Be Careful with Fake A lakes

[joaquin12345]

So pretty much fake a lakes are pretty great and convenient and a good way to work on your boat but please be careful. I was doing a simple transmission fluid change when my July 3rd almost turned into a disaster. I had put the fake a lake turned it on, turned the boat on heated everything up so fluids would run easier into my pump. Long story short I started it ran it for 5min then turned it off. Changed the transmission fluid then turned water back on and after 20-30seconds of running the boat I smelled some kind of burning smelled. Turned boat off looked around and nothing. Engine seemed perfect. Turned motor back on, as people in the neighborhood were shooting off fireworks and I thought maybe that was the smell. After about 20 seconds smelled it again and saw a tiny amount of white smoke so turned off the motor. Was freaking out thinking I put the wrong ATF fluid, but checked that and looked great. The motor all checked out fine. Got out of the boat looked around and noticed more water then usual shooting out of the fake a lake. Looked closer and it had moved over away from the intake grate. I instantly knew I screwed up. Then I was upset because a few weeks before the dealership sold me the wrong impeller so I didnt have another and the next day was 4th of July. I began taking the impeller housing off, which btw I have Mercruiser engine with impeller on the bottom Port side. Luckily for me ive taken it off a few times so Ive become very efficient at this. So after taking everything off I go to unbolt the housing from the bracket and it falls apart. Let me just say my heart sank and I was mortified as I had 9 people looking forward to July 4th weekend. We were gonna stay out there for the whole weekend. Anyways I did what I could and crossed my fingers. Let me just say Im a knew fan of Gorilla glue(Left over night to dry), Duct tape, zip ties, and large hose clamps. Ill let the pictures do the talking. Pretty much saved my weekend. I was lucky tho that my impeller actually survived. Was very nervous because It was in rough shape but I felt could still survive. Here is what I came up with photo 5.jpgphoto 4.jpgphoto 3.jpgphoto 2.jpgphoto1.jpg

[jslayde1]

Thats pretty funny - and a great way to make things work! so you didn't have any issues running with it like that for the weekend?

[joaquin12345]

No problems whatsoever. Temp stayed exactly where it always is. We didnt push the boat hard at all just in case and the whole time i watched the temp and checked for leaks and made sure my bilge pump was working. I was nervous but went out without any problems at all. The gorilla glue worked perfectly. I was lucky that the housing broke perfectly. I let it sit overnight though before putting in the impeller so it wouldnt glue to the housing as the gorilla glue expands. I orginally had the zip ties and would have worked but remembered the glue expands so I took the hose clamps off the exhaust and used those for more strength. Everything was closed at 10pm so i had to do that. The exhaust had two hose clamps per section anyways so it was a life saver.

[jslayde1]

Good deal!

BTW - where you at Alen Henry this past Sunday? White boat, cruised into party cove about lunch?

[joaquin12345]

Yep that was me.

[IDBoating]

Very impressive McGyver job there. Nice job saving the weekend!

I'm always scared of losing cooling water to my engine. My former boat had a garden hose attachment and I still watched it like a hawk. With that engine, and with the engine on my 24Ve, when it's running on the trailer I watch the exhaust port on the transom for lots of water coming out. If I'm in the boat when it's running so I cannot personally see, I have someone on the ground outside watching the exhaust water. If that ever stops, I would kill the engine instantly.

[What she said]

Awesome! We call that!! Never mind..

[gwhite94]

Great work man....I would have never thought to use Gorilla glue. Epoxy maybe!!!!

[jslayde1]

Yep that was me.

I thought it might have been - even told my wife we should go say Hi....we were leaving in the blue/black boat as you were coming in...

[TeamAllen]

Great save! That's the same pump I have. I was thinking of replacing it with a stainless steel version. Your experience might just make me cough up the $$?
Thanks for sharing!
http://www.cpperformance.com/p-14544...rhaul-kit.aspx

[jmhatchett]

I thought it might have been - even told my wife we should go say Hi....we were leaving in the blue/black boat as you were coming in...

When you say black and blue are you meaning to say you were in the ASR that was out at AH for the 4th?

If not i never remember seeing a black and blue 22v like, i was in a lime green and black and white 22Ve all tied up partying.

[jslayde1]

When you say black and blue are you meaning to say you were in the ASR that was out at AH for the 4th?

If not i never remember seeing a black and blue 22v like, i was in a lime green and black and white 22Ve all tied up partying.

Ha, ha - no that was not me in the ASR...

We left party cove about lunch and surfed the rest of the day - didn't make it back to that side of the lake the rest of the day.

BTW - do you know who that is with the air chair (s)? They are out there everytime we are....