a lack of cooling water flow, but how can I check them without disassembling half the boat? What about manifold and riser gaskets?

Cheers
 

Cresco750

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Hopefully I've succeeded in uploading a photo of the impeller? As you can see, the rubber split and peeled away from the centre hub.
 

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alldodge

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SEI 106 drive / Mercruiser 228 / raw water cooled.

Yesterday, about three minutes after applying cruise power I happened to notice the temp gauge trending towards the upper limit of the scale and by the time I had bought the boat to a stop it had climbed into the red. This was after I had motored out of the harbour chanel at around 1500rpm for ten minutes and temp in the normal range. I shut the engine off, let it cool for about half an hour and fired it up again. It started straight away and idled smoothly, but the temp gauge was clearly heading north, so I got a tow back home.
Today I pulled the drive off and as I expected I found the raw water pump impeller had failed. This is an SEI drive, about two years old and only done around 60hrs.
Upon further inspection I can see no damage to the pump housing or water pocket cover in the upper drive. Hopefully I shut the engine off before any further damage was done, but what else should I check? I've heard that exhaust shutters and rubber exhaust couplings can be affected by a lack of cooling water flow, but how can I check them without disassembling half the boat? What about manifold and riser gaskets?
fetch

Cheers

Looks like that is a manufactures defect on the impeller, never seen one fail that way

Grab hold of the rubber boots on the exhaust and see if you find some soft spots. The boots should feel firm. No way check shutters without removing the boots. With the drive off look for pieces of them in the exhaust hole at the transom
 
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JustJason

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5,319
Make sure you find that piece of missing impeller or else you will still have problems. If your lucky and if you have power steering, check the cooler. If no PS, check the thermostat housing.

That's what happens when you mess with made in china parts. I would get OEM replacement.
 

Bondo

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70,468
I would get OEM replacement.

Ayuh,... I'd go one Better, 'n get a Globe Rubber Co. Run Dry impeller,....

They're a blue rubber that really lasts,...
 

flipbro

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Feb 8, 2013
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They sure sound good until you see the 100 dollar price tage.. Any idea the life expectancy
 

Bondo

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They sure sound good until you see the 100 dollar price tage.. Any idea the life expectancy

Ayuh,.... I put 1 in my Alpha,.... Years ago,....

Unfortunately, I didn't put the date on it's box, that's still here on my desk as a pencil holder,.....
 
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Cresco750

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jul 7, 2012
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192
Thanks for the advice guys. The impeller is all intact, ie there are no parts missing off it; it's simply pulled away from the boss so I guess I'm lucky in that regard? I'll have a look up the exhaust for any evidence of shutter pieces and if not I'll be putting it back together today WITH OEM PARTS!!

I remember those blue impellers being advertised here over twenty years ago but never seen them since. I didn't know you could still get them?
 

Bondo

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Thanks for the advice guys. The impeller is all intact, ie there are no parts missing off it; it's simply pulled away from the boss so I guess I'm lucky in that regard? I'll have a look up the exhaust for any evidence of shutter pieces and if not I'll be putting it back together today WITH OEM PARTS!!

I remember those blue impellers being advertised here over twenty years ago but never seen them since. I didn't know you could still get them?

Ayuh,.... Google 'em,.....

I've asked management to add the line, but ain't heard nothin' back after the initial interest,....
 

Fun Times

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Are sei and merc pumps one in the same?
The last I've read was that SEI uses sierra marine impellers and both Merc and sierra marine impellers had some defects in the 2012 era.. This impeller could just be one of the defective ones.
 

Fishermark

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Oct 19, 2003
Messages
5,617
Make sure you find that piece of missing impeller or else you will still have problems. If your lucky and if you have power steering, check the cooler. If no PS, check the thermostat housing.

That's what happens when you mess with made in china parts. I would get OEM replacement.

For what it is worth I've had the OEM impeller separate from the inner hub just like that.
 
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