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Is Impeller self priming?


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So I drained all the lines and block last week. The next time I launch the boat, can I just start it up as usual, with empty hoses? Will impeller pull water to it, or will I have an airlock problem without priming the hose to the impeller? Help please.

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If you hooked everything back up you should be good to go. Some guys pull the impeller for the winter but not all of us. I hook everything up and all I do in the spring is re-attache the battery and turn the key :rockon:

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I did hook everything back up, but was concerned that: 1. there wouldn't be enough water in contact with the impeller and it would be damaged or burned up, and/or 2. That it wouldn't pull water to it, without priming/manually filling the line from inlet to impeller.

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These guys are right. It is self priming and should be good to go. If I unhook hoses or drain the impeller housing all the way I give the boat a quick rev to 2500-3000 RPM's to make sure the impeller primes. I had it fail to prime a couple times and learned this trick to help prime a dry impeller.

Just watch your temps after starting. You should level off around 160...if it climbs past 180 shut her down, the impeller isn't primed.

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To ensure that it has a good water source and is priming you can put your hand on the impeller cover shortly after start. It should be cool to the touch. (lake temp)

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To ensure that it has a good water source and is priming you can put your hand on the impeller cover shortly after start. It should be cool to the touch. (lake temp)

Good reminder REW. I do that one as well if I have had the impeller out. Thumbup.gif

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I alway's find it amazing the suction power :innocent: of these pumps. I use like a 60 gallon container to suck from, and it's at ground level. So, it picks water up and over the side of the boat, down at least two feet below the boat.

It will drain that within 4 minutes or so at idle. I use a clear hose, it's kinda fun to watch the water go flying by...

Steve B.

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I tried to use a fake-a-lake and switch the regular hose with a hose that was at ground level and in a 5 gal bucket of RV Antifreeze. Didn't work after about a minute of letting the engine run at a tad more than idle. I had to remove the hose from the outlet side of the V-drive which feed into the inlet of the impeller housing. I hand poured the antifreeze into the long hose while the engine was running...no spills and I didn't let pump go dry except for the beginning and when I turned to turn off the engine. I was afraid of burning up the impeller if it didn't prime itself within a few seconds of trying to get it to suck the antifreeze from below. I'm guessing the fake-a-lake didn't have a really good seal.

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It is self priming, in fact I think it's at or below the water line when the boat is floating.

I don't believe this to be the case. I have been in the water and have pulled the cover off of the impeller housing without any water squirting into the boat.

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I would say the impeller is Not self priming! to say it is self priming is to say that if air is between the pump and water it would suck the water up, this would also chew up the impeller(no water) This is why you do not start the engine on the trailer and drive off, you should push or pull the boat into the water first and once the boat is in the water or once the hose is turned on from the fake-a-lake then you start the engine. When you drive out of the lake it is ok to drive onto the trailer because there is no air in the intake because its already primed.

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I would say the impeller is Not self priming! to say it is self priming is to say that if air is between the pump and water it would suck the water up, this would also chew up the impeller(no water) This is why you do not start the engine on the trailer and drive off, you should push or pull the boat into the water first and once the boat is in the water or once the hose is turned on from the fake-a-lake then you start the engine. When you drive out of the lake it is ok to drive onto the trailer because there is no air in the intake because its already primed.

It is self priming. Trust me.....if the intake hose is full of air, it will pull the water from the lake and prime itself. I've done it many times.

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I would say the impeller is Not self priming! to say it is self priming is to say that if air is between the pump and water it would suck the water up, this would also chew up the impeller(no water)

That's why I have a Globe 100J Run-Dry impeller. A few bucks more than the Johnson 812, but very much worth it.

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