Do you remove your impeller when you winterize your engine? I haven't in the past but think I will this year since I've been told by two people that it is a good idea.
What's the purpose of removing the impeller? I'm assuming that the cold temps and potential for freezing water can ruin the blades, but there shouldn't be any water present if winterization is done correctly. Anyway, what are your thoughts?
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I yank mine in the fall and replace it with a new one each spring. Some PG antifreeze products can swell or degrade the rubber and some impellers are more prone to PG damage than others. I have seen some that seem unaffected and some that throw a blade in short order after a winter sitting in PG. For the $17.00 I pay once a year, it is cheap insurance..
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-Maine Sail / CS-36T
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I'm not mechanic, and Maine Sail is much more knowledgeable than me. That said, I don't remove the impeller for winter, but I replace it in spring before first start-up. I think that's essentially the same result as Maine Sail, just a matter of different timing. In other words, the impeller once exposed to anti-freeze is not used again.
-J
I'm a baaaad girl never change it since it's above the water line on my engine and I have 4 spares. I know! it can send bits into the HX. It's just that tissue thin gasket oberdofer pumps need is so fragile. I know! get the o-ring plate!.
told ya.. I'm bad!
ps; we did ck it last year. saw no damage to the vanes from the pink stuff
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Denise, Bristol PA, Oday 30. On Tidal Delaware River, Anchor Yacht Club.
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i leave it in, but always have spares and replace it when doing a small tune up... dont know if up in MI the colder weather makes it more prone to failure (freezing = cracking?), ive just always heard that if you run the engine for any bit of time w/o h20 intake open you are prone to the fins breaking off...
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I ended up pulling the impeller out today when I winterized the engine. It's still in excellent condition, which isn't all that surprising since I replaced it last spring.
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I'm a baaaad girl never change it since it's above the water line on my engine and I have 4 spares. I know! it can send bits into the HX. It's just that tissue thin gasket oberdofer pumps need is so fragile. I know! get the o-ring plate!.
told ya.. I'm bad!
ps; we did ck it last year. saw no damage to the vanes from the pink stuff
Keep in mind that if the impeller fails you can have a lot more problems than bits in your HX. The engine may overheat and fail, a sad problem that has happend to 2 local boaters, one with me on the boat. In both cases the overheat alarm went off, but not in time to salvage the motor.
My opinion, over temp alarms should/could be in place since so many people seem to never check guages. The impeller is only ONE source of potential things to clog up the engine and HX
OR! install and over size strainer on pump discharge, flow switch alarm and more?
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Denise, Bristol PA, Oday 30. On Tidal Delaware River, Anchor Yacht Club.
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never change it since it's above the water line on my engine and I have 4 spares. I know! it can send bits into the HX. It's just that tissue thin gasket oberdofer pumps need is so fragile. I know! get the o-ring plate!. 
