Changed my impeller and now she runs cool...but....

[Manipulator]

Damn water is getting into the upper unit gear lube while running on muffs (milky oil). This was happening before too. The old seals were wasted (water pump seals). I replaces all of them and the pump housing and impeller. How can this be? What is going on here?

What would happen if I just pumped the upper housing from the bottom up until it came out the top hole with OMC triple guard grease? Would it fry the bearings? I pumped my tilt clutch assembly and it worked like a charm. Older unit, really don't want to tear it apart again.

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: Changed my impeller and now she runs cool...but....

What would happen if I just pumped the upper housing from the bottom up until it came out the top hole with OMC triple guard grease?

You wouldn't make it a mile...
The tilt assembly turns 10 rpm afew times a week, the upper turns 4600 rpm continuous.

Pressure test the upper. They can crack from a water passage to the inside. Bolt holes can crack or corrode etc....

What kind of sealant did you use at assembly and where all did you put it?

 

[KaGee]

Re: Changed my impeller and now she runs cool...but....

Sounds like the lower bearing seals on the upper (not the water pump) unit are possibly gone... need a pressure and vacuum check.

I used ultra-black on the water pump bolts and let it set 24 hours. It's a PITA come dis-assembly, but good and watertight. BTW, Permatex now makes a spray silicone remover.

 

[Manipulator]

Re: Changed my impeller and now she runs cool...but....

I have that too, ultra black. Used it too. The bottom seal looked fine from the outside (shaft seal where water pump shaft goes in). I packed some triple guard grease around there too. I have the whole thing back together and on the boat. Guess I should have pressure tested before assembly...doh! I hope its not cracked (upper housing). Could be, its been getting water in it for years, maybe it froze and cracked the housing. the previous owner wasn't to familiar with maintenance and had everything done at a local marina. They were idiots. They put a new impeller in and never changed the seals, they stripped the trunion cap pivot bearing bolts out and had to put heli coils in. They destroyed the bearing seal race in the intemediate attemping to remove the old seals. The water pump was leaking really bad before. When I pulled it apart, the large o-ring was cut in half, the seal in the female end of the water pump shaft was cut in two, both weren't even fuctional, the retaining clip for the spline seal was gone (they never put it back on) so the seal wasn't seating properly, the spline shaft and the shaft that it mates to was all rusted (I replaced water pump shaft with new one), When I took it apart the impeller itself was fine though. Everything was corroded (bolts and housing).

Before, I had raw water in the upper, now I am just getting a mixture (milky lube). I am to the point that I may just run it and change the lube after each weekend until the damn thing explodes. Then buy a rebuilt upper. I guess my grease idea won't work.