Sad tale of a water pump impeller

[Bill Spencer]

Yesterday, prior to launch, we did our normal check of the engine so
that there would be no surprises once the boat was set in the
water. The engine started with no problem, but there was no water
coming out of the exhaust. A quick check of the usual suspects -
hoses, strainer - showed no reason for the lack of water. That meant
only one thing - the dreaded impeller.

So after a couple of hours upside down in the bilge, the 5-bladed
impeller was extracted and a 6-bladed spare was installed, and the
problem solved. But now to replace the spare for the next time.

My first try was to contact Hansen Marine in Marblehead, MA, since
they are the closest and supposedly the best Westerbeke service
dealer. But it turns out that they don't sell parts on their
Internet site, don't answer the phone but require you to leave a
message for a call back, and then don't call back. So much for service.

Next try, Torresen Marine in Michigan. Great Internet site; easy to
order the parts and a promise of quick delivery. But, the price!

Six years ago I ordered a new impeller from Hansen Marine and the
price was $16.10. Today, Torresen and a couple of other dealers I
found on the Internet are charging - are you sitting down? - $39.72 !

How can a $16 dollar part become a $40 part in six years? Oil
filters and zincs went up about 50%, but 150% for impellers? Has
anyone else found a better price for a spare impeller?

Bill Spencer
LIONHEART, NS30U #352 Hyde Park, NY

[Steve McConaghy]

Yes, this is a message from the dark side (an ex-Nonsuch owner with a
trawler).

Find the shurewood replacement part and order from local engine repair shop.
They appreciate the business. Box looks identical except the color.
Impeller is the same - EXCEPT the price is about half.

Got my last impellers from Tri-County Marine Diesel in Bellingham,
Washington. You can find them on the Internet and give them a call.

Steve McConaghy
Just Rosie
Kadey Krogen 36

[Jon Fitch]

On Jun 10, 2010, at 5:55 PM, Bill Spencer wrote:
>
> So after a couple of hours upside down in the bilge, the 5-bladed impeller was extracted and a 6-bladed spare was installed, and the problem solved. But now to replace the spare for the next time.

For less than $40 you can buy the blue Globe brand impeller (West Marine used to have them, I believe Defender has them still). This one seems to last much longer than the normal black rubber ones. Globe even claims that it will run dry for 15 minutes without self-destructing. I had one in the Westerbeke for about 10 years and it was still working when the boat was sold. Given the difficulty in access, I would consider that one next time the opportunity avails itself.

Jon Fitch
'Anomaly'

[Capt. Mike]

What exactly is a water pump impeller? I seem to have forgotten. :)

Sent from on board BIANKA
http://biankablog.blogspot.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Spencer <wjsp...@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:55:39
To: <NONS...@LISTSERV.AOL.COM>
Subject: Sad tale of a water pump impeller

[Bruce Anderson]

Give it up, Capt. Mike!

Jesting aside, two tips re: impellers:

1) when they break up (i.e. when the blades break off), the pieces are
often sucked into the raw water system to the heat exchanger. Follow
the hoses. Open the heat exchanger (my Westerbeke has an end plate that
comes off) and dig out all those old impeller bits that are reducing
your cooling water flow. These are suitable as souvenirs, valuable for
bar bragging rights.

2) to make changing the impeller easier, I made my own 'speed-seal'
following the advice of my mechanic - I brazed nickels onto the heads of
each of the screws that holds the impeller place on. Now I can remove
the place with fingers only! (actually, my mechanic recommended pennies
- but Canadian pennies have apparently been mixed with some other metals
than make them melt at too low a temperature. US pennies work better).

Bruce Anderson
KANIK 30U 286 Toronto

[Mike]

Well Bruce I do regret that I never got to try the Speed Seal cover I installed on BIANKA's  water pump. I removed the engine before I ever had to replace the impeller. Perhaps regret is not the word, "wonder" maybe.  Before I went with electric propulsion I considered replacing the Westerbeke with a Beta Marine diesel engine. One of the main reasons for choosing the Beta was so that it would be easier to change the &#%* impeller!  Perhaps Brooks can verify that.   Mike BIANKA 1986 30U http://biankablog.blogspot.com  --- On Fri, 6/11/10, Bruce Anderson <bruce-a...@ROGERS.COM> wrote:

[Bill Spencer]

Well, it seems as if my shock at the increased price of a pump
impeller was not justified - it's just reality.

