Is this what a new impeller is supposed to look like?

[mike64]

Finally a day without rain, so I got a chance to remove the gearcase to take a look in there and replace the impeller on the boat I recently bought. Good thing, since it had a broken fin. But when I opened the impeller replacement kit, which says it's genuine Mercury on the package, the inside core of the impeller concerned me. The inside already looks corroded, and the cutout channel for the key slot is white and chalky, with powdery stuff you can feel coming off when I run my finger in there. It seems like it would give way pretty easily when torque is applied. The whole metal core of the impeller seems more insubstantial than the old one I removed, and the rubber fins are a little thinner.

Did I get Chinese knockoff parts in a Mercury package or something, or am I just being paranoid? I included a pic but I don't know if you can really see anything (old one with broken fin on the left, obviously).

 

[Don S]

Re: Is this what a new impeller is supposed to look like?

Maybe it's a really old kit. Hard to say from one picturel

 

[ziggy]

Re: Is this what a new impeller is supposed to look like?

anyway ya look at it. the new one ya got is in better shape than the old one.....

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Is this what a new impeller is supposed to look like?

Some of them have that chalky white powder on them. I guess it is OK. Apparently some powder to keep them from sticking to other parts while being produced and packaged. Probably baby powder, talc.

But the fins are straight and have no curves, so that is more important.

If the rubber is still pliable and you can bend those fins both ways and they flex back, you should be OK.

The general description of an impeller that needs replacement is the fins are bent and don't straighten back up when pulled out. Kinda like your original impeller. Not mentioning the broken fin...

So I am sure it will work better than the one you are replacing.

 

[mike64]

Re: Is this what a new impeller is supposed to look like?

I went back to the boat store I bought the impeller kit from and the guy showed me another impeller, in a different package, not part of a kit. It looked exactly the same. So I guess it's fine, they just don't make 'em like they used to.

 

[Fordiesel69]

Re: Is this what a new impeller is supposed to look like?

That is the norm for the alpha 1 gen 1 impellers. The gen 2 I got did not appear to have that.

All 3 gen 1 kits I bought this year had that chalky stuff.

 

[emoney]

Re: Is this what a new impeller is supposed to look like?

I think that white chalky stuff is put on there on purpose to keep corrosion away. What was wrong with your old one, though:facepalm:

 

[Pete104]

Re: Is this what a new impeller is supposed to look like?

They have changed the "hub" of those impellers! It's a fiber base, kinda looks like woven-roving!

 

[mike64]

Re: Is this what a new impeller is supposed to look like?

They have changed the "hub" of those impellers! It's a fiber base, kinda looks like woven-roving!

Yeah, exactly! It seems like it would just crumble when torque is applied to it. But I guess there's not much resistance involved in spinning the impeller. Still it's disappointing that corners are cut on such a critical part. The lighter fiber core material they use is may be just as strong as the metal, for all I know. But the rubber fins are thinner too. I'm used to seeing the impellers that go into a '72 65hp Evinrude OB. Now THAT'S an impeller!