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Old 18-09-2020, 16:11   #1
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Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

I was curious how many of you folks here remove the Impeller when your boat is not going to be run for many months. I have a Beta Marine where the impeller fins are significantly bent when not running. When I ordered a new Impeller from Beta Marine they recommended removing the impeller when the boat is pulled out for the winter. The impeller fins that would be bent for the entire winter months have a higher probability of failing next season. The other choice is to just replace the impeller in the spring.



My impeller is similar to this photo where you can see some of the fins are bent.



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Old 18-09-2020, 16:17   #2
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

It makes sense but I have never pulled my impeller for storage. I'll guarantee you that unless I tied the impeller to the engine key I'd start the engine without putting the impeller back in.
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Old 18-09-2020, 16:25   #3
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

it does look very compressed .. but no I would not remove it for the off season. then again not a bad idea.
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Old 18-09-2020, 17:01   #4
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

We remove ours. It’s also a great opportunity to inspect it as well.
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Old 18-09-2020, 17:09   #5
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

I don’t remove mine, but then I don’t pull for winter either.
Outboards have identical impellers, and they last for many years and almost no one pulls them yearly.
Doesn’t hurt though
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Old 18-09-2020, 17:25   #6
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

It's already missing a vane. Replace it
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Old 18-09-2020, 17:45   #7
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

Quote:
Originally Posted by jdenglish View Post
It's already missing a vane. Replace it
Yes it is missing a vane. Its not my boat in that photo. Like I said my boat is similar to this photo.

On that note, yes my boat was recently missing a vane, which I found the broken vane in front of the heat exchanger. Hence the reason I was talking to Beta Marine to order a new Impeller. I will try to preserve my new Impeller over the winter by pulling it out for the winter months. I hope I remember to put it back in the spring.
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Old 18-09-2020, 18:02   #8
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

I never removed mine for storage.
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Old 18-09-2020, 18:09   #9
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

When you winterize, make sure you use the purple antifreeze from west (-60 I think). It is non-alcohol based......the pink crap from HD/Lowe’s billed as ‘rv’ antifreeze is mostly alcohol-based, and will harden the impeller.

That said, I don’t pull them, but replace every other year

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Old 18-09-2020, 18:48   #10
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

I always pull my impeller over the winter, even though the boat stays in the water. It gives me a chance to check for wear on the pump housing, seal and impeller, and contrary to what some say, the impeller will take a set during storage in the pump housing. This set reduces output volume by a significant amount for quite some time as the warped blades are allowing leakage past them and the cam. In some cases the blades never regain their initial configuration.
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Old 18-09-2020, 18:56   #11
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

I store over winter and replace in the spring. Cheap preventive maintenance.
When I have not done that I’ve regretted it.
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Old 18-09-2020, 19:01   #12
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

i always change oil in autumn when i decommission, and impeller in the spring when i commission the boat. yes, i only put a dozen hours on the engine every season (in and out of the harbor, weekends only, and if there's no wind - we don't bother going, and if the wind dies - yes, that could be an extra hour on the engine), but it gives me peace of mind to know that my impeller is new at the start of the season.
fwiw.
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Old 18-09-2020, 19:02   #13
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

Interesting thread and way back in the distant past, I never gave the impeller a second thought, just replaced it if it broke. These days I am more pro scheduled maintenance and replace them every second year or so.

The thread reminded that I once had a new impeller that was installed and not used for 8 years and then used for another 5 years or so before I replaced it for no other reason than it seemed time to.

I wonder if there is much variation in the quality of various impellers?
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Old 18-09-2020, 19:02   #14
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

Buy the blue Impeller. Last a lot longer.
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Old 18-09-2020, 19:08   #15
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Re: Do You Folks Remove Impeller for Winter

I just replace it every other year. I have never seen missing pieces or cracks in the old impellers but this is no place to save a buck.
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