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2014 BF 9.9D Impeller Issues

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William01

Advanced Contributor
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Entire water pump kit installed during the winter of 2022, I have about 35 hours of use between last summer and this spring. Started the engine up yesterday and noticed a week telltale upon start up, within seconds the telltale flow stopped altogether. Shut the engine down immediately. Upon inspection the vane at the 2:30 and 3:30 position are trying to climb out of the impeller liner. I’m guessing the impeller key jumped out of either the impeller or the drive shaft. I have on hand a brand new impeller, 2 keys, one spare that’s original from the factory with 5 hour on it plus the key that I suspect jumped out of the track with about 35 hours on it. Of course the Honda service kit is back ordered and expected delivery is June 19 IF it doesn’t get pushed back further. My question is, am I wasting my time installing a brand new impeller with a gently used key and using a 35 hour oring? Any idea why the key jumped the track, if that’s what happened?
 
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The cover plate to the right is 35 hours old, the cover plate on the left is the original with 5 hours on it. Considerably less wear on the left, wondering if I should replace the used plate with another less used plate?
 
Hmmm....Velly intellesting....
As they say in some country I have never been to nor know anything about.

Anywho...

....Wow!
That's kind of crazy!

YES! I would say swap out that obviously softer material plate on the left. I'll bet that originated at to Office Of Cost Reduction deep in the bowels of The Honda Conglomerate.

Disgusting!!

I mean, you can SURE BET you're chitlins' they didn't make the impeller HARDER!

THANKS HONDA! You subbed that crap out to an inferior contractor and now your CUSTOMERS have something ELSE to worry about!

Have you pulled the "cup" out of the housing and inspected that closely? Zero wear and almost zero movement in the fit is the goal. Any distortion of the plastic would have me concerned.

I know those keys wear much faster than most realize but at 35 hours? SHEESH!

Is the cut out in the main shaft "worried" at all? I know chawk_man is right now this minute changing out the shaft on his because that depression got worked by the impeller key.
But his engine is 20 times more powerful than our little stuff!
Still, it makes me wonder about the quality of those EXPENSIVE replacement parts. Hope that didn't bite him too!

One thing I would suggest is that you try not to over torque the bolts holding the wiper plate or the cup. That could set up some warpage the eye just can't see. An inch pound torque wrench is your friend here to get that stuff tight but not too tight and even.

I know you'll let us know how this goes.

Good luck.
 
Another thought about that plate wear...
Any chance you accidentally did a tilt up start at some point? Or someone else you share the outboard with might have done that? These pumps don't tolerate dry at all. Grass or debris in/over the intake screens will cause damage pretty dang quick. But you know that I'm sure.
Having said that, I hope your installation marine grease was fresh and not contaminated in some way. I've been assembling parts before and, after applying the grease, get interrupted. When I come back to the work the next day there's a nice coat of wind borne dust all in my grease. Just sayin'.

Good luck.
 
What an experience!!! Brand new impeller, salvaged the best of the used parts except the cup, it was involved in a meltdown by the previous owner so I made the assumption that it could be deformed. Fought with the impeller to get it installed with all the vanes pointing in the right direction only to discover that I had it upside down. Start again, same fight with the vanes…Now to get the impeller lined up with the key, missed, reposition the key…oh crap the impeller popped out of the cup…finally success, get everything bolted up. Get that heavy sucker onto the hand cart filled the bucket with water and started it. WTF a few dribbles then bang full flow, I had my hand at the telltale and a piece of insect came out with the water. Got me wondering if that was my problem all along? Prior to disassembling I shoved a needle in the hole and checked to make sure the hose was connected.
To answer your questions, I never loan my rifles, outboards or wife to anyone. Impeller has never been run dry however depending on wind I’ll start the engine immediately after dropping it into the water and let it warm up in forward and idle away from shore. That being said it’s possible that the engine isn’t submerged long enough to flood the cavity so I might be running it too soon. Thoughts?
 
Well, I don't think an insect in the bypass would be the cause of all that worry. And, what you describe doing at start up sounds reasonable to me. I don't think that would cause damage.

As far as not loaning the wife out....why not? ;>)
 
When you see/know a couple and wonder to yourself “What the heck is she doing with that clown?” I’m that clown. Wouldn’t want her to figure out see she could do better.
Thanks for your insight and thoughts, much appreciated.
 
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