Impeller question?

[SnappingTurtle]

Last week I had really good, strong, water flow from my pee hose.

I just cranked the motor in the drum, because I wanted to use it tomorrow. I always do this because I would rather find out it won't start at home, then for some reason on the water.

Now I have no water flowing coming out.

Does a impeller go that fast?

Could it be something else?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Impeller question?

what motor? were you deep enough in the drum? tale tell hose stopped up. kritters love to crawl up them. i've had impellers be pumping in driveway, and get to the ramp, and no go. they go out that quick. i've had to load the boat more than once, because of an impeller.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Impeller question?

It is a 1981 Evinrude 6hp made in Belgium (no 6hp was made in the US in ?81).

Model No. E6BFCIC
Serial No. 6006694

I have the water pickup about an inch under the water level, should it be deeper?

Can you blow through the hose to see if it is stopped up?

Problem for me now is I can't find a part number (water pump kit or impeller kit) for this motor.

I was told when I bought it it had been done last year, but who knows.

Now comes the fun part, I'm afraid I'll never find the parts here.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Impeller question?

Let's back up here. First, the telltale isn't that important. Is it overheating? Can tell very easily by touching the cylinder head. Should be warm (~ 140? F), but not really hot. If it's not overheating, I wouldn't get too worked up.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Impeller question?

I was afraid to run it long, it did get a little warm, but I shut it down pretty quickly.

How long can I run it without doing damage if it is the impeller?

Is the thermostat (does it have one) maybe not warm enough to open?

It has always in the past started to produce water pretty quick.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Impeller question?

Just keep checking it while running. If it get too hot, shut it down. Make sure the water pump is submerged.

Don't know about the thermostat, but most of the older small motors had none.

BTW, you can use compressed air or water on the water tube (need to drop the LU) to flush any debris out.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Impeller question?

Should I be able to hold my hand on the head while it runs? Is this how to tell if it is overheating?

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Impeller question?

seems to get pretty hot

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Impeller question?

If you think it's verging on overheating, drop the LU and inspect/repair the water pump. BTW, if your going to go to the bother, you might as well replace the whole pump, not just the impeller.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Impeller question?

Well I took the water hose and pointed it at the water pick up while it was running and it started to pee, removed it and it stopped, water hose & started again, removed it and it stopped, did this for several minutes and, now I have a steady stream again.

Waited about ten minutes, started the motor it peeed, and it seems OK now. Hope it stays that way on the river tomorrow.

Either I win the “stupid human trick award”, it had something clogging it or the thermostat is acting up, or it was just not pulling water, or the impeller is going, or ...

I know I need a manual, but I can't find one for the motor, so I am at the mercy of the forum experts (you guys), & hidden PDF motor diagrams scattered around the net.

I am trying to find one for the American 7.5hp version of this motor, but ...

I know they made more of these motors than I thought, I talk to two owners with the exact motor this weekend, and found one combined with a inflatable on E-Bay today.

Now if I could just get parts and a manual.

 

[Nandy]

Re: Impeller question?

It really sounds like either the intake was not under water but if you have done this before.... I like earmuff better, less hassle for me. When was the last time you changed the impeller? It will be a good idea to change it every 2 years, 3 tops! If you haven't changed it longer than that you probably better off doing it now when you find the parts... That is an easy and cheap work, easier and cheaper than replacing or having to fix the head due to overheating... Good luck.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Impeller question?

It really sounds like either the intake was not under water but if you have done this before.... I like earmuff better, less hassle for me. When was the last time you changed the impeller? It will be a good idea to change it every 2 years, 3 tops! If you haven't changed it longer than that you probably better off doing it now when you find the parts... That is an easy and cheap work, easier and cheaper than replacing or having to fix the head due to overheating... Good luck.

Thanks for the reply Nandy.

The intake was under water, that much I am sure of. I have had it in the tank at least a dozen times now.

The problem with the impeller is I don't know for sure when it was last changed, I bought it (the motor) used from a older man. I told him I was planning to do that first thing, and he said I did not need to this year because he had done it last year, or the year before, he couldn't remember. He had a nice little collection of older motors and wasn't sure, but it was recent.

It seems like he said it needed to be in gear for it to pump, but I don't remember now, although it does seem to work better when the prop is turning.

I am trying to get hold of a water pump kit, but it is a bit of a problem here (Germany). No one wants to sell parts anymore, just new motors. Auto industry is the same, nobody fixes stuff hear anymore. I just want to be real safe. Over heated motors scare me, but at the same time I don't want to miss the very short boat season waiting to find one if I don't have to.

 

[Benny1963]

Re: Impeller question?

ishop marine or iboats may ship if not get someone from brp on the phone and they will help ya get the parts ya need if that dont work post your motor id number and or parts number for kit and i will get it and ship to ya
pm me if ya need me to get kit and l it insured its not heavy and comesin small box

 

[Nandy]

Re: Impeller question?

Hope you find the parts. Not fun to be stranded. If it is pumping ok while in gear just dont let it run in neutral for too long. good luck!