I checked on the price of a Blue Globe impeller as some
suggested. For the Westerbeke impeller that I need (P/N 48500),
MarineParts.com has the B/G equivalent listed for $44.43. Defender
has it selling for $39.99, essentially the same as the Westerbeke
part at Torrensen Marine. The moral? You can't win.

[michael esposito]

Bill

At this rate if I part out KAT-LEEN I could be a millionaire! :)

Mike
ps: don't tell her I said that or the engine won't start next time I need it!

KAT-LEEN
1980 NS30C #037
Rock Hall, MD

Michael A. Esposito, DDS
dr....@mac.com
570-262-6371 (cell)

[Lorie Simone]

I installed the blue globe impeller in Revelation 4 years ago.  Pulled it out to check last week, still in excellant shape,

glad to hear Jon's lasted 10 years.

 

Lorie & Angie Simone
REVELATION NS30U #260
Kingston, ON
East - Lake Ontario
613 634 7457: Fax 613 634 2674

----- Original Message -----

From: Jon Fitch

To: NONS...@LISTSERV.AOL.COM

Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 10:04 PM

Subject: Re: Sad tale of a water pump impeller

[Brooks Bridges]

Indeed it is very easy to get to.  And the built in oil pump out bit works well too.  Filter readily accessible but the usual horizontal mount.   It's obvious they factory installed a Globe or something just like - I've tested the run dry feature twice now and still have lots of water flow.  Once must have run engine for at least 5 minutes before my numb brain realized the smooth engine exhaust sound was totally unnatural. Wonder I didn't kill myself scrambling to turn on water.  That was a year ago.   If the run-dry types last 10 years and put up with my abuse it's worth $40. Brooks "Solitude" 30U Cambridge, MD --- On Fri, 6/11/10, Mike <biank...@VERIZON.NET> wrote:

[Bill Spencer]

Tangential to the story, in my spares box I found an old unused,
unopened, impeller kit which was for the original water pump in my
Westerbeke 27. I have replaced the original pump several years ago
with a new, redesigned one, so I have no need for this older
part. The part numbers for the old one are:

P/N 33100 Impeller Kit for pump P/N 24143. These numbers have been
superceded by:
P/N 33112 Impeller Kit for pump P/N 24102 (still the old design pump).

The Impeller kit I have is # 33100. It's replacement now sells for
$40.92 at Torresen Marine (It was probably $1.99 when I bought it years ago.)

We are asked not to sell items on this list, so I am offering this
old impeller kit to anyone who can use it. Donations to my impeller
fund are completely voluntary. but accepted with appreciation.

[Thor Powell]

Check the Globe impellers very closely with the Westerbeke, or for that matter any OEM ones you replace.  I used their cross reference to replace my Westerbeke impeller and after 125 hours the shaft key had worn through. The problem was the shaft key was 1/32 smaller that the slit in the impeller and the slop in the fit caused the shaft key to wear down to nothing.  It is no longer on the cross refereence Globe provides.

I ended up changing it while anchored in a less than ideal spot. Took me 5 hours to remove the old impeller as the shaft key debris was "gluing" in place. 

[Dave Easley]

Hi Bill,
There is a slightly more affordable equivalent version of the impeller
kit available from www.marinepartssource.com , part # MMD-48500, for $24.18
plus shipping. It is equivalent to JHW48500. The kit contains the
impeller, a couple of extra faceplate screws, 2 gaskets for older style pump
covers, an O-ring for the newer style pump cover, a blister-pack of
glycerin, and 2 center pins (a slightly thicker threaded one, and a slightly
thinner one with a smooth surface).
The impeller came with the thicker threaded center pin installed, but
the newer style pump for my W27A took the narrower pin, which I finally
figured out after about 45 minutes of trying to install it without being
able to see what I was doing, and finally compared it to the original one
that I removed.

Dave Easley
BIG EASY 30U #420

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Spencer" <wjsp...@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
To: <NONS...@LISTSERV.AOL.COM>
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2010 8:52 AM
Subject: Re: Sad tale of a water pump impeller