Author Topic: broken impeller safe to ride?  (Read 5325 times)

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Offline alexander-vmann

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broken impeller safe to ride?
« on: July 23, 2015, 03:40:28 AM »
i was going to torque up the impeller bolt but it kept spining around, so i used a flat head screwdriver inbetween the fins to get some levrage and soundenly PING goes one of the fins and broke in half, SO while i wait to get a new one is it safe to start the engine?
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my bike: 1993 kx500

Offline umberto

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Re: broken impeller safe to ride?
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2015, 03:56:03 AM »
With all the work you've put in, I wouldn't.  If it broke in half, it could have cracks you can't see.  If the whole thing comes apart when you fire the engine it could get messy.  Better safe than sorry, in my opinion.
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Offline alexander-vmann

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Re: broken impeller safe to ride?
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2015, 02:36:37 PM »
well the one fin that broke did break quite easy (or im just stronger than i first thougt  :-D ) but the whole thing could be in bad shape so better safe than sorry, i was just curious to know if the waterflow would be to bad,
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Offline sandblaster

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Re: broken impeller safe to ride?
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2015, 04:41:18 PM »
If you had a temp gauges I'd say go for it.
But, without knowing where it's at do you really want to risk it?
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Offline Foxx4Beaver

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Re: broken impeller safe to ride?
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2015, 10:29:12 PM »
if your wallet is fully prepared to suffer the potential consequences, go for it....if not, don't try it.
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Offline alexander-vmann

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Re: broken impeller safe to ride?
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2015, 08:04:40 AM »
don't have a temp gauge, i did start it up today to see if everything works like it should and ofcourse hear the sound of my new pipe, but the new impeller is on it's way in the mail, so i wont ride it, not even up and down the drive way,
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Offline alexander-vmann

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Re: broken impeller safe to ride?
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2015, 06:16:26 PM »
going over the parts engine i found a impeller but it looks to have a few years on it, any things i should look for before installing it?



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Offline alexander-vmann

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Re: broken impeller safe to ride?
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2015, 06:29:35 AM »
here is the broken impeller

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Offline tecate3

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Re: broken impeller safe to ride?
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2015, 04:24:18 PM »
I have made that mistake too because mixing aluminum and steel parts to contact each other in a corrosive coolant environment always causes rust welds / parts rusted together.

I personally would not have worried to much about that and have ridden a 250 motor with broken impeller fin with no ill affects.

Offline tecate3

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Re: broken impeller safe to ride?
« Reply #9 on: July 29, 2015, 04:25:21 PM »
but who wants to be the guy who says , yeah dude, no problem, ride it as much as you want and then your piston melts down.