Challenger Impeller help

[IDoSeaDoo]

Hey guys, I've been going nuts over trying to fix my impeller issue. I've broken two vices (one at least will be returned) trying to get my impeller off. I've heated the hell out of it, and still ended up breaking the vice. I've taken two different impact guns to it, nothing! But even if I were to get it off, I'd still have to send it off as one blade has a small piece missing from it. I'm pretty sure I can't get away with just cleaning up the edges once this happens, can I?

So to get it sent off would cost around $100. Well, I'm finding impellers online for around teh same price. I'm thinking of just using a spare pump with a new impeller, but WHAT PITCH? Skat Trak says oem is 11/22 and recommends 14.5/22.5 for bottom end or 17/22 for top end gains. My boat cavitated really bad before, so I'm not sure what it's capable of with the oem impeller (not even sure if it's OEM, as it's not straight cut fins, but rather like the swirl) But I'm worried if I get the 17/22 it will take too long to get on plane, vs the 14.5/22.5 is hard to find cheap. I've found a 16/21... what would this do? It says it's for a 720 ski, but could this be a good compromise for bottom/mid range? I want to pull skis this summer and whip it around a lot.

Thanks!

 

[dbracela]

Call Dave at impros. I'm curious to see what he recommends. He sold me 16-24's (skat swirls) for my challenger 1800. I soaked my impellers in penetrating oil over night and then used a breaker bar with a few feet of pipe on the end to get mine off. My boat now planes very quickly, and no cavitation. There was some concern that he sold me the wrong impellers but they are working well for me.

 

[dbracela]

Oops, different boat. Sorry.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Yea, I read your story on that. I looked through my inventory of impellers from all the skis I've come across. I have a 10/22, a 17, a 17/23, and I think a 17/25. Only the 17/23 is a skat trak swirl, the rest are the straight blade design. Along with a new wear ring, I put the 10/22 prop on there, which is the closest to Seadoo stock settings for this boat (11/22). It still cavitated though, and I FINALLY found out why. My boat is equipped with a weed-rake to clear the intake. Around that contraption, the seal went out. Somone in the past has patched it with silicone, but I must've broken it off when I pressure washed the inside of the hull. Now, I can see a constant stream as it leaks water in (at stand still). Guess what it does when I'm giving it gas? Going to fix it and let you guys know how it works. Back to impellers though, I'm thinking of trying out the 17/23. Skat Trak recommends it for a modded engine, and the 17/22 for stock. Not too far off, right? W/o cavitation, maybe it'll be alright...

 

[howie099]

If you have a high power impac gun. I don't see how you can't break the impeller loose. I use like 700lbs gun on mine on like 1/2 power and I spun them right off there were on there since 98'. That pump might just be messed up or the bearing messed up. The impeller charts are are pretty much on the money.