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2004 wakesetter impeller replacement help


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New owner of a 2004 wakesetter and looking for some direction on impeller replacement. I'm currently trying to replace the impeller.  Please let me know if you have found the right way.

Thanks Chris 

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Congratulations on the boat, and welcome to the Crew!

The "right way" is whatever works best for you.

You have to find a position where you can both see and reach the impeller pump housing.  For me, on my boat (v-drive), the best approach is from the port-side storage compartment after removing the partition between it and the engine.  I prop a flashlight pointing towards the pump and reach in with a ratchet wrench and the appropriate bit (or a screwdriver, but wrench works best).  After removing the four screws, the cover plate should drop off.  You should be able to see the impeller.  Squirt in some binding lube, or WD-40, or K-Y jelly.  Then, climb out of there and sit in the driver's seat.  Pull the kill switch lanyard [so the engine doesn't actually start] and then crank the engine for a few seconds.

If you get back into position, you should then be able to maneuver a couple of screw drivers, or paint can openers, or needle nose pliers, inside the pump housing to eventually back the now-loosened impeller on out. Try gently prying back and forth, but take care not to put too much force on the housing walls themselves.  This may take some patience on your part . . . .

Once removed, lube the new impeller liberally, position it over the pump, and twist slightly as you begin to advance it.  Once you feel it engage, you should be able to hammer it all the way in using the heel of your palm  (Don't worry about the direction of the impeller fins; they will correct themselves once you actually start the engine).  Then, its just a matter of replacing the gasket, correctly orienting and positioning the cover over the housing, and threading the screws back in.  Don't over-tighten them (those brass screws will snap and then you'll have a problem).  They just need to be snug enough that the pump doesn't leak.

 

 

However, in my experience, the above technique is more often than not a big PITA!

After the first couple of impeller changes on my v-drive, and a long list of curse words, I came around to the "right way" for me:  using an impeller puller (it obviates the need for lubrication or bumping the engine over altogether).  It's a one-time purchase that, for me, has turned the whole ordeal into a straightforward 5 minute process (I also have a dedicated finger ratchet to make short work of the screws).

Good luck!

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