How often?

[Surffx]

Hey guys,

Boat in question
2005 Bayliner 175
3.0 Mercrusier I/O with Alpha one drive

I bought a brand new 2005 bayliner 175 in March of 05. It will be coming out of winterization for its fourth season of use this March. I have done a pretty good job with the up keep and it has run great with no problems these past 3 seasons, and we use it about Nine months out of the year. Dec - Jan it's winterized and put away.

Anyway the one thing I have never touched is the water pump impeller. How often does that need to be changed? Keep in mind we only run in fresh water but we do use the boat about 25-30 times a season. I would give you the hours but it doesn't have an hour meter.

The dealer I bought it from is really nice, but they want $365 to change the impeller and I'd rather not pay that if I don't have to.

Questions:
1. How often (bases on usage stated above) should I change the impeller?
2. Is that a reasonable price from the dealer?
3. On a scale from 1 - 10 how hard is this for a entry level boat mechanic (me)
4. If I decide to do it...where online could I buy the shop manual and parts.
5 How long should I expect this job to take?

Sorry for all the questions, and thanks in advance for the answers.

 

[Don S]

Re: How often?

1. How often (bases on usage stated above) should I change the impeller?

The Alpha I Gen II impellers are usually good for 3 to 4 years. I recommend to my customers to replace it after 3 seasons (usually during winterization when the gear lube is changed)

2. Is that a reasonable price from the dealer?

Is that ALL he was quoting? It takes about an hour and a half to pull the drive and replace the impeller and reinstall the drive. New gearlube and an impeller kit.

3. On a scale from 1 - 10 how hard is this for a entry level boat mechanic (me)

Here is a link to an online OEM service manual for that drive. Read it and see what you think, lots of people here do their own impeller. But I wouldn't even guess if you could or not, that you have to determine after studying how it's done.
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/14/14cover.pdf

4. If I decide to do it...where online could I buy the shop manual and parts.

See link above for the manual

5 How long should I expect this job to take?

Till you get it done!, it will be faster after you have experience. Take your time and do it right.

Read MY signature line.

 

[rndn]

Re: How often?

As stated above, the job can and is done by the driveway mechanic. Do you normally do maintenance type stuff yourself? If not then leave it to the pro's and start cutting your teeth on oil changes and filter changes and maybe a tuneup. If you normally pay for these services then you should continue to pay as an impeller if done incorrectly can cost a pretty penny. If you feel comfortable working around cars, lawn mowers, and other small engines, then go ahead with it, but get the manual.

 

[Rusty Boater]

Re: How often?

Quick question...

When you do an impeller; anytime you pull the drive you HAVE to use the realighnment tool correct?

Same set-up here as the orginal poster.

Thanks; sorry to hijack.

 

[Don S]

Re: How often?

When you do an impeller; anytime you pull the drive you HAVE to use the realighnment tool correct?

You should CHECK the alignment, using an Alignment Bar, just to make sure a mount hasn't gone bad, or come loose, or something else is wrong. You SHOULD do this every time the drive is off.
You don't really have to realign anything if it all checks ok. Just pulling the drive does not cause an alignment problem.

 

[achris]

Re: How often?

...How often (bases on usage stated above) should I change the impeller?....

I agree with what has already been said. I would just add that I have a Gen II drive (same as you) and the first impeller was changed at 3 years. The second was 7 years (about 650 hours!!) old and still looked the same as the day it went in.

If you're not confident to pull the drive, then just remove the lower gear housing and do the impeller change that way. Again, see the manual. Better still, if you know someone, or live close enough to a fellow iBoater who does his own, watch while it's done.

Chris.........

 

[ziggy]

Re: How often?

The second was 7 years (about 650 hours!!) old and still looked the same as the day it went in.

i've only done 1 gen2 impeller.... but that's the way my buddies looked too. his was a 2000 gen. 2..... lasted from 00 to end of 07. his was trailer boating in fresh water..... i'd go with what other folks is sayin though 3-4 years. ..... better safe than sorry... i'm paranoid about overheats myself.... for my own curiosity, i went to the service manual dons posted up. page 1B-3 states the maint. interval is every 100 hrs or annually...... just food for thought....

Again, see the manual. Better still, if you know someone, or live close enough to a fellow iBoater who does his own, watch while it's done.

yep, that's how i got in a doing a 00 gen2. helpin my buddy out that hadn't done one before.me either, but i'd done 5 or 6 pre alphas.... yep, used the serivce manaul too..... we just dropped the lower to R&R his.....

 

[tommays]

Re: How often?

In pushing the change time to FAR i have found the slinger ring on top of the pump and the shift shaft seals are tired well before the GEN II impeller is

While this one made 9 years i would NOT go over 5 again as it was a PITA to get apart from saltwater


tommays

 

[achris]

Re: How often?

.... as it was a PITA to get apart from saltwater


tommays

That's why I use Aqualube/101 etc. Before it was even run on flusher my new (2006) Gen II got ALL its bolts removed and greased up, including those little tiny ones that hold the anodes on the end of the trim rams.

 

[Surffx]

Re: How often?

Thanks for all the great info guys.

I will probablly let the dealer handle it.

Thanks again!!!