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Water pump impeller keyway lost!

V

Velvetskilett

New member
Today while changing out the impeller on my old merc. I inadvertently fumbled the keyway down into the exhaust hole in the lower unit. For hours I tried everything to get the little booger out with no success. What do I do? Can I just leave it in there and pick up a new one. Or will it eventually cause the gears to somehow grenade. I can't hear it rattling or moving around inside. I pulled the prop to get a better look but it no avail. The motor is a 2001 90 4stroke ELPT with carbs not efi.
 
You might try flushing with water in both directions, maybe that'll wash it out. Do it out on the driveway where you'll be able to see the impeller key come out.

HTH & G'luck..........ed
 
haventaclue said:
I'd just get a new one.It'll not affect the gears,no direct access to gears from exhaust
Click to expand...

True, but it is probably in the water intake plenum where it might be sucked-up into the pump and do damage there. Not to mention the possibility of it getting pumped into the powerhead cooling passages.
 
Ed-MC, I'm going to disagree with you,if I'm wrong I'll buy you a pint......sometime.:D
It's my understanding,looking at the diagrams and my own older lower unit,the water intake is forward from the exhaust opening with no direct access either way,so the key should exit via either the prop area or the upper exhaust opening in the unit.So I think the key is sitting on the bearing carrier.
Oh and as johnneygjr asks ,did the key exit yet.
 
I never said the exhaust area was connected to the water intake.

Let me be more specific, the key could have fallen into the water intake plenum. Flushing from the intake ports on the side of the lower unit and back-flushing from the top of the lower unit where water comes into the bottom of the pump would be appropriate. Might break it loose from wherever it's hiding.

And thinking about it, holding the L/U upside down and then flushing thru the intakes might be the best course of action, since the key is gonna be spit out at the pump area if it's in there somewhere. Backflushing might drive it down, making the situation worse. If the intake ports were like some that have bolted-in plastic-mesh screens, it'd be really easy to pull those and have easy access to the plenum. But looking at the diagram, the ports are drilled into the gearcase.

I'm assuming the owner has taken off the lower pump plate so he could see into the water passage area, agree it's possible the key is just sitting up there, which would be the best scenario.
 
Hope you like it warm, It will take a while to get there! President Trump will probably pass a bill to end exporting of beer!
 
Know why Brits drink warm beer? Lucas makes their refrigerators!

Jeff

PS: Lost? Have to have worked on classic British cars to understand.
 
fastjeff said:
Know why Brits drink warm beer? Lucas makes their refrigerators!

Jeff

PS: Lost? Have to have worked on classic British cars to understand.
Click to expand...

Ah, Lucas, Prince of Darkness! :p

My former boss told me his Bugeye Sprite had 3 positions for the headlights, Dim, Flicker, and Off!

He had many sayings about Lucas but that's the only one that stuck with me!

Cheers......ed
 
Nah,everything here,just like the 'States,is "Made in China" these days,and IMHO, the Brits drink lager,not beer.Here in The Emerald Isle,we drink Whiskey and Guinness,note Whiskey,not Whisky,that's Scotch ;):D:D:D
 
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