Defective Alpha 1 water pump impellers?

[andyr]

Anybody else experiencing odd impeller failures?
The impeller seems to have spun on the bushing. This is from a Sierra kit with two seasons. Impeller on other drive looks like it is about to fail by debonding from the bushing.

Talked to a guy who says he has seen this type of failure on Mercruiser impellers. My mechanic says the Mercruiser parts now being made in China are crap. Wonder if Sierra and Merc get them from the same supplier? Are there defective impellers on the market?

 

[Norman45]

Faulty parts may be the problem, however, more likely that the water input was blocked causing the impeller to heat up.
I change the complete assembly (housing and impeller) every year as I run in salt water.

 

[Brite Idea]

I had the same experience a couple of years ago with Sierra. I went back to Merc and haven't had a problem since.

 

[LawyerMan]

I change the complete assembly (housing and impeller) every year as I run in salt water.

About how much does that run you each time?

 

[andyr]

likely that the water input was blocked causing the impeller to heat up.

Overheat would damage the rubber. The impellers look like new. The rubber simply came unglued from the sleeve and close inspection shows the other one is beginning to debond from the metal sleeve too. Even when an impeller has experienced the force of having blades torn off, the core remains attached to the sleeve. That bond is nearly indestructible. I'm convinced these are defective.

 

[Hardliquor]

I too have had a Sierra impeller fail after 20 hours... replaced this spring and 5 of the 8 fins seperated from the base. It was a complete new Sierra housing and impeller this spring.

 

[andyr]

Lets send them back to Sierra and tell them selling junk costs us money! Seriously, I wish there was a place for listing bad parts.