kev_alaska
Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2002
- Messages
- 169
Re: CHEVY 350 OR SPORT JET
Akriverrat, good idea for the porpoising. I have a set of the Smart Tabs that I am going to try out. They initially sit at about 18 degrees, so I have some questions about putting the boat in reverse or getting it backwards off a gravel bar. We will see if they perform as advertised.<br /><br />Jeff, my impellers last a long time. There are a couple different materials. Aluminum is cheaper, usually three bladed and perform well with some wear, especially in heavy silt or where some rocks are going along for a ride. I have an aluminum impeller along as a backup that has been in my repair kit for three years. <br /><br />Stainless or Bronze last forever, are generally four bladed (better torque for holeshots or getting on step in a short space). They also are heavier, which seems to also add to lower end torque. Akriver is right on creekside repairs on an inboard jet. Tough..On an outboard however, they are a piece of cake. Six bolts and you can remove the entire unit to work on either on the bank or in the bottom of the boat. Outboard jets are easier to adjust. Most of the wear comes from the edge of the impeller to the bowl liner area. When it wears to the point of losing power, you can remove the impeller, remove a shim washer from the top and add it to the bottom. That will move the impeller closer to the bowl liner and get the performance back untill it begins to wear more...Flip it back upright, reinstall in about 5 minutes and go back to fishing...<br /><br />As far as spinning it out, I have been able to make it slide some, but that is about it. As narrow as some of the channels that we run in are, and as big as some of these boats are, I don't want to see mine spinning. Too many things to hit on the way around. Both of mine will turn hard enough to make you reach for a handle way before they get any kind of sliding action.
Akriverrat, good idea for the porpoising. I have a set of the Smart Tabs that I am going to try out. They initially sit at about 18 degrees, so I have some questions about putting the boat in reverse or getting it backwards off a gravel bar. We will see if they perform as advertised.<br /><br />Jeff, my impellers last a long time. There are a couple different materials. Aluminum is cheaper, usually three bladed and perform well with some wear, especially in heavy silt or where some rocks are going along for a ride. I have an aluminum impeller along as a backup that has been in my repair kit for three years. <br /><br />Stainless or Bronze last forever, are generally four bladed (better torque for holeshots or getting on step in a short space). They also are heavier, which seems to also add to lower end torque. Akriver is right on creekside repairs on an inboard jet. Tough..On an outboard however, they are a piece of cake. Six bolts and you can remove the entire unit to work on either on the bank or in the bottom of the boat. Outboard jets are easier to adjust. Most of the wear comes from the edge of the impeller to the bowl liner area. When it wears to the point of losing power, you can remove the impeller, remove a shim washer from the top and add it to the bottom. That will move the impeller closer to the bowl liner and get the performance back untill it begins to wear more...Flip it back upright, reinstall in about 5 minutes and go back to fishing...<br /><br />As far as spinning it out, I have been able to make it slide some, but that is about it. As narrow as some of the channels that we run in are, and as big as some of these boats are, I don't want to see mine spinning. Too many things to hit on the way around. Both of mine will turn hard enough to make you reach for a handle way before they get any kind of sliding action.
