Broken Eheim Pro 2, or just a bad impeller?

[rnocera]

I got a free Eheim Pro 2 a while ago because it "quit working," and I'm finally in a spot to use it. The person I got it from said it wouldn't stay primed, and they replaced it with a cascade that was "a lot quieter" and "worked better".


But, it really doesn't work! The motor runs and sounds fine, but the impeller doesn't spin right. It will spin, but it runs very loud, and after a few seconds it stops spinning entirely. It also runs until it hits some pressure, then the impeller stops, or starts rattling around. The impeller wobbles loosely in the head, and my 2217 doesn't wobble, so I feel like this is the problem. The question is- should I try buying a new impeller? What are the chances that it's the head that is bad, not the impeller? I have a feeling that it was allowed to run dry for a little while, and I'm not sure if this could have caused internal damage to the head.

I'd love to get this thing working, if it's a cheap fix, but I'm pretty broke right now, and can't really afford to waste money, then have to buy a new filter anyway. If it's a a crap shoot, I'd rather just buy a new filter now.

Thanks!



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[deeda]

The impeller should not wobble, either the impeller shaft is broken, the black rubber bushings that hold the impeller shaft in place are missing or the inside orifice of the impeller is worn, causing the impeller to wobble.

It's always a crap-shoot buying parts for a used filter. If a new impeller or shaft w/bushings doesn't fix the problem, you could always sell the parts and the filter to recoup some of the money and buy a new filter.

I have had excellent results buying new parts for used Eheim filters and getting a filter that works properly.