A couple more rookie questions... transmission oil cooler, impeller, bad heater core?

[SoldTheBayliner]

I've been learning as I go... buying a boat right before you have to winterize it for the first time is maybe not the best course of action. The boat is a 2000 Super Air, it's a V drive with the PCM 5.7 motor. I've never worked on an inboard or a V drive before, so the learning curve is steep. You guys have been great help, thanks.... A couple more (dumb?) questions:

1. There is a canister thing in the main water intake line, after the strainer, before the motor. The main water line attaches to both ends, and there's 2 braided lines attached to the backside of it with brass fittings. There is a drain plug on it. Is this the transmission oil cooler? The lines look like they're heading to the transmission. Assuming those lines are full of oil?

2. Is the impeller directly behind the plate thingy that is held on by 4 allen bolts? Do I need to remove the whole pump like the manual says in order to winterize properly, or can I just pull the impeller out? How do I pull the whole pump if necessary? It's hard to reach and harder to see.

3. What size are those allen bolts? The allen wrenches I have won't fit in there...going to have to buy a wrench...unless you can pull the pump easily and THEN remove the plate thingy?

4. I think my heater core might be pretty clogged up... I pulled the heater line off of the drain on the starboard side of the motor, and removed the elbow water line between the thermostat housing and the water pump...the other heater line comes in above the lower end of that line, and I can't find a drain plug on the bottom of the water pump (manual says some might not have one?)...Anyway, this essentially opens up both ends of the heater system. So I started to blow into the line that comes off of the drain plug (after 5 minutes of figuring out how to get my face down there), and I couldn't get any air to move...no dripping at the water pump end, nothing. My lungs didn't have the PSI to do anything. So I got out the compressor and tried blasting some air into that line...gently at first. It started to pressurize the line, and when I pulled the compressor nozzle off of the line, the backpressure belched out some fairly rusty water, but still nothing coming out of the other end. So I started giving it short bursts of air with the compressor, and finally got some flow on the other end...water started coming out of the open hole at the water pump. The whole time I was getting water to flow, I was creating some serious backpressure in the line I was blowing into...it was not flowing easily by any means. I thought I read on here that most people just blow it out with their lungs...no way, not happening. I finally got it to where I was getting gurgling sounds and more air than water at the other end...I kept going for a while and called it good. SO, can you diagnose my heater core? I'm thinking it's clogged up and pretty much shot... or does this sound normal?

Thanks again...

[SoldTheBayliner]

Anyone?

[core-rider]

1) Yes, that is the tranmission fluid cooler. The drain plug is to drain water out of it during winterization.

2) Yes, the impeller is right behind the plate. I always pull the entire pump assembly out when changing the impeller. It's just easier to work with on the bench. There are 2 bolts IIRC that hold the pump in place and 2 hoses.

3) Not sure of the allen head size as mine are hex bolts, but pull the pump and it will be much easier to work on.

4) My heater core is fairly easy to blow through with just my mouth. If you do have a clog try blowing air through the other hose and see if that may blow whatever is in the core or hoses out. It is also possible you have a kink or pinched hose, might want to investigate. If all else fails, take the hoses off at the heater core itself and see if it's the hoses or core that has a blockage.

Good luck with it!

[SoldTheBayliner]

Beautiful, thanks. I will look at removing the pump... a couple bolts and it doesn't affect anything else to just pull it out? Maybe I'll just pull the heater core this winter and see how bad it is. I didn't figure that it should be that hard to blow through. I may just get this thing figured out yet... Thanks again

[Chexi]

The water pump should be held on with hex bolts, not allen head bolts or screws. There are 2 sizes, if I remember correctly. It is also not that hard to get to if you remove the side walls around the engine. Personally, I find it a lot easier to take the pump off on the v-drive (not much easier on the d-drives). Be sure you mark the top of the pump before you take it off. It is possible to put them back on upside down, which will prevent water from going to and cooling your engine. Loosen the bolt on the tension bar first.

[SoldTheBayliner]

The allen bolts are holding on the plate that I'm assuming houses the impeller. Haven't looked at what's holding the actual pump on.
There are 2 hoses going into it on the starboard side... if you put it on upside down, wouldn't those hose fittings be pointing the wrong way? Seems hard to screw up...?

[Chexi]

Do you have an engine other than the GT-40?

[SoldTheBayliner]

Yes... PCM 5.7

[Chexi]

It does not sound like it, based on your description. Here is the thread you want for changing the impeller on a GT40.

http://www.planetnautique.com/vb3/sh...mpeller+change


But I would reiterate, it does not sound like you have the standard GT40 pump. The GT40 pump (a) uses all hex bolts (both to secure to engine and to keep itself closed), and (b) has 1 hose on each side, so it is possible to put it in upside down. The Chevy motors have a different setup where it is not possible to put in upside down, because they have the 2 hosebarbs on the same side.

[SoldTheBayliner]

Well the motor says "PCM 5.7 APEX" and all over it, so I hope it's not a GT40. Is it rare to have this motor in a 2000?

both hose barbs are definitely on the same side. either way, it sounds like removing the pump and then messing with the impeller is the way to go. I honestly didn't even look at how the pump is attached, I was just trying to get at the impeller. Didn't know I'd have to loosen the belt and get the whole thing off of there...but it doesn't seem like a big deal.

[core-rider]

Okay, if you have the APEX engine the water pump is actually on the very front of the engine attached to the crankshaft pulley. I'm not real sure how to remove the pump from the engine, but it looks as if it will be better to just remove the 4 screws from the front cover and remove the impeller that way. Being a v-drive it will be difficult to get to, but probably the better option. Your engine is slightly different from what typically is in SAN so that is the reason from the confusion.

You may want to try this manual if you don't already have one... http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=L190172 It may help you figure out how to remove the impellar.