Raw Water ~ Impeller Removal Tool

by Tony C
(UK- Grand Union Canal)

The raw water pump stops pumping. It always happens at the most inconvenient time and never at the same service hours as the last one. So it’s time to contort the body into the meagre space available and replace the worn out impeller.

Removing the pump housing cover is seldom a problem, unless you drop one of the screws, which is then destined to roll to the furthest most inaccessible point in the engine bay.

Now it's time to pull the impeller out, did you remember to put 'Anti-Seize' on the shaft last time you replaced the impeller? Oh, so you didn’t do it last time, it was done by the marina engineer. Well your guess is as good as mine.

There are many home remedies to coerce a reluctant impeller to let go of the shaft:

• Grab hold of one of the vanes with pointy pliers – assuming there are some to grab.
  
• Lever it out with a pair of bent screwdrivers – they are going to damage the pump housing no matter how careful you are.
  
• Wrestle it out with 'Vice Grips'.

While you struggle someone aboard is going to ask “Isn’t there a tool for the job?”

Aah, the old 'Right Tool for the Job' premise.

Is money the solution for lack of inventiveness? Any way have you seen the price of the damned thing?

There has got to be a cheaper solution. The following cost less than $10 and only took a couple of hours.

The starting point was a two leg, armature bearing puller from the wonderful people who toil away in that engineering powerhouse, the People's Republic of China - one such company being Aliexpress.

Step 1
Slot both the puller legs;
Drill a hole at the end and hacksaw down each side;
File the four ends to provide a good sharp edge to grip into the rubber.

Step 2
Reassemble, slide down the impeller vanes and tighten the two clamping screws.

Product Improvement No.1
The square, wooden washer keeps the puller legs nice and straight.

Pros:

• Cost a fraction of the 'Right Tool';
  
• Twice the grip of the posh puller;
  
• Filled in a rainy afternoon.

Cons:

• As puller legs are directly opposite each other it only suits impellers with even numbers of vanes.

Still want to buy the 'Real' one?

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