Special trick involved in Nissan/Tohatsu impeller change?

[parrothead]

The Nissan 50 TLDI on our 2005 is still on its original impeller. I purchased a replacement kit, but when I looked in the Nissan Service Manual for directions, I saw that the use of a "spring pin tool A" is required to remove the gear case assembly.

From an illustration in the "special tools" section of the Manual, the "spring pin tool A" appears to be some sort of slender pin punch.

Have any other Nissan/Tohatsu 50 owners replaced the impeller as a DIY project? If so, what did you substitute for the "special tool"? What special tricks should I know about?

Thanks for any assistance, this is my last pre-launch item.

Doug

[Hamin' X]

Not being able to see the picture of the "special tool", a guess is all that I have.

Spring pins are sometimes called "roll pins". They are small, tubular pins that compress when driven into a hole. The "special tool" that is used to remove them is simply a drift (a kind of punch) with the correct diameter and length of non tapering shaft. It needs to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the hole (not the pin) and the straight part of the shaft needs to be longer than the depth of the hole.

Hope this helps.

~Rich

[Divecoz]

Maybe??? A 16 penny nail ( or such) cut and then ground /filed ...flat? I have a set of punches / drive pins hardened steel.. Necessity is the Mother of invention.. she had a child BTW Ruben Goldberg..

[parrothead]

Thanks to you both. I hadn't heard the term "spring pin", but I have seen roll pins... that must be what it is. And yes, the "special tool" seems to be a drift (a term I did know, but had forgotten). So all I should need to do is determine the right diameter and length, then, time to improvise!

[Hardcrab]

If all else fails, a correct size drill bit can work in a pinch, although it may be ruined for boring holes afterwards.
Hammer/tap on it's sharpened side, not on it's flat side, for best roll pin results.

The roll pin needing to be removed is at the shift linkage "coupler".

[Catigale]

You can use the replacement roll pin to size the punch of course.

[Hamin' X]

You can use the replacement roll pin to size the punch of course.

Use caution here. The new roll pin is designed to compress when driven in the hole, so it will be a larger diameter than the actual hole. If you size the drift exactly to the new pin, you could lodge the drift in the hole and/or damage the hole. Make sure that the drift is sufficiently undersized to prevent this.

~Rich

[Divecoz]

Yep! Though unless you have a pretty complete set of pins / punches / sets or lousy luck... chances are you'll not cause this issue to happen.. that said .. if you do What might be more common in your tool box is a nail set.. Just dont drive IT.. till IT jams in the hole.. Just push that roll pin out, till you can grip it with a good set of Pliers.. JSYK some Roll Pins are meant to drive ONE WAY as they have a slight.. bevel for entering the cavity... worth a look.

Use caution here. The new roll pin is designed to compress when driven in the hole, so it will be a larger diameter than the actual hole. If you size the drift exactly to the new pin, you could lodge the drift in the hole and/or damage the hole. Make sure that the drift is sufficiently undersized to prevent this.

~Rich

[raycarlson]

do my 2008 tldi 50 impeller every other year.punch and roll pin are 1/16",always have a spare they somtimes disappear into thin air when you tap them out of the shift rod.

[Catigale]

When I did my bottom end repair on my Nissan 4HP kicker I had to tap out a roll pin to remove the clutch and drive gears. I started them out with a punch (undersiza as Rich points out above) and then pulled them out with a good vise grip plier.

[parrothead]

More great advice and info...... thanks! Wow! 1/16" ? That's small, but good to know ahead of time.

Now I'll have to get to work

[restless]

ok.. old thread.
Once the bottom end is off, how does one get the impeller out? Which is the next item to split?
Everything seems a little stuck and I don't want to get to heavy with the hammers until I know exactly what to hit & where!

[Catigale]

You really need a manual to do a job of this type - there are too many things you can mess up 'winging it' that will cost you a bottom or top end of your motor.

Im guessing a manual for your motor is a 60 USD item compared to a 600 USD repair bill....???

[ginks]

I'm interested to hear how this goes too. Are either of the two brands of aftermarket manuals for the Nissan sufficient to describe the impeller change? I'm mechanically well inclined but have no experience with outboards.

I had my "new" 99 X on the water two days and the impeller failed. The only Nissan service center in Indy currently is "between mechanics." I could have trailered the boat 60 miles to Muncie to another Nissan place but found what seems to be a reputable shop near my house. That was 10 days ago, and current estimate is parts will be in tomorrow and they hope to look at the boat on Monday (3 days from now). They warned me they had the highest shop rate in town ($125/HR) but back up their work. Estimate for the impeller job is around $500 and another $300 for a tuneup (engine tends to die at idle). I just want to sail my new boat, and have missed two weekends now.

So I hope to do the next change myself. I feel now like I should have done that in the first place, but I suppose if I had I might now be wishing I'd taken it to a shop. Bolts and other standard hardware don't worry me, but compression pins and drifts give me a little more cause for concern. But with a decent manual I think I could do it without too much trouble. Thoughts?

Gerry

[restless]

My service so far... pretty easy when you get a clue.

You can download the manual from my site: http://www.ironengineer.com/mac/home/index.htm however I find it a little confusing.

An important item to change is the fuel pump. Now this is a rather flimsy little thing that sits on the bottom carb behind the oil tank, and relies on a diagpram and a couple of gaskets. I've heard of these splitting. The pump runs off the vacuum from the piston downstroke.. cunning really. Parts about $15, time 1hr.

Fuel filter is obvious enough, new plugs and I will look into new HT leads. On cars these ought to be changed every few years as they may look ok but break down internally and as soon as you have heavy damp / rain then the engine stops working. (the spark arcs out through the lead, or just loses the balls to do its' thing with the plug) It looks like the leads are of a push n screw in job like on motorbikes from the 80s. That will then be $2 and 20mins for great peace of mind.

Now.. the impeller. Dropping the leg is a doddle. I put the box in gear till I could see the coupling device. (fwd -rev??)This is simply a sleeve that sits on the shiny thin rod that goes from the top to the bottom at the front (or forward/bow facing ) part of the engine. It tapped out very easily with a backward drill, no special 'service tool ' required here. Then drop the six leg bolts and off it comes!

I can now see the impeller housing sat on the drive shaft. I guess I ought to just crack the thing apart and at a guess the top part would slide up the shaft and off, revealing old impeller 'Spose I'll have to try reading the manual

I'll take some photos and put together a service page together if I can get the time. Meanwhile, if anyone would like to confirm my pump splitting plan that would be most appreciated.