Impeller shot at 50 hrs?

[skijones]

Installed a new impeller in my 99 SNOB this spring, was at Lake Norris with 50 hours on this year and shredded an impeller.

Anybody else have this low of hours and have problems?

[swooddc]

only time i have seen one go that quick is if someone ran it dry. then a couple of minutes will cook it. maybe your strainer got clogged.

[skijones]

Boat has never been run dry and the impeller failed at Lake Norris, very clean and deep.

I allways lube them on installation and in the spring for the first startup.

[uncle-buck]

I've never heard of one going at 50 hrs. before, but now am going to keep a spare on board, just in case.

[cabcadd]

Possible leak in raw water pickup

When I first got my 94 SNOB the PO had lost the rubber gasket from the raw water strainer.

That resulted in little to no water at low RPM and adequate water at running speed.

Impeller was damaged and had some burning of the backing plate that goes between the impeller and pump housing. Also notice temp variations with RPM.

You might check raw water pickup before replacing the impeller.

[skijones]

RE: Possible leak in raw water pickup

Impeller had 3 fins torn off and I know nothing got on the pickup(double checked). Inside of RWP looked fine, but could be something else. Friend of mine was there, used to be a Nautique dealer, said he had never seen anything like that. Replace impeller and everything was fine.

[MiracleDriver]

RE: Possible leak in raw water pickup

check the tstat housing those things dont just explode, it probably sucked something and is somewhere downstream from the impeller now.

[jos]

RE: Possible leak in raw water pickup

Agree, air leak before the pump, gives no water at idle. Check sheared hoses close to clamp, tighten all hose clamps, strainer. Check that the pump sucks very stong vacuum at idle, palm of your hand at the hose. If you want to check the vacuum, release, hose at bottom intake, start and run it for 10sec, and shut off, and you will know.
Mine did not suck vacuum at idle, due to a flat spot on the transmison oilcooler, mecanic killed this when connecting the hose to the cooler and did not notice.

[horkn]

RE: Possible leak in raw water pickup

50 hours is way too few for a new impeller to go out provided eevrything else is fine.

Def check the hoses before the RWP.

I had an impeller go on my martinique that when it lost enough fins, it filled the entire motor full of water, and hydro seized it.

I was boarding behind it when it happened, and i thought the worst. After I got it pulled back, and out of the lake, I drained the oil, and all the water, pulled the impeller, and found my issue. I heard it is rare to have happen, but I witnessed that occurrence myself.

Now I check the impeller every year upon spring prep.