Impeller Replacement Woes

[boofer]

Well, I am going to replace my impeller per my "to-do" list before hitting the water. I dread doing it since I have a little issue. My muffler sits right up against the impeller housing. Has anyone ever had this situation? If so, how did you go about dealing with it? Can the muffler be repositioned fairly easy so that I will only have to deal with this one time?



And, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[School Skier]

What year and size boat is yours? I have a 97 190 and it's very simple to take out. I thought they were all up fron with easy access. I'm sure some one will have the same situation and will help you out, sorry I can't.

[bigmac]

Yeh, that's certainly a brilliant design concept by MasterCraft.

Your muffler looks even closer than mine, and mine ain't no picnic. You could try this (below), but if you don't have enough clearance even for that, you may need to remove the SilentMaster muffler.





I might suggest that, if you do remove the muffler, you consider converting your exhaust to the direct baffled system that MC uses on 2007 and later, or the other option (and apparently cheaper) is to get rid of the SilentMaster and replace with a pair of direct inline mufflers.

[bigmac]

duplicate post

[Esiegert]

You can also remove the RWP from the engine block. You'll need to remove the 3 allen head bolts that hold it to the flywheel and the allen head bolt that hols it to the bracket under the pump!!!

It is not the quickest way, but we have found that it takes approx the same time than fighting the impellor that close to the mufflers.

Good Luck!!!

[magnum]

What model and engine is this own , I just got an 06X-Star with the 8.1 and was looking at it if I wanted to tackle the winterzation this fall and the waterpump is very close to the muffler also , guess that is why the dealers charge to big bucks to winterize

[flipper]

Don't know if this will work for you, but looks like a similar set up with stuff in the way.....maybe shoot him a pm.

http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=22478&highlight=impeller

[WakePowell]

boofer - Your clearance is tight! I have an X-45 with the 8.1L and the Silent Master Muffler and it is difficult to change the impeller but nowhere near as tight as yours. It appears that you have to remove the muffler just to get at the impeller cover bolts.

[rkmason]

You can also remove the RWP from the engine block. You'll need to remove the 3 allen head bolts that hold it to the flywheel and the allen head bolt that hols it to the bracket under the pump!!!

It is not the quickest way, but we have found that it takes approx the same time than fighting the impellor that close to the mufflers.

I'll vote for this approach. If you have to remove & replace something the RWP is easier and quicker than the muffler.

[boofer]

bigmac, yours looks almost exactly the same accounting for the angle of my photo. Now, how do you negotiate that situation?

If I remove the entire pump will it just come free or does it need to move towords the muffler to come off?

[bigmac]

bigmac, yours looks almost exactly the same accounting for the angle of my photo. Now, how do you negotiate that situation?

If I remove the entire pump will it just come free or does it need to move towords the muffler to come off?

I didn't remove the muffler or the pump. I used a small wrench to remove the brass bolts of the cover. I then bump the starter to loosen it a little. As in the picture, I then put a needle-nose Vise-Grip on the lower part of the impeller, with one jaw inside the spindle and the lower jaw against the rubber part of the hub. I then reach over the muffler from behind and pull straight back. Re-install is done from the side. I lube the thing up with some food-grade silicone or glycerine and twist it in. It doesn't matter what direction the rubber vanes go...they orient properly as soon as you hit the starter first time.

IMHO, you have to remove not just the middle, clipped-in panel, but also the rear-most panel (held in with one or two screws at the top). I do this from the right side of the engine. IIRC, there's an air-vent hose in the way from the left side.

[Prostar Rich]

Have you ever thought of getting rid of the muffler all together? That design is terrible by MC to make what should be a simple maintence procedure into such a hassle. Is there any play in the muffler itself where it can be adjusted by positioning the hose on the elbows of the muffler differently?

Prostar Rich

[bigmac]

Have you ever thought of getting rid of the muffler all together? That design is terrible by MC to make what should be a simple maintence procedure into such a hassle.

Prostar Rich

http://www.tmcowners.com/teamtalk/showpost.php?p=476112&postcount=3

[mpwonka]

I had the same problem a few weeks back, I assume you have a v-drive ? if so I removed my storage panels and used a mirror and on heck of a uncomfortable postion to take the cover off then pulled my kill switch turned the motor over one time and the impeller poped right out, My dealer told me to use some kind of lube on the new impeller when I put it in, total repair time was less than 1 hour thanks to this site. The 4 bolts in the cover are brass so watch it when you put the cover back on , Hope this helped

[JohnnyB]

Yeh, that's certainly a brilliant design concept by MasterCraft.

Your muffler looks even closer than mine, and mine ain't no picnic. You could try this (below), but if you don't have enough clearance even for that, you may need to remove the SilentMaster muffler.





I might suggest that, if you do remove the muffler, you consider converting your exhaust to the direct baffled system that MC uses on 2007 and later, or the other option (and apparently cheaper) is to get rid of the SilentMaster and replace with a pair of direct inline mufflers.

Holy crap Mac....that looks like a royal PITA.....where's the picture of you standing on your head in the bilge/engine compartment??? You're talented!!!!