In the middle of impeller job - Question

Mercury13

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
35
Got the 1997 Honda BF15A apart on the basement table for impeller replacement. Need advice before proceeding. Rubber pieces were everywhere.

1. Does the s/s water uptake slot in the picture have any kind of o-ring under it , or is that melted impeller ?

2. Is that also hardened impeller in the housing and if so can it be removed w/o harming the housing ?

I know its Fathers day, but I'm kinda stuck here. Thanks for anything.

Steve
 

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Expidia

Commander
Joined
Aug 26, 2006
Messages
2,368
Re: In the middle of impeller job - Question

Saddly, my recent experience and seeing how many others have merc questions go by with no responses or usually get very little help on this site when asking Mercury outboard repair questions.

I'm going to do the same job and have also asked a few other questions on some other Merc repair issues with no responses.

I didn't realize over the past few years how bad this site is for Merc questions because I bought a new merc 4 stroke to avoid these headaches but now I just inherited the job of maintaining my Daughters 1999 Merc 2 stroke 25 hp :eek:

If I were you I'd go down to a boating store like West Marine and pick up a Seloc manual which shows you a blow up diagram of the parts. It's about $35 at West or $30 online.

There are sites if you take the time to Google around that will show you a diagram and videos on Youtube that take you step by step.

Seems there are not a lot of knowledgeable people on merc repair here. Try asking over at thehulltruth.com they are pretty helpful for repair over there and they are not trying to sell you anything. There is also Boatfix.com to find your answer.

You would think that iBoats would give discount to a few tech oriented members that are answering questions, so we would buy parts from iboats. Or hire some knowledgeable tech's to answer repair questions . . . Iboats just doesn't get it. Maybe it's owned by some rich kid that inherited the business from his family :confused:

If I have to ferret out all the anwers to my questions on google for my daughters 1999 25 hp 2 stroke why would I ever buy from iboats unless they are the lowest price.

So with no responses . . . I just gave a $478 order to Overtons last week for accessories for my Daughters new to her aluminum rig. Bimini, Anchors, lines, fenders etc. I'm up to $1200 already. Satisfied consumers tend to speak with their credit cards.
when I called iBoats to return an item their voice mail said they are not open on Sun and Monday. Not open on Monday yet when all those Boaters World customers are up for grabs :confused: and right at the start of boating season yet.

Like I said they just don't get what could be a great business model. If they claim to have like a 100k members that is an amazing captured audience plus word of mouth from each satisfied member. They should hire techs to hang on these boards to answer questions in my opinion.

I just boat two Sierra waterpump rebuild kits fro iboats last week. No diagram or nothing on instructions in the box. they are going back to iboats. At a minimum, iboats should demand from their vendors that want to sell to iboats that they include at least I diagram don't you think.

I paid $45 each plus shipping for each kit with not as much as a slip of paper in the box . . . go figure :confused:
 

gss036

Commander
Joined
Jan 18, 2003
Messages
2,914
Re: In the middle of impeller job - Question

I did my 97 Honda 15 hp a couple years ago, but the impeller was intact. Your pictures are fuzzy, so can't tell a lot with them. It looks like you have rubber stuck to the inside of the pump housing so I would say you need a whole new pump instead of just the impeller. Yes, all those rubber pieces need to come out, other wise they will clog the water passages.
http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Honda/Outboard Engine/1997/parts.html

you should be able to get a look at the parts here and maybe some help, they discount the parts from Honda's price list.
Wish I could help more, but don't remember that much about it and I sold the motor last year. It was a pretty straight forward job.
 

Expidia

Commander
Joined
Aug 26, 2006
Messages
2,368
Re: In the middle of impeller job - Question

Oops, sorry from your name "Mercury" I thought you owned a Merc! Maybe you will get more feedback owning a Honda here. What the last poster said makes sense. I'd order a rebuild kit as it comes with everything you need for about $50 online.
 

Mercury13

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
35
Re: In the middle of impeller job - Question

Thanks guys. What threw me off is the fact that the "rubber" remnants are hardened like a solid plastic. Pulled alot out, as much as I can but not good enough. I'll have to order the housing. I just ordered 2 impeller kits that came yesterday, but I'll have to get the housing and wait on that. I found it in here for around $ 47 by itself.

Since it is probably shot, I'll soak it in toluene tomorrow AM. If the unwanted rubber dissolves w/o harming the housing I'll try it until the real one comes in.

On another note , the large adjusting nut on the shifting linkage would not turn at all, so I had to go the long route and disconnect up top. That'll be a real treat to get back together. Even with it removed and in a vise it was so hard to turn that the rod started to deform. No other bolt or fastener required exertion, the SOB has to be crossed.
I just sread where this was the case a couple other times.

Anyway, thanks again and back to a holding pattern for now.

Ps. I figured you picked up on the name after I hit your 3rd sentence.

Steve
 

gss036

Commander
Joined
Jan 18, 2003
Messages
2,914
Re: In the middle of impeller job - Question

Mine was the same way, bought an extra long set of el-cheapo needle nose pliers from Sears and that helped a lot.
 

Mercury13

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
35
Re: In the middle of impeller job - Question

Got the parts and everything went ok. Couldn't get the cotter pin back in the upper shift so I had to settle for 'homemade hog ring'.
Fired it up w/ muffs and in pumped water ok for 1-2 min. then it trailed off so I shut down.

There are no loose pieces of rubber and I shot air easily back thru the tell tale , no blockage.

I did the t-stat and gasket too along with the whole pump kit. No old rubber was in the stat housing.

I'm stumped now, anyone have any ideas ?

Thanks again.

Steve
 

billshef

Recruit
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Messages
4
Re: In the middle of impeller job - Question

Did you find ALL of the impeller parts? I have seen them go below the waterpump plate, just to come back up and clog or ruin a nes impeller. The small pcs can go up the water tube and clog engine or indicator passages....
 

Expidia

Commander
Joined
Aug 26, 2006
Messages
2,368
Re: In the middle of impeller job - Question

FYI: month old post!
 

duckcrazed

Cadet
Joined
Sep 9, 2005
Messages
6
Re: In the middle of impeller job - Question

Did you get it fixed? I'm having similar problems. I ended up getting a new top housing and impeller cup as well as the impeller. Still having issues although now my indicator stream is great, but engine is still heating. I think I have impeller pieces preventing the water from getting to the block.

I'm going to try and pull the thermostat and blow compressed air through the system...Anyone know if this is a good route to take to remove blockages. Any better access point? I've run wire as far as I can up the indicator tube...
 

FishyFun

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
May 29, 2005
Messages
92
Re: In the middle of impeller job - Question

Blowing air in it will not remove the chunks, I had to remove covers and dig out pieces that had traveled up the cooling pipe. The previous owner had the impeller changed before I bought it but the dealer failed to account for all the rubber pieces, that was 2 years ago. I noticed that the tell tale stream was not quite right. I took it apart and low and behold there were chunks lodged in the pump. Also, once I removed the chunks it idled better and ran better. I suspect the chunks in the impeller were loading up the motor to the point where you couldn't get a proper idle setting.

lee
 
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