1982 IG32 Raw Water Pump looks funny

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DeanOz

DeanOz

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2020
Messages
91
Location
Australia
Vessel Name
Markeeta
Vessel Make
1982 Island Gypsy 32
Hi all TF'ers,
I recently joined the Island Gypsy club by purchasing a 1982 Flybridge Cruiser. She has been a tad neglected on the cosmetic front, but the 'heart' is in good nick - Lehman 120. A complete service on the main engine, including a new HX, header tank and exhaust elbow. I changed the raw water pump impeller the other day and this is what the thing looked like when I opened the pump.

Is this right?? Temp is holding perfectly well and she's pumping a good amount of water out the pipe. It just seems weird that a round impeller is going in a not so round hole.

Any info and advice will be most welcome.

Cheers. ⚓️
 

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The water pump should have a lobe on one side that compresses the vanes on the impeller that pushes water out of the pump. Then the vanes uncompress and draw more water into the pump. The vanes should be compressed on the lobe side and not compressed around the rest of the pump. The vanes should not be damaged or have a “set” when the impeller is removed. If torn or having a set then the impeller should be replaced. The impeller is a routine replacement item. If the boat is new to you then I would replace the impeller. I bought a tool from impellertool.com that makes it easier to install the new impeller. No affiliation with the site. Congrats on your new boat.
 
Comodave said:
I bought a tool from impellertool.com that makes it easier to install the new impeller. No affiliation with the site.
Click to expand...
I got a sea dog impeller puller - made it super easy and little or no risk of damage. I feel better now that it is "normal". ?
 
The tool I referred to is to reinstall the impeller, not to pull it out.
 
Comodave said:
The water pump should have a lobe on one side that compresses the vanes on the impeller that pushes water out of the pump. Then the vanes uncompress and draw more water into the pump. The vanes should be compressed on the lobe side and not compressed around the rest of the pump. The vanes should not be damaged or have a “set” when the impeller is removed. If torn or having a set then the impeller should be replaced. The impeller is a routine replacement item. If the boat is new to you then I would replace the impeller. I bought a tool from impellertool.com that makes it easier to install the new impeller. No affiliation with the site. Congrats on your new boat.
Click to expand...

Comodave said:
The tool I referred to is to reinstall the impeller, not to pull it out.
Click to expand...

? I'll look that up - cheers ✌️
 
ADC make a modified water pump, for 120s at least. The drive (?tang) for the original can break unexpectedly and unless you catch it fast..... About $500 USD + freight. Had mine fitted by the marina mechanic, I don`t think it was 100% simple remove and refit, some fiddling,and blanking off a couple of holes.
 
I compress the impeller with a tie wrap, coat it in glycerin, usually slides right in.
Keep a bunch of spare screws for cover plate. along with spare impellers. They have a habit of disappearing.

Always check water flow after start.
 
The hole is not round because that is how the pump works. Water comes in on the open side then the vanes turn and are compressed by the small side forcing water out into circulation.

Some pumps have a shoe to do the vane compression without the eccentric hole.
 
That is exactly what the inside of a water pump should look like. Getting the impeller in and out can be a bugger but it looks good.

pete
 
Thanks all,
Comodave's idea would be great and I've just sent the company an email to see whether they ship internationally. I'll be investing in a new pump through ADC, because I know that this one will let go when I least expect it and probably when out to sea.
Cheers
 
DeanOz said:
Thanks all,
Comodave's idea would be great and I've just sent the company an email to see whether they ship internationally. I'll be investing in a new pump through ADC, because I know that this one will let go when I least expect it and probably when out to sea.
Cheers
Click to expand...

Good plan. I love the tool to install the new impeller since I don’t have to fuss with getting the new impeller in. It just slides right in. One of my pumps is difficult to get to and with the tool changing the impeller went from pulling the pump to about 20 minutes total time to replace the impeller. I even use the tool on the other engine where the pump is easily accessible.
 
Comodave said:
Good plan. I love the tool to install the new impeller since I don’t have to fuss with getting the new impeller in. It just slides right in. One of my pumps is difficult to get to and with the tool changing the impeller went from pulling the pump to about 20 minutes total time to replace the impeller. I even use the tool on the other engine where the pump is easily accessible.
Click to expand...
I'm going to service the Onan 6.5kva genset this week and see the size of that impeller and its accessibility. It's pretty tight back there, which generally means the PO might not have done the proper upkeep. Hopefully impellertool distribute globally and I only need one size (but with boats, I doubt it)
 
Make sure that your Jabsco pump hasn't already been replaced with the upgraded Johnson pump. You don't mention the brand of your existing pump and it is hard for me to tell from the photo. The brand should be on the outside of the cover plate that was removed in the photo. Everything in the photo looks good and looks like the PO used plenty of grease to help install the impeller.

Tator
 
Tator said:
Make sure that your Jabsco pump hasn't already been replaced with the upgraded Johnson pump. You don't mention the brand of your existing pump and it is hard for me to tell from the photo. The brand should be on the outside of the cover plate that was removed in the photo. Everything in the photo looks good and looks like the PO used plenty of grease to help install the impeller.

Tator
Click to expand...
Thanks Tator,
Well, I installed a Johnson impeller that the PO had on board, so I'm hoping that was the right one for the job. I will check the cover plate when I next jump on board.

As for the lube, I just used the supplied glycerine and followed the instructions, so I didn't use grease. It certainly was tight, but with a little persuasion, she went in. I ran the engine at idle for around 25 minutes and she was pumping water out just fine. The temp stayed low and there were no leaks apparent. I will check it again under load to make sure.

Cheers,
Deano
 
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