How to avoid costly water pump issues

​​One of the most common repair jobs we’ve encountered this summer are burnt out water pump impellers. In many of cases I believe this can be easily avoided, as faulty ear muffs are a major contributor.

Ear muffs (or outboard flushers), are the little devices you attached a hose to and place over your outboard water intakes, to flush your motor out with clean water after use in salt water. They’re designed to form a tight seal to force water through your engine to flush out water galleries. When the ear muffs are cracked or the fittings are loose, they no longer work effectively in sealing the water intakes. That means water can’t get pumped through the motor effectively, which can cause the water pump to burn out. 

Aside from inspecting the ear muffs for wear and tear another way to determine that they’re faulty is to check for water leaking out when you run your motor up.

If you think your ear muffs might be in need of replacement, drop in to see us and pick up a new pair. ​