2011 R-27 Yanmar Sea Water Impeller Replacement Interval

B

Bpwicks

Active member
Joined
Dec 24, 2018
Messages
28
Fluid Motion Model
C-302 C
Hull Identification Number
1228065
Vessel Name
B-Pod
What are the factory recommendations for timing of impeller replacement?
Was last replaced about 5 yrs / 350 hours ago.
Having no problems and I do carry a spare but I understand that the impeller replacement takes an estimated 4 hrs of boatyard labor.
Thanks for the help
Brian
 
Hello Brian,

Most engine manufacturers recommend replacing the impeller every 2 years or 400 hours, whichever comes first.

-Kenny
 
What Kenny said!
Five years between impeller changes is pressing your luck in my opinion. We have the impeller replaced in Our Journey every 24 months +/- a month or so. That’s at about 150 engine hours of use for us.
You really don’t want to be chasing down impeller blade bits in your heat exchanger. That’s a lot more work than replacing an impeller before it starts coming apart.
PS: In Ganges we watched while a highly qualified Yanmar mechanic replaced the impeller on our 150 HP Yanmar in 45 minutes. Did a perfect job! Others have charged for 2 hours of labor. Four hours is a bit much.
PPS: And we also replace our emergency spare impeller every two years as well. We have been told by the mechanics that they get brittle or otherwise age just sitting around in a parts box.
 
I agree, never let the impeller go beyond two years. I have replaced the impeller twice since buying our 2012 25-SC with Yanmar 4BY2-150. The boat was five years old with only 100 hours on it when we bought it, the impeller had never been replaced. The previous owners were very lucky, every blade on the impeller was cracked at the base, two blades were already detaching from the hub. Probably one more hour and there would have been complete blade failure. It takes a little under two hours to replace our impeller. I curse the step in the cabin every time and keep trying to come up with a design to make it removable. This year I will do the rear panel cut that someone wrote about, that will likely take about 20 minutes off the time to access the pump. I find the quickest way is to remove the water pump, separate the pump when it is sitting in front of me, remove and replace the impeller, reassemble the pump and then put the pump back on intact. Fiddling about trying to take the pump apart through the access hole just doesn't work for me.
 
Salty7,
Once you do the step mod you will be kicking yourself for not doing it sooner. Prior owner did ours. Mechanics are very happy when they see it. I think it really allows them to work faster. It helps me every time I’m doing minor maintenance at the front of the engine as well.
Not sure the exact differences between our R-25 Classic step mod and what would be involved with the step access mod in the R-25SC but any mod that improves access to the front of the engine is a plus in my book.
 
Absolutely, the step is coming to the top of my list of things to modify. Do you have any pictures of how your step was modified? The way it is from the factory it is almost impossible to access anything for service, I would like to have the designer come out and change a belt or impeller just to see what a service nightmare he created.
 
Thank you, much appreciated!
 
I think the step mod on the R-25 classic has more merit than on the R-27. The R-25 classic had the engine much further forward. On my R-27 I modified the opening by making it larger and then using 1/4 inch starboard to lay over the opening and installing the hatch door to that. I can now get shoulders and all into opening. Also, as mentioned, I cut the access panel to the engine in two spots, 1- halfway point under the step, 2- in the middle of where it protrudes out into the cave ( have way point of port side of step. This eliminates removing things out of the cave to slide out the entire panel. The port side of the removable panel under the step then sticks a bit behind the port side of the step and is held in place and them at the center point a screw holds it in place. the starboard side is similar it is hel in place and then a screw at the cut at the center point. I can do an impeller change in one hour. It is also an incentive to keep your weight down so you can still fit into the step. :lol:
 
Salty7":17oqd2xw said:
Absolutely, the step is coming to the top of my list of things to modify. Do you have any pictures of how your step was modified? The way it is from the factory it is almost impossible to access anything for service, I would like to have the designer come out and change a belt or impeller just to see what a service nightmare he created.
Click to expand...
There are pics in my album on my step modification on our 25 SC.
 
Thanks Brian, that is really helpful. Did you cut all the fiberglass out with the tool in the picture or use a variety of tools? Was cutting the corner out essential or do you think the access is sufficient when left in place? If I leave the corner in place is it strong enough or is the vertical 1 x 2 essential for strength?
 
