Answer
Mar 25, 2025 - 05:55 PM
Ah, the ol’ impeller swap is definitely a must-do on these older Johnsons if you want to keep her pumping water right. For your 1995 50hp (J50DTLEOS), it’s a pretty straightforward job if you’ve got some basic tools and a little patience.
First thing, disconnect the battery and make sure the engine’s supported. Then you’re dropping the lower unit — there should be 5 bolts total, including the one under the trim tab. Don’t forget to disconnect the shift linkage too; on these models, it’s usually under the carb area — you’ll see a little access plug or you might have to reach under depending on the setup.
Once the lower unit’s off, you’ll see the water pump housing on top of the drive shaft. Remove the bolts, lift the housing, and you’ll see the impeller inside. Note the orientation before pulling it — helps to match the vane direction on the new one. Clean the housing and plate, grease up the new impeller just a bit, and reinstall everything. Spin the shaft clockwise as you slide the housing back down to get the vanes tucked in right.
Then just reverse the whole process — get the lower unit back on, reconnect the shift linkage, torque the bolts, and fire it up to make sure you’ve got good water flow out the tell-tale.
Not so complicated right? But in case you need any more details on this procedure, you can always check out the OEM manual. It has the manufacturer's recommended way of replacing the impeller on your model with diagrams, torque specs, and all that. Grab one and get the job done properly on the first try 😉
