I finally tried that guy's advice about running the pump dry for 30 seconds before shutdown

Old timer named Bill at the Port of Savannah told me last year to always let the pump run dry for 30 seconds before killing the engine. Said it clears the lines and prevents sediment from settling in the impeller housing. I ignored him for 6 months until I had to pull the impeller on a Saturday afternoon and found it packed solid with muck. Has anyone else heard of this trick or is Bill just blowing smoke?

3 comments

3 Comments

adamk9522h ago

Did you try it the way Bill said or just wing it? I had the same issue with my boat pump last summer, kept getting sand in the housing no matter what I did. Started letting it run dry for a solid 20 seconds before shutoff and it made a huge difference. The impeller stayed clean and I didn't have to pull it apart every few months. I think the old timers know what they're talking about even if they overshoot the time a little. Better safe than sorry when you're stuck fixing stuff on a weekend.

eva_thompson16h ago

Ha! @adamr14 would probably say my uncle's lawnmower engine survived 40 years of abuse so what does a few extra seconds matter.

adamr1423h ago

Bill's close but it's more about preventing water from sitting in the housing and corroding the seal. Running it dry for 10-15 seconds is plenty, 30 seconds is just extra wear on the pump for no reason.