Impeller/dry start questions

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Oh my, Sea pumps supply water to motor, Alpha drives have impellers in the drive to supply water. Both have an impeller in them. The circulation pump on the front of the motor only circulates the water supplied.
Jim

[scarabnewbie]

OK, I got it now. I'm assuming the TRS drives have no impeller. I'll rebuild the sea pumps just to be sure.

[waterboy222]

Originally Posted by fabricator

You trust your equipment that little that you feel you have to do this? Why?

its a 93 model and im the 4th owner.. bought it 3 months ago.. so thats a HUGE YES.. this winter when its torn down and new motors put in, ill have that kinda faith to not have to worry about it.. Guess yours is impecably reliable?

[fabricator]

Impeccably reliable? No. Mine's a '96 with 640 hours on the original motors that have never been opened up. That having been said, I wouldn't want to ask for trouble by spinning a water pump impeller dry. But if you feel your boats (you did say ALL in your post) are not that reliable, how does starting the engines out of the water away from the ramp guarantee they will start again in the water? Or later on in the day? BTW, didn't mean to ruffle your feathers, it was just a question........

[Sydwayz]

Originally Posted by waterboy222

its a 93 model and im the 4th owner.. bought it 3 months ago.. so thats a HUGE YES.. this winter when its torn down and new motors put in, ill have that kinda faith to not have to worry about it.. Guess yours is impecably reliable?

I'll turn my keys on, and make sure the (4) batteries have juice before I leave the barn; but that's it.

I'd highly recommend backing the boat down the ramp, and into the water before starting it. When you are backing down the ramp, or being backed down the ramp, pause; start the engines, and make sure everything looks OK; including water pressure and oil pressure. Then just leave it running, and continue launching the boat.

You are not doing your motor any favors by dry firing, and shutting it back off. You are doing MORE startup damage like scoring the cylinder walls and dry spinning the bearings by doing such (since you don't give the oil pressure time to come up). (I also use Lucas Oil Treatment to keep the bearings, cylinder walls, pistons, and rings more wetted with oil when the boat sits for a week at a time.)