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Impeller chewed up


rrkyle

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Hey everybody today we took the boat out and after letting it heat to about 120 i backed off the trailer and idled out of the no wake zone. When i got out of the no wake zone i accelerated and noticed smoke behind the boat and smelled it and then the temp gauge shot up. I killed the motor as soon as i saw the temp gauge. And luckily a guy in a bass boat was launching and he towed me back in. :(

I didnt try to start it again but i noticed that the clear water filter thing on the big water intake hose was almost dry.

Got it home and pulled the impeller. DESTROYED..

I also pulled all the hoses and im pretty sure i got outall of the pieces of the impeller.

Going to order a new impeller later on.

I also noticed that the driver side exhaust tube looks a like it may have gotten a little heat blister? Just wondering if thats anything to worry about?

And if anybody has any tips advice for other stuff to check?

Sorry for the essay but its my first inboard and Im already really attached to it. By the way its a super clean 85 skier.

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Was this your first time out this year? Remember that after checking proper oil level that the cooling system is also essential. The first time out it is a good idea to raise the motor cover and visually inspect the engine while you start it. You can watch the raw water sea strainer and make sure that the cooling system is being primed. The o-ring in the sea strainer can dry out and lose it's seal making it difficult for the raw water pump to prime. I would also keep an eye on both exhaust hoses off of the risers as they will probably need to be replaced. One other tip, your boat will be extra loud when water is not passing through the exhaust at idle and especially at acceleration.

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If you shut it down as soon as the temperature shot up you should be fine. I had a 99 Centurion and had to replace the housing for the impeller once. On that housing there was a thin piece of plastic in the middle of either the intake or exit opening. When the little piece of plastic broke there was a sharp piece of plastic that wore the impeller in no time at all. You could feel the sharp piece if you ran your finger around the inside of the housing where the impeller spins. I now change the impeller every other year and always have a spare on board. The housing wasn't a whole lot more than the impeller.

Do you have a temperature warning alarm?

Good luck with the repair.

Kris

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Also, always make sure the boat is floating before you start it while it is on the trailer. You generally don't have to have the trailer to far in to have the raw water pick up submerged but if it is barely in the water the pump has to lift the water alot higher and may have a harder time priming. I always make sure the boat is pretty much floating on its own before starting it. I also don't let it warm up on the trailer I always back it right off and then just idle around until up to operating temperature.

Kris

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Hey everybody today we took the boat out and after letting it heat to about 120 i backed off the trailer and idled out of the no wake zone. When i got out of the no wake zone i accelerated and noticed smoke behind the boat and smelled it and then the temp gauge shot up. I killed the motor as soon as i saw the temp gauge. And luckily a guy in a bass boat was launching and he towed me back in. :(

I didnt try to start it again but i noticed that the clear water filter thing on the big water intake hose was almost dry.

Got it home and pulled the impeller. DESTROYED..

I also pulled all the hoses and im pretty sure i got outall of the pieces of the impeller.

Going to order a new impeller later on.

I also noticed that the driver side exhaust tube looks a like it may have gotten a little heat blister? Just wondering if thats anything to worry about?

And if anybody has any tips advice for other stuff to check?

Sorry for the essay but its my first inboard and Im already really attached to it. By the way its a super clean 85 skier.

Sounds like you did good and got it shut down in time.

Good man pulling the tranny cooler hoses and checking for impeller bits. Anything downstream clogged with impeller bits could clog the water's path to the block and cause issues.

Make sure you order a kit with gaskets and stainless wear plates instead of just the impeller. Might be good to order a spare impeller too. I always keep my old one in the glove box with the tools needed to change it in case I need it on the water.

As far as the exhaust tube goes, it might be time to change it. It is probably the original tube. As long as it isn't separating from the inner liner your fine, but if you pull the tube off the exhaust manifold, shine a flashlight down the tube, and the inner lining is pulling off the outer wire wrapped layer, it's time to change it. It could really restrict the exhaust, reduce power, and cause overheating.

Just a tip - coat the new impeller with dishwashing fluid or KY to help get it back into the pump housing. Without some sort of lubricant it can be a bear.

Have fun with the Skier! I loved mine. They are great boats! Rockon.gif

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Also, always make sure the boat is floating before you start it while it is on the trailer. You generally don't have to have the trailer to far in to have the raw water pick up submerged but if it is barely in the water the pump has to lift the water alot higher and may have a harder time priming. I always make sure the boat is pretty much floating on its own before starting it. I also don't let it warm up on the trailer I always back it right off and then just idle around until up to operating temperature.

Kris

Good advice. We do the same.

Oh yeah - the old Skier's don't have an alarm, just the gauge. I'm going to add an alarm to the Sunsetter this spring when the new Stainless Marine exhaust goes on. I think it's a smart thing to have.

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It was my 4th time to take it out this year. I just bought it about a month ago. And i did notice it was a little loud but had no idea so didnt pay much attention. Lesson learned. Hopefully not too expensive of a lesson. Cant afford that right now..

And i now know theres no warning buzzer or anything on it..

Any ideas on where to get the rubber exhaust tubes?

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It was my 4th time to take it out this year. I just bought it about a month ago. And i did notice it was a little loud but had no idea so didnt pay much attention. Lesson learned. Hopefully not too expensive of a lesson. Cant afford that right now..

And i now know theres no warning buzzer or anything on it..

Any ideas on where to get the rubber exhaust tubes?

This is a decent price for the 3" tube you would need. Have a look at your first and make sure it needs it.

http://www.go2marine.com/product.do?no=164607F

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It was my 4th time to take it out this year. I just bought it about a month ago. And i did notice it was a little loud but had no idea so didnt pay much attention. Lesson learned. Hopefully not too expensive of a lesson. Cant afford that right now..

