by ketch22 » Fri Dec 07, 2018 4:12 pm
YOYO for removing it, but I have a good trick to re-install.
First, lube up the spine and the blades of the impeller. Get yourself a rightsized hose clamp and collapse the impeller blades with it until they are small enough to fit in the pump housing with little or no friction getting them in. The clamp needs to be positioned so that you are covering just enough of the blades that you can loosen the clamp slowly, slide it off of the impeller blades ( the portion of the blades which aren't inserted into the pump housing ) and as you eaze the clamp off, keep pressure on the impeller so that it eases into the housing.
For knowing when to replace, I eyeball the exhaust water output primarily, and/or use engine hours for knowing when to replace, but in any case, never less than 2 years; except in the case of a suspected mud intake resulting in broken impeller blades.