Centurion Hurricane Ballast problems

chevydude19852003 · Newbie Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 41 City: Fort Seward

I just got a 2002 used hurricane and i took the boat out for the first time and filled up the ballast tank and it filled with no problem and then i went to empty it and it wont empty. I talked to a dealer and he said this was common and they would have to pull the ballast and change the pump because it is under the ballast tank. Anyone out there has this similiar problem with a centurion? If so what did you do?

lanceuga33 · Outlaw Joined: 16 Oct 2003 Posts: 143 City: McDonough

Chevydude19852003 shewww!!! My 02 did the samething. All you need to do is call Centurion(Fineline) and ask for John Beaudry or Bill Smith and tell them your problem and they should send you a smaller impeller for your ballast pump. Look in your motor compartment the ballast pump should be mounted against the transom. It took me 2 min. to change mine and never had a problem since. Good Luck!!

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

chevydude19852003, talk to oshensurfer, he just replaced some of his equipment due to this problem.

Works like a champ now.

oshensurfer · Posted: Apr 06, 2005 10:42 am Post subject:

Yup. The impellars on the jabsco's back then are notorious for sticking one direction, especially if they've been sitting for awhile. You'll probably just need to replace the impellar. I doubt John will send you a new one for free since the boat is probably out of warranty at this point.

lanceuga33's right, the pump should be mounted to the transom in the engine compartment, not under the ballast tank. You'll need to pull the cover off the pump to see if the impellar is in fact the problem. Your pump could have gone bad. The problem chavez is referring to on mine, was the magnet inside the pump itself had broken, so I had to pull and replace the pump. The other two in my boat are original. My method of operating those are as follows.

Once or twice a season, I pull the covers and check the impellars. At the same time, I check the impellar vanes for deterioration. If there is deterioration, I replace it. When operating the pumps, I fill my ballasts and then kick it into reverse so the vanes flip in the other direction and don't get stuck after sitting for a while. This is important if you are leaving your boat for an extended period of time. Usually you can rock the switch back and forth and it will flip the vanes, but not always. I just make it a practice every time I use the pumps.

The new pump I put in doesn't have the issues that the older ones do. For some reason, I think they had a bad line of pumps that the housing doesn't work with the impellar size perfectly.

chevydude19852003 · Newbie Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 41 City: Fort Seward

Hey thanks guys the boat has been sitting for two years so i will check the impellers. You probably saved me a lot of money

chevydude19852003 · Newbie Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 41 City: Fort Seward

But i have one question there is only one pump for the ballast tanks located in the back i found that one but my dealer said that he thought there was a pump under the ballast is there one?

krbaugh · Addict Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Posts: 758 City: Edwardsville

in 02 Centurion used the same pump that many boat companies used.
oshensurfer is right they would often stick in one direction.
Back then they used one pump taht reversed

lanceuga33 · Outlaw Joined: 16 Oct 2003 Posts: 143 City: McDonough

Oshensurfer is right they probably want send you a free one because boat is out of warranty, but I know they have the one you need and the price is reasonable.

oshensurfer · Posted: Apr 07, 2005 7:16 am Post subject:

chevydude19852003 · Newbie Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 41 City: Fort Seward

There is just a single ballast tank in the middle of the boat.

chevydude19852003 · Newbie Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 41 City: Fort Seward

oshensurfer sorry to keep bothering you but you seem very knowledgeable about centurions. I got the pump running but it wont pump the ballast water out. Does the boat need to be running or in the water to pump out the ballast. Its sitting in the garage and cant really figure this out input would be great thanks.

oshensurfer · Posted: Apr 07, 2005 3:20 pm Post subject:

No. You should be able to run it off the battery, as long as your battery has a good charge and it wouldn't surprise me if it's low if it sat for 2 years. It should be a reversible pump and you can pump water in. Obviously you need it in the water to fill. If it can run forward it should be able to run in reverse as long as the impellar isn't stuck and your rocker switch at the dash is working properly so it can reverse the polarity.

Run me thru what you did to check out the pump. Did you replace the impellar. If you didn't, you need to if it's been sitting for two years. You say it's working, but does it run both directions?

One thing I didn't mention that I do routinely when checking the impellars is I spray the impellar chamber with a bunch of silicone lube. This helps keep is slippy inside there.

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

oshensurfer · Posted: Apr 07, 2005 4:03 pm Post subject:

HAAHAHAHa

chevydude19852003 · Newbie Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 41 City: Fort Seward

I just checked all of the wires and made sure there was power to the pump tested it it runs but wont spit out the water. I haven't changed the impeller but im going to. I dont know? i just hope i can get it before summer starts. thanks for all of your help

oshensurfer · Posted: Apr 08, 2005 1:42 pm Post subject:

chevydude19852003,
I'm still at a loss as to what is actually happening when you say "it runs". If it spins in both directions, it's working. If not, it's not working. If it's spinning in both directions, but is not emptying, only filling, you might have some blockage or something going on in the water lines. Let me ask the question another way.

I am clear that the pump spins in the fill direction. Does the pump spin or make noise when you flip the switch into empty?

If it doesn't, there are two possible problems with the pump. The impellar vanes are stuck or the pump switch is not reversing the polarity. You said you checked the wiring...so I'm ruling that one out. These pumps are not very complicated.

Do me a favor and do this test for me... Take the pump off your transom and pull the brass cover off (3 screws). Pull the impellar out, and then try the switch in both directions without the impellar in. Don't do it for very long. Just enough to see if the pump works in BOTH directions. If it spins only in one direction after you have removed the impellar, your switch (or wiring at the switch) is bad or you have a bad pump and need to replace it/repair it.