And i now know theres no warning buzzer or anything on it..

Any ideas on where to get the rubber exhaust tubes?

Try Discount Inboard Marine for impellers and exhaust hose.

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Ordered from skidim. Also gonna order a spare next week when i get paid. Ill let yall know how it goes. Just hopin i got it shut down soon enough. Gonna be nervey until i can install the new one and dunk the boat.

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Just remembered somethin i thought was funny when i opened up the drain valves to drain the motor just in case we get another freeze almost no water came out the driver side but water did come out the passenger side. Thought it was strange.

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Just remembered somethin i thought was funny when i opened up the drain valves to drain the motor just in case we get another freeze almost no water came out the driver side but water did come out the passenger side. Thought it was strange.

They get clogged with silt. After opening up the valve take a pick, small allen key, small screwdriver, etc and push it into the drain. Move it around in a circular motion and water will begin to pour out in a solid stream and push the rest of the silt out.

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Also check out this site's Group Buy for the Globe run dry impeller. Allows you to bump start the motor for a second to blow the water out, test the batteries or whatever without burning the impeller. Says their guarenteed for up to 15 minutes of run dry time over the course of it's life. :rockon:

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I had a similar issue on my 89 Sunsetter..unfortunately no alarms, lights etc on a boat that old. Check you impeller housing, if it is plastic chances are it will be damaged inside and you will need to replace it as well. If it is plastic you can upgrade to a metal housing which I would recommend. Mine got so hot it actually cracked the mufflers so I would recommend keeping an eye on them. I just re-fiberglassed mine and ordered some new ones in the off season. I did notice a slight crack on one of my new manifolds but it didnt cause me any issues.

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My boat actually already has the metal impeller housing. I guess the previous owner did that.

Now im just waitin on skidim to get me the impeller so i can dunk it and find it if anything else is wrong. Fingers are gonna stay crossed til i get it.

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My boat actually already has the metal impeller housing. I guess the previous owner did that.

Now im just waitin on skidim to get me the impeller so i can dunk it and find it if anything else is wrong. Fingers are gonna stay crossed til i get it.

When you start it next time with the new impeller installed and boat in the water, place your hand or finger on the impeller pump housing. If water is passing through it, it should get cold from the lake water. If it starts to warm up, then the pump is not priming, thus no water will flow. Sometimes you can briefly increase/bump the throttle RPM's in neutral (Disengage the transmission using the button on the morse throttle control) and get the pump to prime. Also real important to change the pump housing seal (each time you change the impeller). Air can leak into the system from the seal causing the pump not to prime. Good luck

Edited by BuFootin
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  • 2 weeks later...

Well we got the new impeller in and replaced the exhaust hose last weekend. Took it to the lake and it ran like a champ.

I have noticed though that if i put the blower on while the motors running the temp gauge jumps about 10 degrees but as soon as i turn it off it goes back down anybody know why?

And it runs just below 180 all day. Is this right or should it be 160?

Edited by rrkyle
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Well we got the new impeller in and replaced the exhaust hose last weekend. Took it to the lake and it ran like a champ.

I have noticed though that if i put the blower on while the motors running the temp gauge jumps about 10 degrees but as soon as i turn it off it goes back down anybody know why?

And it runs just below 180 all day. Is this right or should it be 160?

160 seems correct but I think my SS ran a little warmer as well. I assume you checked the tranny cooler, pulled hoses, ran some water through the block and or used a shop vac to ensure there were no blockages. I found parts of mine everywhere. Perhaps worth another check? Glad she is ok!

Edited by old skool malibu
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160 seems correct but I think my SS ran a little warmer as well. I assume you checked the tranny cooler, pulled hoses, ran some water through the block and orused a shop vac to ensure there were no blockages. I found parts of mine everywhere. Perhaps worth another check? Glad she is ok!

Yeah i pulled all the hoses. I lost count but im pretty sure i got it all. Mostly entire fins are what i found. Seems like none of it managed to go Northof the impeller housing. I found everything south.

I guess when the water gets warmer ill find out about the temp if it stays constant.

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The electrical draw from the blower can affect the gauge reading, I have seen that on other boats. The temp doesn't change just the signal to the gauge due to the draw from the blower, you will notice once you turn it off the guage instantly returns to previous temp. Check the stat for what is installed in the boat. The recommended stat is 140 F but that is also encompassing salt water as if the temps go higher than that the salt will solidify in the system. Many people, including myself, install a warmer t-stat so that the boat warms up to 160 or 180 and if you have a heater, you get nice warm water in the heat exchanger to warm up the air. If the temperature tends to vary, cooler at idle or low speed and warmer at higher speeds or throttle position you should check for blockage as that indicates a lack of water flow. A rock steady temp level indicates that either the temp gauge calibration might be off or a t-stat of that temperature is what you have. A bad ground wire will also give inconsistent gauge readings. Note, make sure you run your finger up in to the inlet side of the transmission cooler to see if any impeller debris is caught just before the cooling tubes. You will have to dig out the debris from this location, it won't simply drain or fall out. That is the classic debris catcher spot. From your earlier post, it does sound like there might be some debris, probably sand/silt, in the block, you might want to try to flush that out. Given a boat of that age, certainly not an unexpected occurance. There are two (one on each side) drain holes in the block, located low in the center (front to rear), you might remove all the hardware and drain right at the block port.

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The electrical draw from the blower can affect the gauge reading, I have seen that on other boats. The temp doesn't change just the signal to the gauge due to the draw from the blower, you will notice once you turn it off the guage instantly returns to previous temp.

Took the words right outta my mouth...

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