HELP, impeller-wear ring damage w/ pics

[1800chall_tim]

today with the boat full of family, i ran aground on a unexpected sand bar. was going about 5 mph when depth alarm went off i slowed to a crawl but it was to late, felt it drag but didn't here anything scraping or dragging. just as soon as i hit i was freed and crept to deeper water. once in deeper water went to open up and got a horrible vibration/shutter from port side engine (instant ohhhh crap feeling) sooooo..... i took it back to landing slow and got it home. pulled pump (took all of 5 min.) wear ring is only damaged on the first 1/4 of it, near the first bit of impeller leading edge. but it seemed loose. in fact i pulled it out of housing by hand with impeller still in. is it possible the loose wear ring now spins with impeller? the impeller itself is only slightly damaged on leading edge, can i file it and save it? i have pics. of both is this enough damage to create bad vibration.

 

[Guest_User]

today with the boat full of family, i ran aground on a unexpected sand bar. was going about 5 mph when depth alarm went off i slowed to a crawl but it was to late, felt it drag but didn't here anything scraping or dragging. just as soon as i hit i was freed and crept to deeper water. once in deeper water went to open up and got a horrible vibration/shutter from port side engine (instant ohhhh crap feeling) sooooo..... i took it back to landing slow and got it home. pulled pump (took all of 5 min.) wear ring is only damaged on the first 1/4 of it, near the first bit of impeller leading edge. but it seemed loose. in fact i pulled it out of housing by hand with impeller still in. is it possible the loose wear ring now spins with impeller? the impeller itself is only slightly damaged on leading edge, can i file it and save it? i have pics. of both is this enough damage to create bad vibration.

I`ve pulled a few apart where the wear ring just fell out. These plastic pumps just get all crazy out of shape even when torqued properly to the transom. looks like some gravel/rocks/clam shells have been rotating around in there when you hit aground. If something was wedged in there good, it can grab the wear ring and give it a spin.
That impeller should be touched up. if you feel confident, go ahead and hit it with a whizzer, evenly on all 3 blades. if not call SBT and see if they have an exchange in stock or local classifieds.
Def install a new wear ring and neoprene seal.

I also recommend checking the jet pump oil and replacing while the pump is out... sometimes during those gravel invasions it will just push the shaft enough to let a bit of water in the pump cavity. Doesn`t hurt to play it safe...

IMHO, personally I have been a bit disappointed with the seadoo oem wear rings. just a few hours on a pair of them and they were already ugly. I bought a pair of SBT delrin wear rings to try out for next time, as I`ve had good results with their wear rings/housings in the GPR. and it was a nice surprise to see them come with a new sealing gasket...

good luck!

 

[1800chall_tim]

thanks pale, i think this is the first time this pump has been off. there was virtually no neoprene seal, it just came right out. i will order the sbt wear ring and post how it goes once installed. btw, what is a whizzer, is it like a dremel tool? is it a stock impeller that is rounded all around (from center to outside edge, like mine)

 

[Guest_User]

thanks pale, i think this is the first time this pump has been off. there was virtually no neoprene seal, it just came right out. i will order the sbt wear ring and post how it goes once installed. btw, what is a whizzer, is it like a dremel tool? is it a stock impeller that is rounded all around (from center to outside edge, like mine)

my apologies, a whizzer is my 90°air die grinder with 3M Roloc discs, and you could call your dremel that... but 25$ impeller exchange from SBT is pretty darn good...

I have not tried the seadoo delrin wear rings yet, so I don`t have any feedback... they appear to also be directional and have a raised edge on one end... they are white in color...

at least you didn`t find what I found on mine... someone had unloaded an entire tube of rtv sealant on the port pump, I had a heck of a time cleaning all that silicone off... I`m pretty sure the last owner was chasing a cavitation problem and that was his cure...

anytime, anytime a pump has been on for a bit, always replace the neoprene seal... it is just a part of correct maintenance practices.
These boats are heavy and it takes every bit of a good sealed pump from the 140mm pumps to get this beast on plane...lol...

 

[1800chall_tim]

i think i will try my own "whizzer" on the impeller and see how it does, the exchange at sbt is now $59.95 for a remanufactured OE impeller. i'm having trouble finding a replacement neoprene seal at sbt though. can i make one or use something else? how about a 5 gallon pale of RTV sealant . J/K!!!! but seriously if i don't order a seal what would be the best alternative?

 

[Guest_User]

i think i will try my own "whizzer" on the impeller and see how it does, the exchange at sbt is now $59.95 for a remanufactured OE impeller. i'm having trouble finding a replacement neoprene seal at sbt though. can i make one or use something else? how about a 5 gallon pale of RTV sealant . J/K!!!! but seriously if I don't order a seal what would be the best alternative?

wow, their prop service went up, wow...
a new seal... local dealer, online, they are there on SBT, call them if you need to. I always grabs some when I`m ordering pump/parts or impellers. a few from parker yamaha, but they had me waiting 3 weeks, some from Impro`s when I bought the solas props. and you could get some from PPG as well...

 

[1800chall_tim]

yeah, i think i can wait on the new impeller because this is the same side that has the bad crank seals so if i later change my mind on the impeller, i will have the engine out this winter, i can put in all new then. thanks for the info. TTYL me sleepy!!

 

[1800chall_tim]

i had to call sbt to find the right neoprene seal, the website doesn't show one for a 1999 challenger 1800, but it is the same seal as the '96 '97 and '98 challengers. the seal is part # 76-101-08. i installed the sbt delrin wear ring, after a chill in the freezer it slid right in and the impeller cleaned up nicely with a little fine filing by hand. its all back together and running like a champ.

 

[Guest_User]

i had to call sbt to find the right neoprene seal, the website doesn't show one for a 1999 challenger 1800, but it is the same seal as the '96 '97 and '98 challengers. the seal is part # 76-101-08. i installed the sbt delrin wear ring, after a chill in the freezer it slid right in and the impeller cleaned up nicely with a little fine filing by hand. its all back together and running like a champ.

Cool!:thumbsup: let me know how you like that SBT delrin wear ring and how long it lasts. I have a pair on standby...
Didn`t the neoprene seal come with the wear rings in the package?
http://www.shopsbt.com/jet-ski-wear-rings/78-101-02.html

 

[100guard]

... i ran aground on a unexpected sand bar.....

I am paranoid about 'exploring'. I have to study an area very carefully before I dare to go in uncharted waters. Last year I hit a rock and that was $400 repair LOL. I'll never do it again.

I was WOT once and saw the depth hit 2ft. I think my heart skipped a beat-but I didn't hit anything thank God.

Lucky that it was only a sand bar.

Is there any performance difference between an impeller with round edges vice flat?