Re: IMPELLER IN PIECES!!!!!!!
i'm just a novis too calfasaur. with a different drive than you. (though somewhat similar i think regaurding the impeller part)but i've had my lower off 3 or 4 times now. the first was the hardest. it's dificult to put back on thats all. have a buddy help ya as it's quite heavy and three things have to line up + ya gotta keep the prop locked in fwd gear. but once they do line up, i'll just slide right on and ya will be done. as for the pump houseing. depends on how it looks. if original, i think i'd replace the houseing too. i have an model 1 drive myself. just replaced the impeller only, the first time, didn't last 20 hours and had to replace it again. did the houseing and impeller this time. seems like a better repair perhaps. guess theres been descussions on this on the board regaruding that fairly recently and i'm thinking the conseneces is to replace impeller and houseing. if ya do the houseing ya can inspect yer seal at that point on the lower drive shaft for wear too since you'll be right there. new seal i think comes with the lower housing. do use proper torque specs on this pump too. it ain't very tightly screwed on i don't think. use your merc service manual for the specifics about your impeller replacement. <br />also do try to get all the impeller pieces out. i think a real boat mech would suggest a drive removal to go get all the pieces maybe even. what i did was, with the lower off. and water hose disconnected from the thermostat houseing. i back flushed fwd and backwards into a bucket till i din't get any more impeller pieces in the bucket, it might take several flushes back and forth. ya don't want them pieces gettin to the block i don't think. perhaps the pieces can plug a water passage or restrict as water passage if lodged in the wrong place. i have no idea how ya tell if ya have that happen though. <br />i hope, if my info is wrong someone will come by and straighten both of us out. my experience is with the model 1. i just read, and think the alpha1 and my model 1 have simalar waterpumps. <br />i assume ya have raw water cooled???? no heat exchanger?<br />lastly i think it's recommended to pressure test yer drive if it has been apart. i can't remember the specifics on that other than i think it's 15psi and holding for a while. i did mine at 10 psi for 15 or so min. and think it's ok.......... just my opinion..........
. So came back in after about 15 mins<br />When putting on prop bag notice a piece of rubber in water inlet grill. took grill off and was full of bits of rubber. The impeller i am sure ( or whats left of it) Question 