Awesome! Thank you, so grateful for these pictures, there are some incredibly talented owners here.
 
Salty7":3a5wumqq said:
Thanks Brian, that is really helpful. Did you cut all the fiberglass out with the tool in the picture or use a variety of tools? Was cutting the corner out essential or do you think the access is sufficient when left in place? If I leave the corner in place is it strong enough or is the vertical 1 x 2 essential for strength?
Click to expand...
I used the oscillating tool in the pic to cut the fiberglass. I also used a flat file to eliminate sharp fiberglass edges. Cutting the corner out will give you more access for your shoulders to get under the step. I used a 2x2" piece of oak to make the new corner piece, only because I had a piece on hand. If you leave the corner in place you are not changing the original construction.
 
I’ve been following this thread and I’ve decided to chime in. This is just my opinion but I wouldn’t cut anything out of the structure just for access to the water pump. I understand you need to do this on a R25 classic with the Yanmar engine but you don’t need to do this on the 25SC or the 27. I’ve learned to change mine (and a few others) without even taking the cave apart. Any good Yanmar tech should be able to do this job in an hour or less. All this job takes is a little patience and someone with fairly long arms. Again I’ve done this on my boat for the last six year without any issues. I will say you need to be comfortable working blind and laying on your stomach for the whole time but it can be done.

Tim
Gratitude
 
Here is Boatdreamer changing the impeller on my 2012 R27. He said it could be done without dismantling the cave and he’s right. It didn’t take long. Long arms with plenty of torque help. If he cares to do so, I’ll let him detail the procedure. The only thing I did was help reinstall the belt.

 
That's awesome if your arms are long enough and fingers thin enough. There is no way I can dismantle the pump from the top, I can barely get my hand around the front of the engine, let alone get a tool in there to take the pump apart. Did the guy in the photo take the pump off or take the pump apart in place? I am able to take the pump off without taking the cave apart but I cannot put it back on without access from the front. There are other things on the front of the engine which will need service one day so it is highly likely I will modify the step. It is good to know someone out there can actually replace the impeller without going through the front too small access hatch. Thanks for posting.
 
Salty7":316gr6m1 said:
That's awesome if your arms are long enough and fingers thin enough. There is no way I can dismantle the pump from the top, I can barely get my hand around the front of the engine, let alone get a tool in there to take the pump apart. Did the guy in the photo take the pump off or take the pump apart in place? I am able to take the pump off without taking the cave apart but I cannot put it back on without access from the front. There are other things on the front of the engine which will need service one day so it is highly likely I will modify the step. It is good to know someone out there can actually replace the impeller without going through the front too small access hatch. Thanks for posting.
Click to expand...

As I stated above, on the R-27 or 25 SC you are doing unrequited work by modifying the step. Just make the opening wider on the front of the step and use 1/4 inch starboard as a frame to cover the larger opening and then screw the hatch door to that. When you are replacing the impeller you remove the starboard (four screws, one in each corner) with hatch door attached. Then cut the interior slide out panel as described earlier. This modification will take at the most two hours with maintaining the integrity of the step. I can get my whole torso in there (5'-10" and as heavy as 200 lbs.) with this modification and work on the entire front of the engine.
 
Hi Salty7, I don’t take the pump off to change the impeller just the front cover of the pump. I’m basically a lazy person so I’m always looking for the easiest and least time consuming way to do things. I’ve done this with the cave apart a couple of times so I know what the bolt pattern looks like which helps. If I need to get to the front of the engine for some other service, I’ll do what Mike is suggesting. Now if I could find an easy way to clean the shower sump pump box, what a pain!

Tim
Gratitude
 
If you have a mechanic do the work, he may torque the bolts so you may not be able to loosen them without a big torque wrench, (personal experience). Also insist that they use a wooden or plastic tongue depressor to pop belt off the pulleys. If a metal screw driver is used, it will mare the groves on the pulleys causing a burr that will lead to belt failure. Always carry the proper metric wrenches and spare belts an impellers, where you breakdown they will always have to order the parts and that takes time.
 
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