Help! Paddled home today!

[joeT]

Travelling back from a crabbing session today and the alarm on the outboard went off, I looked back and there was steam coming out of the motor, so I quickly shut it down. Tilted the motor up and couldn't find anything blocking the water passages. Waited for a while for the motor to cool and then started it up again fairly easily, but no water would come out of the telltale so I shut it down again.

Was about 4km down the river from the ramp, and the current was running the right direction, so my brother and I paddled 1.5hrs back to the ramp - in a 14ft tinnie :-?. Was a bit embarrassing with the citycats running by but made it home eventually.

Question is, what should I now do about my motor? Was tempted to start it up again and give it a rev to try and clear whatever is blocking the water passages, but don't want to risk any more damage to the motor.

I've only bought the boat/motor last week and this was the second trip :-?

I really want to get out on the water again soon as I'm on overseas work in 2 weeks and won't be back until May.

Does anyone know any mechanics that are open this time of year who could take a quick look? (and won't charge an arm and a leg).

Motor is a Yamaha 30hp, 3 cylinder oil injected, about a 2000 model.

Any help appreciated.

[Aussie123]

Sounds like you need a new Impeller fitted.
Simple job you can do yourself in an hour with a 6 pack.

[tunaticer]

Changing the impellor is pretty easy and standard yearly maintenance, especially if you have a habit of churning mud.

[theoldlegend]

Sounds like you need a new Impeller fitted.
Simple job you can do yourself in an hour with a 6 pack.


Nah mate, a job like that is at least a two 6 pack job, maybe three.


TOL

[Spaniard_King]

Nah mate, a job like that is at least a two 6 pack job, maybe three.


TOL

And possibly a few cartons if ya get it wrong...:)

[Dan5]

You guys should never gauge a serious job on an outboard or whatever for that matter with a 'six pack' attitude.......I mean anything could go wrong while drinking and working on the engine.......missplace things.....hookup wrong wiring or forget to do up a bolt very irrisponsible and it could take much longer to change in impellor than you think and do some routine maintenence at the same time............You guys should really think about what advice you are handing out here to other people,

My advice is to never buy a six pack............Always buy a CARTON for any maintence jobs......you just never know how difficult a job may turn out to be i mean what if you were to run short?.....hey where would you be then?.........yer thats right think about it!

Now go buy a CARTON and a new impellor.........job done.

Dan

[Marlin_Mike]

And while you're out buying the carton, call in and join a VMR, save alot of rowing should it happen again, its cheap and good back up.

[deckie]

I dont understand this paddling business at all. Just throw the pick over and ring for a water taxi to the nearest pub.
If it aint sinking there's no excuse not to at least enjoy the rest of the day.

[joeT]

Thanks guys, sounds like things haven't gone too bad. I think a carton is in order while I watch someone else fit it. As mechanically minded as I think I am, I don't really feel like being challenged this time while on hols.

As for vmr, will definitely join one, but do they go all the way up the river? Was near st lucia when it happened.

[joey_1987]

Yammie impellers are really simple, if it's anything like the 15hp 2s I changed for my bro in law last year, just undo the bolts to take the lower leg off, undo two more to get to the impeller housing, remove old impeller,put new one in, and make sure everything goes on the same way it came off. Otherwise if you can afford to wait then get someone to do it, though good practice to know how to do it yourself.

[clevelandv8]

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=yamaha+impeller+change&oq=yamaha+imp&aq=0&aqi=g4&aql=&gs_sm=c&gs_upl=415121l416974l0l421665l10l10l0l1l1l0l349l16 87l1.6.1.1l9l0

plenty of how to's here, a carton should be plenty!

[captain rednut]

what if its not the impellor and its something else would a carton be enough???

[Dan5]

what if its not the impellor and its something else would a carton be enough???

Love your thought train Rednut..........you have considered wiseley grasshopper..

Dan

[DTHCoCo]

what if its not the impellor and its something else would a carton be enough???

You guys are going about it the wrong way you do the repair in a Dan Murphy's car park u'll never run out that way and if you get stuck I'm sure there will be a few drunks around to give ya a hand!!

[Spaniard_King]

You guys are going about it the wrong way you do the repair in a Dan Murphy's car park u'll never run out that way and if you get stuck I'm sure there will be a few drunks around to give ya a hand!!

Th problem is with Dan Murphy's is you will never know which Garden path is the right one

[joeT]

You guys crack me up.

Called in at Stones Corner marine this morning and was lucky enough that they were open and had a late cancellation, so the fit me in for a look. Was just an impeller change and they showed it to me after. It wasn't too bad but the inside where the key runs was pretty scorched. From the vids it doesn't look like that hard a job to change so next time I will do it myself (with a few cartons nearby just to make you guys happy its done properly).

Wish I still had the Stabi in my profile pic. According to the marketing guys the 75 E-tec would have just grown arms to help paddle me home :D