changing the impeller in your kicker

[TONGA]

So how about changing your impeller in that kicker?.
First lets start with something contemporary like a early 80's little twin John-Rude...will say an 8hp because that's what I have on the stand at the moment.
1st. put the motor in forward and tilt her up.with this motor there is no shift disconnect. the top of the shift shaft is 'D" shaped and simply slides into the gear in the upper mid.
Now on this motor there are only 3 bolts to drop the lower unit.
1 that goes from the top down in the front of the lower
and 2 in the cav-plate above the prop.(see pics)so get yourself a 3/8 socket and remove the one in the front of the lower.
then take one out of the bottom,,then with one hand supporting the lower unit take out the other bolt,,(make sure you have a good hold of it they will sometimes just slide out crash)
So now you can just slide her strait down and out,sometimes the need a little tug but it should not take much to pull her down!
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/550/375480_8hp_lower_unit_Johnson-med.JPG

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/550/375480_8hp_lower_unit_bolts_johnson-med.JPG

[TONGA]

Now you have her out if you have a vice with soft inserts the clamp the lower unit in the vise by the skeg in the upright position.
about 2" from the top of the drive shaft you should find an O-Ring in a grove,,remove, inspect and get new if necessary.
now if you fallow the drive shaft to the lower unit you will see the pump housing. it is held down by 4 bolts(see pic).
Remove the 4 bolts and slide the pump housing up and off the shaft,,note the ipeller may try to come up with the pump so take care not to lose the key-way.
Now give the pump housing a good cleaning and inspect the little rubber that goes around the up-tube,and if need be replace.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/550/375480_8_hp_water_pump_johnson-med.JPG

[TONGA]

Now just slide the ipeller up and off the shaft don't lose the key-way (see pic..missing fins? I wounder where they are? I bet the are stuck in the stat). now you can slide the housings lower plate up and off..give it a good cleaning and new gaskets!.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/550/375480_8hp_impeller_johnson-med.JPG

[TONGA]

Now we can just reverse the process.
1. put the lower housing plate(with new gaskets) back on.
2. slide the new impeller down over the shaft to the base plate.I like to lube her up for the first start.( don't forget the key-way or you will be mad at yourself later!).
3 slide the pump housing down and over the impeller..it can be a bit trying to get the fins of the impeller to go into the housing. what I like to do is to wrap a zip-tie around the impeller to hold the fins down while I start the pump housing over the impeller..once the pump housing is part way over the impeller I just snip the zip-tie and remove it.( don't worry if all the ins are not laying the same way...once you fire that puppy they will quickly right themselves.
4. put the pump housing bolts back in and tighten them.( you want them tight but don't get crazy the pump housing is a polymer!)
5.put the new O-Ring back in the grove at the top of the shaft, grease it and the top of the shaft!
6. Now you will slide the lower unit back up into the mid. MAKE SURE THE UP-TUBE GOES INTO THE LITTLE SEAL IN THE PUMP HOUSING!!!) a bit of grease on bottom of the tube is a good idea.
As you get her near the top you will have to get the drive shaft to go into the spline,this can be a bit trying but go gently and do not force it,,because you have the unit in forward you can rotate the drive shaft by turning the prop to help align it.
7. Put the bolts back in the lower unit and tighten them.

[kbkrause]

Cool man, good instructions. Pictures are worth a 1000 words...

[Crawfish]

Thank you!