Stuck Impeller

[LethFT]

Hey All,

Was out last week and right when we were pulling up to retrieve the port pump started making noise. Thinking I had sucked something up and was getting cavitation I pulled the boat out and finished our day. Nothing in the plugs so I got underneath and nothing in the intake grate either. It looked as if the impeller was rubbing up against the wear ring. Ok guess its time to replace the impeller housing (was planning to do this winter anyway). Begin pump diassembly and its not coming out. Started pulling and that's when things got interesting. The pump pulled away from the impeller and housing and then would go no further. Pulled bolts for housing and it would still not come out. So I pulled the cone and found the root cause of the issue. Water inlet into pump bearings causing catastrophic failure. Pulled the nut and was able to get the pump and impeller housing off but the impeller is still not moving.

Does anyone have any suggestions for getting this impeller out with damaging anything else? Pictures of the carnage included. Thanks in advance.

 

[Marcio Fazzio Martins]

Hi,
We have the same problem.The other day my engine mounts broke and the engine moved forward. Boat continue running normal but the bearings probably went bad. So, I removed the engine and order the parts to change the mid shaft housing.
But, like yours, my impeller shaft would not come out. I tied it to a tree and use an engine lift to pull it out. The trailer moved backwa and the shaft stayed in. I hit with a hummer while keeping the traction with the engine lift. It slides 1” and froze again.
After studying the images on the service manual, I don’t see any other reason to be stuck than the 2 shafts to still be connected (male/female). At this point i don’t see other option than hit it with even more power, and if it doesn’t work, cut the shaft.

Let me know if you got any other way.

Thanks

 

[LethFT]

I'm still fighting with mine. Tried a slightly bigger hammer and still nothing. Will try with an even bigger one again in the next couple of days. Parts came in for pump rebuild so I need to get this out soon. But trying not to make things worse.

 

[Bruce]

The end of the driveshaft has splines that are supposed to be greased before inserting. My guess would be that the splines are stuck in the coupler at the front.

I would put the nut back on the back end of the shaft to protect the threads then see if you can use a slide hammer around the nut to pull the shaft free.

Lowering the tongue of the trailer to the ground, spraying penetrating oil on the shaft where it will run to the front and giving it time to soak might help.

If one side is ready for bearing replacement the other is unlikely to be far behind.

@Murf'n'surf experienced a similar bearing failure.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Your shaft is stuck/seized in the splines where it enters through the hull. Like Bruce said, shoot some penetrating oil up in the splines. I had to use a 12" x 1/2" long bolt and a 10 pound hand sledge to work the shaft out of the thru-hull bearing. Wood did not work because it absorbed too much shock. Slide your long bolt or something metal and strong through the intake grate going towards the rear of the boat. Rest the bolt on the impeller center hub....yeah there's not much material there so it takes some coordination. Beat...beat...beat...and beat your shaft out a little at a time.

 

[Marcio Fazzio Martins]

Updates…

First, thank you for all the replies.

In case other people face the same issues…

Engine mounts failed 3 weeks ago. I am sure that they have not failed at the same time and most likely after 3 have failed the engine probably started rotating a little bit. I noted that recently the bilge pump was way more active than it used to be and this could be because the water was starting to enter through the intermediate shaft. Also, the noise on the bearings, couplings seems to be louder than usual.

That was not the first time I removed the Jet Pump and also the engine, therefore I was aware how to disassemble all the parts, but I’ve never had the shafts frozen as these were.

The reason I insisted on asking tips on this forum was because using more force that I have already done (even anchoring the boat to a tree and and using the engine lift while hitting the slab hammer and slide hummer) it have not moved at all.

The gap you see between the bearing housing and the back of the boat was created by the bearings and sealers breakage on the other extreme after the impeller(inside duct impeller).

If the splines on the male/female joint of the 2 shafts broke, it is possible that it made the diameter to expand and since this point seems to be inside the bearing it made the whole thing even harder. I tried to push back with the slab hammer so I could use some PB to help, but it would not move as well)

I also tried to disconnect them forward but the rubber on the bearing mount made the hit with slide hummer not be so effective. And I hit so hard and so many times that the external part started to come off the rubber ring (as shown on the picture attached).

The other picture shows how bad the oxidation seems to be. So even if with a miracle I was able to disconnect the shafts I doubt that they could be reused.

So, I bought a reciprocating saw and cut it. (It hurts!)

Now, I will access which parts I need to rebuilt everything.

Another challenge will be to unscrew the impeller from the cut shaft.

Later...

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Your impeller will likely be scrap also. Time for all new shaft/bearings, seals and impellers

 

[Marcio Fazzio Martins]

Impeller maybe, looks good. But I am not sure if it will come out! let's see...

 

[Bruce]

Impeller maybe, looks good. But I am not sure if it will come out! let's see...

You might grind a flat on one or two sides of the shaft to ease in impeller removal.

 

[Marcio Fazzio Martins]

That's what I thought. 2 flats and heat!

I have this boat since 2007 and have not had big issues at all. Crossed to Bimini, trailered to many places... many years of great times.

2004 models didn't have all the electronics like the new ones, Much easier to maintain. Cables, Oil, Filter, Cleaning jets...

Can't complain about the engine mounts, 18 years, it would fail eventually.

 

[Brad_Ct]

If you can get the coupler off the intermediate shaft with a punch and hammer you might be able to beat the drive shaft out and save the intermediate shaft.