Trying to upgrade the stock impeller on my 4-stroke SJ, and have removed the 5 bolts that fasten the pump casing to the rear of the shoe, but the casing is sealed on there super tight. I have wacked it with a rubber mallet and tried to pry it loose but so far no joy. Any tips for how to get this off? Should i try to fashion some kind of puller? If you have done so, please tell me how?
Also, after the entire pump casing is off, is it necessary to remove the reduction nozzle from the back of the pump casing in order to swap out the impeller, or can the impeller be changed entirely from the front side of the pump casing?
As always, the expertise and helpful advice I find here is most appreciated.
Ok well I managed to take it off.
I don’t know if what I did was right way but it seems to have come off without anything being damaged, so I figure ok.
What I did is illustrated by the next three pics. Of course you have to imagine that the case is in place, but essentially I pushed that little red pry bar into the place shown and then as well jammed that piece of wood up into a little space between the shoe wall and the pump case that is in the location as indicated with the two pics. Then I reefed down on the pry bar to make a small separation and then shoved some flat screwdriver ends to hold the space open while I kept jiggling until loose enough to pull away.
This next pic shows where it was on the pump case
Note that you need to pull the water hose off the top of the pump as you pull the case away from the shoe wall.
Two of the bolt holes (I think top left and bottom right as you look from the back) employ little bushings that sit proud of (sticking out about 1/4” from) the pump face, that serve to help line up the bolt holes, and so when you first pull the pump away from the shoe wall these pull out of the wall side bolt holes and come away with the pump too, and I guess separating these is part of what needs to be freed with the jiggling.
See last pic of the alignment bushings on the pump case front top left bolt hole.
And last I guess I have answered my own question about whether I need to remove the reduction nozzle from the back of the pump case, and so yes and as well that cone so that I can access the shaft at the back of the pump so it can be clamped in vice or held fixed with a big ass wrench while the impeller is spun out the front with the splined removal tool and wrench.
