R-27 Impeller change

Good to hear all went well with the impeller change. I think having taken the Mack Boring class makes a big difference.
See you in a couple of weeks.

Mike Rizzo
 
Yes, the Mack Boring class was valuable. It was nice to get a practice impeller change done on the engine in the classroom before dong it in the confined space of the R27. It will be easier next time now that I have figured out the best way to squeeze in and move my arms around.

Howard
 
I thought the impeller change on the r25 Cummins was bad until I watched Mike change his r27 last winter.
My hat is off to you doing it with no help.
 
On the R-25 (Classic) I don't see that a second person would be of any help except for holding and handing tools to the worker and to provide encouragement and a good massage at the end of the day… plus a cooly drink for celebration. :lol:
 
My wife and I are transitioning from sail to power. Previously, we had a 38' Shannon Ketch (lost in a marina fire four years ago). We have decided that a Ranger Tug would be the ideal boat to satisfy our need to be out on the water. We looked at our first prospect yesterday. The first thing I noticed was the difficult access to the "front" of the motor. Access to the alternator, belts, fresh and raw water pumps seemed almost impossible.

An hour and a half to change an impeller seems like quite an ordeal.

On my sailboat's 40 hp Westerbeke that would be a ten minute (or less) task.

The boat will live in Rhode Island and will be on the hard from November until April. My procedure is to remove the impeller when stored for the winter then replace it in the spring. Experience has taught me that impellers don't like to stay compressed for months on end. So, an hour or more to replace the impeller seems like a lot of work.
 
Ragman: I think it wise to remove the impeller when stored on the hard and agree about your thought about not allowing the impeller staying under compression for months on end. Mind you, even if boat kept in the water all year round and leaving the impeller intact will mean 3 or 4 vanes will be under severe compression any rate but will have some water to avoid the rubber material from drying out.

Changing the impeller on the R-27 is a tad easier than on the R-25... IMO.

Good luck on your future Ranger Tug purchase. 🙂
 
What about checking and adjusting tension on belts? I have long thin arms, but it seems all of this would have to be done "blind".
 
There is no manual tension adjustment on the Yanmar BY2 series. The main belt has a spring loaded tensioner (like most autos). And the impeller belt is stretch fit. The newer models have Volvo engines, I do not know how belt or impeller access is done.

The impeller in my tug looked perfect after 2 1/2 seasons, including two winter layups outdoors in Warwick, RI.

Providing more access space in the front of the engines would have an impact somewhere else, such as reduced fuel capacity. The fuel tank is immediately forward of the bulkhead in front of the engine.

Good luck with your search!

Howard
 
Ragman,
Your thought of taking the impeller out at the end of each season is always a a good practice. However, the Yanmar recommendation is inspection at 250 hours. Most of us who have done that have seen some wear on the vanes. There have also been reports of early failures so it is a matter of circumstances. Your observation of tight quarters is spot on, but work is manageable. Our boats have a lot to offer for the size, hence space is at a premium. As Howard said, a larger engine compartment will lead to compromising something else, so I guess having to deal with difficult access is the tradeoff. Every boat requires compromises so it is a matter of personal preference. Good luck with your search and hopefully you will be a Ranger owner in the future.
 
Ragman,
The access to the front end of the engine on a R27 is tight. However one can easily remove a section of quarter berth’s (a.k.a. “the cave”) sidewall to improve view and access. The sidewall to be removed is the section which has the AC and DC outlets. The section is held in place by about 4 screws hidden in the fuzzy surface. Removal of the engine’s “beauty plates” also helps. Again this is easily done- just takes a few minutes.
As to switching from sail to a R-27, I did this two years ago and I am very happy with the switch.
 
Officially a tugnut. Put a deposit on a 2012 27'. It is in new condition, since it was only used for display at boat shows. Thanks for the replies to my post.

Wayne
 
Wayne: Congratulations... Let the fun begin. 🙂
 
Have a 2015 R27 with Volvo D3 200HP. Wanted to change the impeller. I watched the factory Youtube video and removed the engine covers, access panel on step, starboard panel inside, and sidewall panel from the "cave". I can see the pulley, belt, tension adjuster, and the water pump but I can't see any way I can get in there and do the steps Mike did in the video! It's just too tight and it would have to be working blind! Any suggestions?
 
The first time is the toughest. I have the Yanmar and I am not as familiar with the Volvo, but I think the removal is similar. Yes, doing it partially blind is the case if you can't get all the way in. I can do mine start to finish in about 1.5 hours.
 
I've had really good success accessing the water pump from the engine compartment. By removing the shroud and the air filter on the starboard side, I can lay over the engine and access the pump bolts from above and behind. I still utilize the interior step’s access panel for the belt tensioner, and for pulling the impeller, but like you it’s practically impossible to bend one’s arms into position from the front. My Malibu V-ride actually utilizes this exact same Johnson water pump, and because the engine faces the stern, the same access problem exists. Once you’re familiar with the procedure, you can do a lot of it without actually seeing.
 
I'll echo the last 2 posts and add the benefit of having a second person....one laying over the engine and one inside the cabin to assist with lighting, turning the belt pully, etc. It is also a good idea to lay a towel down under the impeller assembly to catch any bolts that may inadvertently fall from your wrench or hands while working blind. I've recovered a couple of bolts this way over the last 6 years.

Jim
 
My additional advice would be to douse the impeller pump housing and any engine parts that are exposed to any salt water dripping from the pump with fresh water to avoid the rusting aspects of salt water. This advice was given to me by Jim Favors so he get credit for this. 🙂

Jim's advice about using a towel is an excellent piece of advice and something I learned from Willies Tug (Herb) a few years back when changing my previous R-25 (Classic)'s raw water impeller.

Good luck.... it's such a PITA task..... especially compared to the 5 minute job to do same impeller change on the R-21EC. 🙂
 
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