Shreading Impellers

My 70 Mustang eats impellers and I can not figure out why. The engine is a Holman Moody 302 Ford and it uses a #1210-0001. I think the problem might be the front of the impeller closest to the Ski Pylon drags against the housing plate and it rips the fins right off. Has anybody else experienced this, and what should I do to fix it?

my 1982 SN 2001 overheated and melted the hoses the first day I put it in the water. Partly my fault for not keeping an eye on the gauges, but it was the pump which was promptly replaced. Now, it still runs hot with the thermostat in and will overheat, runs fine without, stays down about 120. One marina replaced the pump again, tried another thermostat, tried to flush out impeller pieces, but now says it needs to be taken apart to find where it is blocked. A correct craft dealer told me I can run it w/o the thermostat for now as long as the temp is low and bring it in the offseason. There is no computer chip or anything that will have trouble at low temp, but they believe they can get the blockage without major engine rebuilding (heads?). Conflicting reports, not sure what to do, I am no mechanic. it does run great as is, but I am concerned. the dealer who says they can fix is 3+ hours away, and they are 3+ weeks backlogged. summer would be almost over by the time I have it back.

Barry, is your pump on the crank?

you mean if I remove the thermostat, and just use a shop vac to suck it out? anything I need to worry about? I mean, it makes sense that if water pumps through, there is nothing I need to worry about sucking out of there. I won't yank out a ring or gasket? Again, I am no mechanic no control the laughter, but this is Brilliant!

Alan, that isn't my motor, it's the one that beat me in a show(cleanest). Here's mine.

Most HM's had the raw pump on the crank, mine is an Interceptor with a raw pump on a bracket opposite the alternator. But mine has roller rockers.

tim d

that looks like the motor in my 68 mustang
mine is running a little hot. what impeller
does that take? or how do you tell?

fredo68

timd

is that a brass impeller? ive had the boat
for 13 years and never replaced it. it has
been reading 165-180 on gauge, where should
it be reading. thanks very much.

fredo68

thanks tim

any tricks to making the installation
of impeller go smoothly?

tim

thanks for taking the time to perfectly
describe the how to. if one didnt know
better id think youve done that before.

thanks again
fredo68

hi Mercrewser,

not sure if you saw my last question about using the shopvac to clean out tstat housing.
Not being a mechanic I don't know what I'm doing so I know my questions must seem dumb. Is there anything I need to watch out for when doing this? Will anything come popping out when I remove the thermostat housing, and do I need to have the boat out of the water? Thanks!