just started my 496 for the first time this season. started easily and blew the RV antifreeze out both sides. after 30 seconds I noticed steam from the port side exhaust and shut the motor down. when I turn the key on after the fuel pump noise I can hear a faint continuous ticking sound but cant tell where its coming from. I let everything cool down completely and when I started it again for 30 seconds very little water from the exhaust on both sides and quickly overheating lots of steam from the port side. Im guessing its the Impeller but why the ticking sound and dif port vs starboard?

Bad Impeller, My guess is it peeled the lobes off it when it firsst started now they are all chewed up. Simple fix just replace it with a new one.

Good Luck

If it is the impeller that disintegrated on you then make sure you get all the pieces out of the cooling system. Otherwise you will have constant problems with over heating.

went to change the impeller but when I got the belt off I noticed that the shaft on the sea water pump pulley was loose. I just pulled on it and it came out. I took apart the pump and found that the impeller was in perfect condition. anybody else have this happen and how do you fix it? didnt look like there were any broken parts

If I remember right the pulley is pressed on the shaft. If that is the case when it came off so easily then it was just spinning on the shaft and not turning the impeller. You will probably need to buy a new sea pump assembly.