water pump, when do you change?

B

Bill Ferrar

Well-known member
In the past I would change every other year. Then I started changing them every few years.
How often do you change yours?
 
Had my Nissan 18hp for 12 years and never changed it.
Probably not the best maintenance interval, but I am not sure every year makes much sense either.
 
Is this more of a salt water thing? Reason I ask is up until being on this forum I never knew anyone that changed a water pump on an outboard every few years.
 
Not sure I would say it a salt water thing. Any time you pick up mud, sand or silt it adds to the wear on the impeller, backing plate and housing.
Sure running in sandy salt water is worse but I change mine also because the fins on the impeller get dry rotted and are not as flexible as a new impeller. By having an impeller where the fins / blade snap back into their original form they provide more water flow and cooling.

For the amount of time any the low cost of an impeller I would rather cahnge them at least every other year then risk overheating and breaking down in the middle of winter when no one is around.
 
The old mechanic I know has been doing this since the early 50's.He says the change every year theory is a cya thing of the manufacturers knowing there are people who do go far offshore.He also says that outboards that get used very little are more prone to dry rot.I don't know if that is true but I change mine every other year.Breaking down when you can just get out and walk isn't so bad.Out on the water in the middle of winter is bad.
 
Every other year minimum but have burned them out before that from running shallow in sandy lakes.
 
I started doing it after hearing from you guys about it. But like I said no one ever told me about it. I can say for sure my dad never did it.
 
300 hours on my offshore boat, 5 years (approx 100 hours) on the duck boat.
Both pumps had very little wear and the impellers were in very good condition.
 
The only thing that I'll say more about this is if your impeller goes bad, you will likely overheat, and if you overheat an outboard, you now have a big anchor. Been there, done that, every two to three years for me now. I have too much $ tied up in the 3 motors that I have.
 
I change large motors every two years. Running in shallow water most of the time with the duckboat usually each year. The 15 I run now gets use year round. Easier to change a impeller than a head.
Years ago we ran 5's for duck hunting and fish spearing in the summer, ran shallows constantly. Sheared so many shear pins, we used nails. Still have the 5...
 
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