sea pump/impeller replacement question

[harleyfool]

Volvo 4.3 GL - year 2000 - Carb

As noted in an earlier post, no water flowed thru the engine when I used muffs in an attempt to flush cooling system. Suspect that impeller/sea pump has given up the ghost. Ordered an impeller kit as a starting point. Several questions.

Assuming the impeller disintegrated where did the bits go? I assume that once the sea pump housing is off I can run water from the muffs thru the stern drive and flush the up stream portion of the cooling system. How to flush debris from the down stream portion of the cooling system??

 

[swcolorado]

Re: sea pump/impeller replacement question

Exact same engine as I have.
Look for my post labeled: Dealer left impeller in t-stat housing.

I would suggest you pull the hose from the impeller housing to the thermostat housing and look in there with a flashlight. See photo.

 

[harleyfool]

Re: sea pump/impeller replacement question

The boat is at the cottage now so I can not check until the weekend.

Do I assume that the the first downstream stop from the sea pump is the thermostat housing? Will it trap all debris or can the bits travel farther thru the engine? Without pulling the engine from the boat is it possible to remove all downstream bits?????????

 

[swcolorado]

Re: sea pump/impeller replacement question

You can install the muffs and see if you are getting water to the impeller housing. It will be the top hose on the impeller housing. Pull off that hose, hook up the muffs and let the water rip! If you have water coming out the hose, you're good to that point.

The thermostat housing is next in line. Pull the hose off of the t-stat housing (and off of the impeller housing) and flush back down. Parts may possibly go from there into the circulating water pump and into the block but in my case stopped at the t-stat housing.

 

[harleyfool]

Re: sea pump/impeller replacement question

I am with you so far.

But that does that mean that debris could reach places (engine block??) from which it can not be cleaned out???