Yesterday marks the beginning of the 2009 season. I took the cover off the boat Sunday and began working through the long list of stuff that has to be done before the boat gets wet. A quick trip to Bill’s Outboard in Hingham MA was in order. Spark Plugs, plug wires, port and starboard thermostats, fuel filter-water separator, and an impeller kit were all on the short list.
The procedure for replacing the impeller outboard motors will vary some based on the manufacturer but there some are tell tale signs when it is in need of replacement. For me it was over heat warnings when trolling at very low speeds (under 1000rpms). Even without a warning system a quick inspection of the telltale stream for signs of cooling impeller failure or weakness is usually all that is necessary. If the stream is weak or nonexistent, first run a piece of wire up the hose to dislodge any sand or debris that may have clogged it.
Fiberglass gelocoat repair can be accomplished quite nicely using a cup style gun. These gelcoat guns typically use a quart sized replaceable cup. With this type of gun cleanups are a snap. For bigger jobs many professional grade sprayers add the convenience of external mixing and adjustable spray angles to insure proper mix of catalyst with resin - gelcoat.
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