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| Subject: Impeller shmeller | |
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Author: Jim Day |
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Date Posted: 985300865PST Ok I tried calling the only expert I know, but no-one would give me info on my little engines water system. A pause for thought a moment of decision and I decided to crack the case. For those I don't know (I've told everyone else) I kind of inherted a 83 Suzuki sixteen with my boat. Since it's an electric start and produces a whopping 80 watts of power I decided to go with it for my power source on the newly named "Pocket Fisherman". Well to make short of a long ordeal. I got it into the water and it ran great......but...... there was a weird thing with the pee hole. I don't know about you but problems with the pee hole are right up there with non-gonococul urethritis as things to be avoided and feared. It had an intermittent problem as these things often are. Lots of flow when up to speed but a little dribble at idle. Looked like a impeller problem to me. As said I called and pleaded but it was finally left in my own (capable??) hands. (Sound familiar?) Close inspection of the underside, revealed hardware that had not been touched in years. Sad but true. Obviously the thing had been severely neglected since it's inception back in 1983. The bolts still had the original paint no skuffs etc. Just not good. Started with the small box end. No go!!! went to the longer handled version and broke out the hammer for rapping. Well it moved but in that sick kind of sliding (I'm stripping) kind of way. Tried the next and same results Errrrrrgggghhhh..... Not pretty. Moved to the left side wrenched up and whapped with a hammer ping broke........... loose....... like a champ, came out no problem. Second one: ping.......... same story. Two down two to go. Now politics aside: I often have better results with the left then right. When I went back to the other side both heads broke off one right after another "Ping Ping" but the wrong kind. So here I am: two broke bolts and a lower end with problems. What to do? Give up, take it to a shop? Not this hero! I went for it with gusto, block in hand, hammer at the ready I wailed on the thing until it slid down like a stripper on a greased pole. Ironically it was all good. very little electrolysis good seal. Impeller housing A-OK. When I put a wrench on the casing bolts they came out like butter...OK.... stiff butter, but they came out. Inside was the little water heart of my engine. Small as a walnut a perfect tiny little black rubber impeller. I was shocked by the size (last I saw was in a 200), but pleased with it's condition. Almost 20 years old and still ticking like some Eveready+Timex. Greased it lightly assembled it back, said a small prayer, then went to look at the remaining bolts. They stuck out like porcupine quills in the nose of a good dog. I didn't like them one bit. Call it what you will, the fly in the ointment a thorn in my side, but they had to go. Since the heads where gone the shafts stuck out about a half an inch. I broke out the torch and heated them red hot. Old machinist trick. The expansion breaks the bolt loose from the corrosion. As billed they came out with a few twists from my vice grips. One long inspection revealed some salt build up in the tube but nothing else of note. The thing went back together in minutes. All that's left is a couple of metric bolts and it's back to the water. All in all another good night in this mans pursuit of the sea. Hey and it least I know what's down there is still functioning per design. Enough to make any man of my age thankful Tight lines Jim [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |