Tools for impeller removal

[slowboatn]

I'm looking for the tools to do the impeller removal. Anything special I will need? Where do I purchase them? Thanks.

 

[scooper77515]

I have the impellar tool. At least, I have the one for the 97 challenger/96 XP. There was one other size, but I bet yours is the same.

I can drop it off one day or we can meet somewhere.

I live in angleton, and drive 288 up to pearland for work. So you are a little bit out of the way, but not much.

 

[slowboatn]

Hmmmmm? Ok. Pearland isn't that far. I could meet you somewhere near there? Or in Angleton? Not that bad to me. Just let me know. I have GPS so it isn't hard to locate you.

 

[scooper77515]

I am on the north end of angleton right near those auto dealers. Hang a left there, 2 red lights in, and my neighborhood is right there.

I can PM you the address if you need it.

I will be working on my car this Saturday, so feel free to stop on by. I gotta get it running so I can move it when the house sells.:reddevil:

 

[slowboatn]

Well I took a real good look at it last night. Got some pic's if you want. Looking in from the back it looks ok. When I shine a flashlight into the back, I can see light coming out the intake. Looks like it is just coming in through the blades of the impeller not where they contact the wear ring. It looks good too. I have to change the oil for the impeller bearing so I will get a better look. May not have to do this after all for this season. I do have pic's if interested.

 

[scooper77515]

If you aren't seeing light, you may be fine. That gap will get pretty big and you sill still have some propulsion. I had mine almost 1/4" before I swapped my ring. And by then, it was still fast, but took a couple seconds to hook up.

 

[scooper77515]

Only other thing you need "special", tool wise, is a heat source to melt the locktite in the impeller. I use a propane torch for a few seconds until I can smell that sweet smell melted locktite makes, and that little puff of smoke comes out. Then you will need either a vise or some way to hold the back of the shaft while you start the impeller off the shaft.

 

[slowboatn]

I am seeing light. I'm not sure if it is bad or not. From one end it looks ok. The back. From the front it looks like a lot to me. I've got pics of it.

 

[scooper77515]

A good seal has .040 or less clearance between the ring and impeller. If you have .080, I would live with it for another season, unless you just aren't hooking up at all.

Like I said, my xp was still fun at .220 gap, it just took a little spinning to take off. I was still jumping waves at the beach and doing submarines and spinning out on flat water.

I would never let it get that worn again. It was like that when I first got it, and I didn't know what I was missing until I swapped it out.:reddevil:

 

[slowboatn]

Ok. I need to post the pics. I will do that shortly. LOL.

 

[slowboatn]

[/IMG]

[/IMG]
Here are some pic's of the impeller. The dark ones are from underneath the ski and the others are from the back of the ski. What do yall think?

 

[slowboatn]

I think the light is coming out between the blades of the impeller. So it is hard to determine. These last 2 show the blades to be closer to the wear ring. Yall have more experience with this than I do. So let me know. Thanks.

 

[slowboatn]

Anybody? Please?

 

[slowboatn]

Well, I pulled everything off the back of the ski. Pulled the measuring tools (feeler gauges) out and measured the distance between the ring and the impeller blades. I did it half way down the blade. It is fine. I will not be changing out the impeller.

 

[scooper77515]

Kinda hard to make out the pictures, but there is one pic where you can see that there isn't much of a gap at all between blade and ring.

It looks pretty tight.

Glad you didn't end up having to swap it. It is easy, but not as fun as running the crap out of it on the water.:reddevil:

 

[slowboatn]

I'm glad also. It has never been done on this one. It has hardly ever been in the water. I've only had it in 3 or 4 times at the most. If I can get the carbs worked out then I will put it in the water.