I messed up!

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tegdesign

tegdesign

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Messages
123
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Nordvind
Vessel Make
Nova Heritage 36
So I closed my intake valves to clean the sea strainers. Got distracted and started my engines without opening them up. They ran for a few minutes before I remembered! They were still cool when water started flowing again. Is there anything I'm likely to have damaged from this?
 
I did that just once. Found no damage. Well put it another way, the impeller lasted for another 8 years, but yes, like Craig says, I'd check that. That's about all that's likely to have suffered, but there is usually enough wetness around them to run 'dry' for some time, minutes anyway, without failure.
 
Change out the impeller , keep it as a known to work spare , store it in a sealed bag with a dozen cover screws and a spare gasket.

Change it out dockside , and you should be able to do it underway , if you someday run in shallow or silty water.
 
Engines are not harmed because they have closed cooling. Impeller is most likely victim if any. Even exhaust hoses are unlikely to have gotten hot at idle .
 
Next oil change take a look see of the impellers. If they're not difficult to change just do it. If they are difficult to change - bet you won't forget next time.
 
If I had to guess, I would wager that most, if not ALL of us have done that once or twice. Last time I did it, I was backing out of the slip and noticed the exhaust note sounded more like a school bus than the glurbly note I was used to hearing. I think I even got the motor up to operating temp before I remembered. No harm done. Not even a new impellor was needed, but YMMV. Easy enough to take a peek to make sure.
 
Thank you all for your input! This forum is such a valuable resource for new guys like me! A little more detail...

After opening up the valves and letting the engines warm, Checking temps with my IR Thermometer to confirm values were where I expected them to be, we set out on a 5 hour run to Pousbo. Everything went well. However, when I started up the next day I had a warning light on my port engine. (engines were cold at this point) Looks like a thermometer with wavy water lines underneath. After taking on fuel, and restarting the engines the light appeared again momentarily and then went out. We motored just over idle for a hour just so that I could monitor things in the ER. Everything seemed to be working as expected.

But I think before we head out again, I'll open up the raw water impeller housing, probably replace for peace of mind as many of you have suggested.
 
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Do you notice a difference in the water flow from your exhaust? It might have lost a blade or two and pumps insufficient water at idle, but just enough at higher power settings. Good idea to replace both impellers as it's peace of mind and cheap insurance.
 
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No I have not noticed any change in water flow out the exhaust, but your explanation makes sense to me.
 
Peter B said:
I did that just once. Found no damage. Well put it another way, the impeller lasted for another 8 years,

Eight years Pete! Cripes I will buy you a new one for Christmas. :D
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Andy G said:
Peter B said:
I did that just once. Found no damage. Well put it another way, the impeller lasted for another 8 years,

Eight years Pete! Cripes I will buy you a new one for Christmas. :D
Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer Andy, but you're too late. It was replaced last December when she came out after 3 yrs - the anti foul and prop speed did great. The impeller was "a bit second hand looking" the guy said, yet it was still pumping out plenty of raw water from the exhaust, and she never ran above normal temp, so I coulda got another few years maybe..? :whistling:
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Well I've never done this before so it's a little intimidating. But I shut the water intake and popped the cover off the water pump exposing the impeller. It looks fine to me, but I figure I may as well change it now since I have it open and will need to reseal anyway. I took the part number off the OEM part which doesn't seem to match anything out there on the interwebs. I called my local Volvo parts/service people (Coastal Marine Engine) and gave them my engine model number. They say the impeller kit is $69. That seems very high considering the price of other kits I've seen. But I don't know if there is a cross reference guide for non-oem parts say from Jabsco or Sherwood?
 
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Peter B said:
Andy G said:
...It was replaced last December when she came out after 3 yrs - the anti foul and prop speed did great. The impeller was "a bit second hand looking" the guy said, yet it was still pumping out plenty of raw water from the exhaust, and she never ran above normal temp, so I coulda got another few years maybe..? :whistling:
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Peter,I hope you kept it as a spare just in case.:)
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Easy enough boo boo. I put a note or a tag at the helm if I've shut off the raw-water intake, and always, so far, listening for/observing the gurgling/splashing exhaust immediately after every engine start.
 
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tegdesign said:
Well I've never done this before so it's a little intimidating. But I shut the water intake and popped the cover off the water pump exposing the impeller. It looks fine to me, but I figure I may as well change it now since I have it open and will need to reseal anyway. I took the part number off the OEM part which doesn't seem to match anything out there on the interwebs. I called my local Volvo parts/service people (Coastal Marine Engine) and gave them my engine model number. They say the impeller kit is $69. That seems very high considering the price of other kits I've seen. But I don't know if there is a cross reference guide for non-oem parts say from Jabsco or Sherwood?
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Eric, there's a very good chance that the pump is a Sherwood. Is there a number on the pump or the impeller? Photos?
 
I have photos...don't understand the forums http: photo upload. The photos I have are not on a website.
 
Pau Hana, Thank you for the link. As always, impressive the depth of knowledge on this forum. But...what did you mean, looked at my survey? Is this Peter, as in, Peter my insurance guy?? :)
 
Yessir- I be he.

(or, I'm a professional stalker....:eek:)
 
Well fantastic! Hello!! But now you'll know about all my motor-boat newbie misadventures and probably want to raise my rates! (Just Kidding)((I hope))

To all the rest of you, Get in touch with Pau Hana for your yacht insurance. He's a good guy! :)
 
No fear, brother- I have many tales of woe regarding engines (I did learn some new cuss words!) We'll have you and Karen over for dinner on the boat and we'll swap tall tales....
 
Thanks Peter!! That would be fun. You two are a hoot!
 
BruceK said:
Peter B said:
Peter,I hope you kept it as a spare just in case.:)
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No need Bruce, I already have a spare - the near perfect one I had replaced when I first bought the boat 12 yrs ago. So that last one did well for 12 yrs. Not bad eh..? I'm a great believer in the "if it ain't broke" philosophy.
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>I'm a great believer in the "if it ain't broke" philosophy.<

I prefer PM, preventave maint.

The risk of the impeller breaking with the need to disassemble so much of the cooling system to chase rubber chunks is too much to contemplate.

Today with keel cooling its not a worry ,

BUT when I had engines with rubber implellers ,,,

I would always install a Y filter after each impeller. They take but a second to examine and will catch everything but dust.
 
markpierce said:
Easy enough boo boo. I put a note or a tag at the helm if I've shut off the raw-water intake, and always, so far, listening for/observing the gurgling/splashing exhaust immediately after every engine start.
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Start the engine, turn on the electronics and go watch the water come out of the exhaust and wait for the big gush. Every time.
 
Slowboat 37 said:
Start the engine, turn on the electronics and go watch the water come out of the exhaust and wait for the big gush. Every time.
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That's a smart practice. When we start engines one of us goes to the aft deck and watches the exhaust as each engine starts. The purpose is to confirm the raw water system is working and to see if anything undesired--- like rust-- is in that first shot or two of water.

It was seeing rust in the first shots of water that told us that the not-very-well-designed exhaust systems that were on the boat when we bought it were developing problems.
 
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