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Impeller question?

ishop marine or iboats may ship if not get someone from brp on the phone and they will help ya get the parts ya need if that dont work post your motor id number and or parts number for kit and i will get it and ship to ya
pm me if ya need me to get kit and l it insured its not heavy and comesin small box

The big problem is that this motor was not made in the States and they have no listings for the parts needed. I found a old “MicroFilm” from Evinrude today, with the motor listed so now I have a part number, and maybe, just maybe, a company that can get the kit. I won't know till Monday though. They were having a harbor party today where they are located, and I think they were all a little drunk. They are open on Saturdays, but someone on the phone said they had all already called in sick for tomorrow.

I really appreciate your offer to help!

Hope you find the parts. Not fun to be stranded. If it is pumping ok while in gear just dont let it run in neutral for too long. good luck!

The weather has been so bad, hurricane speed winds and rain, rain, rain, that even if it was working, which it is now not, I wouldn't be able to go out (the boat is just too small, to survive this type of weather).

It quit pumping water again, so I will go ahead, and “try” to replace the water pump. I said "try", I haven't done this in over 30 years and I have no manual.

My piece of mind, along with the motor, is at stake though. Better safe, than sorry.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Impeller question?

Well the old part number that I found at the marina in their no longer used OMC microfilm records has been superseded by a new BRP part number. This new number I found on the Internet with the help of the old number.

The water pump kit is still available, thats the good news.

The bad news is that the $27 price in America, is $107 in Germany (and that is with the weak dollar), plus shipping, and takes a minimum of seven working days to ship it 30 miles and I can't just drive over and get it myself. They drive it over to the marina, and you pay for them to, whether you like it or not. They won't sell direct to me. Did I mention, I also had to find the dealer for the part, for the marina? Nice setup they have here, or?

They just keep saying if I would just buy a new motor every two years, I would not have to worry about changing the impeller every two years. The marine industry is starting to sound like the computer industry. I guess this is a way of the "Old Marine Economy", becoming a part of the "New Marine Economy".

The weather is now really nice and the boat just sets there, high and dry. Next week if I get it (the water pump kit) in, and the motor running again, it will start the seemingly never ending rain again.

One small part, and the whole boating season can pass you by here. Life on the "Gulf" sure is looking good.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Impeller question?

I took the lower unit off and I have to say it couldn't be easier to change the water pump. Now if the Pump I ordered would just come, so I could put it all back together.

It is good that I took it apart, because the impeller is very brittle. It only took a slight pressure to break off the impeller vanes.

It looks like the impeller would have been enough, and I should have looked before I ordered the whole pump, but oh well ...

The rubber seal on the pipe (on the water pump housing) leading to the power head is also new looking, soft and flexible.

Now a new question!

It all looked to be in old, but good shape, and yet it was not pumping water.

I took off the cover/housing that would cover the thermostat if it had one. It doesn't.

I then flushed the system by running water slowly through the motor starting at the opening where the thermostat would be if it had one to see if it was clogged. It flowed freely out the lower unit (or the tube that would connect to the pump if it was connected).

I also blew air through the “pee hole” (hate that term, is there a correct description), and it is also free of blockage.

Now the question, why did it not pump water?

The water pump was way below the water level, yet only produced a little steam.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Impeller question?

If the housing has any scoring, replace it, same with the wear plate. It only takes a little scoring for the pump to be ineffective. Also, the way the pump works (PD pump at low RPM's & centrifugal at high), the vanes must flex. You said the vanes were hard (and probably set in a position to not pump well).

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: Impeller question?

If the housing has any scoring, replace it, same with the wear plate. It only takes a little scoring for the pump to be ineffective. Also, the way the pump works (PD pump at low RPM's & centrifugal at high), the vanes must flex. You said the vanes were hard (and probably set in a position to not pump well).

The housing is stainless steel and looked like polished glass, as does the wear plate.

I don't think this motor has ever seen a grain of sand, or any salt water in it's very long life. The insides of the lower leg were completely corrosion free.

I ordered a complete water pump kit, so all will be replace anyway, but I was happy to see how clean it all was.

The impeller was intact but upon removal, but it took only slight pressure to crack the vanes off.

I hope your right and this (the hardened rubber) is, or was the problem, and I will get good water flow after this.

I plained to rub the impeller down with a generous coat of Vaseline when replacing it. Will this protect it till it gets water, or should I use something else like gear oil/grease.

I know Vaseline (petroleum based) is not good for use with Latex Condoms (read it somewhere ;-)), would it damage the impeller rubber?

 

[wilde1j]

Re: Impeller question?

Some people coat the impeller with dish soap to ease assembly ... I have always done it dry. Doesn't make much difference, since a few seconds of running and whatever you put there is gone with the water. I wouldn't use anything oily or greasy, since some may remain in the cooling passages and attract debris.

When you dropped the LU, could you tell if the water tube was in the correct place and the grommet it goes into was not folded over? This is a common problem when inexperienced people do a water pump. Also, was the impeller key in the right place? Either of these things can really screw up a pump.