Do impellers go bad on the shelf?

[rschnack]

Hi again,<br /><br /> I am finally starting on my project boat. It has a 1970 85hp Johnson. From reading some of the posts here you should change the impeller in the water pump frequently because they can take a "set" even if the motor is just in storage and has low hours. My question is, do impellers have a shelf life? If the dealer has "new" impellers in stock that are as old as the motor is there a risk of them being bad? If so, how can you insure you are getting a "fresh" one? <br />Best regards,<br />RCS

 

[grandx]

Re: Do impellers go bad on the shelf?

On the shelf out of direct sunlight, probably last a very long time. Some rubber, like nitrile (most common O-ring material) must be stored in a sealed bag out of the direct light or it will crack due to Ozone attack. An impeller that is not squezed in a pump housing should be fine as long as you don't see crack in the rubber and it's not brittle.