Impeller blown on a 2013 RZ4 with less than 40 hours?

[waltersloudcrowd6]

Last night, as we were sitting the marina waiting to load our 2013 RZ4 onto the trailer, our temp gauge hit 241. YIKES! Could we have already blown an impeller? Is it easy to fix that -- can we do it ourselves? We changed the oil at the dealer at the 20 hour mark and had them do the water check, etc. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[mnpracing]

could be, but I would first suspect weeds in the intake hose. Look where the intake hose comes out of the Vdrive on the starboard side. Laying in the bilge next to the motor you should see a cylinder connected to the raw water intake hose. Disconnect it and you should be able to feel inside the end of the cylinder (trans cooler) for a grate. Weeds like to get stuck there if you don't have a strainer on the intake.

[dingleberry]

Through normal use, the impeller shouldn't be a problem at that age, but it could be damaged if run while out of the water. Checking and changing the impeller is pretty easy on PCM engines - find your engine manual and it gives a pretty simple description: http://www.pcmengines.com/operation/

I would think that a blockage is more likely. Do you have a water strainer? If so, start there. Also possible that you might have picked something up blocking your water inlet scoop on the bottom of the hull.

[Matt Garcia]

could be, but I would first suspect weeds in the intake hose. Look where the intake hose comes out of the Vdrive on the starboard side. Laying in the bilge next to the motor you should see a cylinder connected to the raw water intake hose. Disconnect it and you should be able to feel inside the end of the cylinder (trans cooler) for a grate. Weeds like to get stuck there if you don't have a strainer on the intake.

This sounds like the fix.

[WakerideN]

x2 ^^ I am with the blockage in intake that early on. or clogged strainer if you have one.... done any beachings as of late?

[waltersloudcrowd6]

No beachings -- try to steer clear. Do you guys really think this is something we could fix on our own? Do I need to take it in?

[dingleberry]

You can do it. Heck, I am a mechanical moron, and I'm able to figure out a lot of this stuff. Go for it!

[WakerideN]

well I would at the very least just pull the belt and the pully and see if your impellar is gone.. but I start to think.. wait you have a 2013 RZ and its probably got a hybrid system in it.. coolant on the motor side right? you have a 343 or 409? do you have a coolant resevoir on top of the motor?

[waltersloudcrowd6]

We have a 409. I think there's a coolant reservoir on top of the motor. It's pouring rain right now so I'll look again when it's done.

[chpthril]

closed-cooling still needs raw water for the heat exchanger and exhaust manifolds. So I think you are on the right track regardless of which engine.

[WakerideN]

closed-cooling still needs raw water for the heat exchanger and exhaust manifolds. So I think you are on the right track regardless of which engine.

still impellar is a possibility as well and needs to be verified if other is not obstructed. but better for him to understand what he is looking at and how it works.

[waltersloudcrowd6]

Thanks for the help! Nothing was clogged, and the impellar is fine. Took it back out and ran it again -- ran completely normal. Must have had something suctioned over the intake and when we turned the boat off it released. So far so good. Will watch carefully!! Really do appreciate the help, owners!