Texas big freeze - Polaris pump issue

[Dhorsup]

During the big freeze in Houston last week the temperature got to 12F and we lost power. My pool and Polaris pumps were running at the time. When the freezes passed,my pool filtration pump started fine however I cannot get my Polaris pump to drive the pool cleaner.
The model is a Polaris PB4-60. I can see the impeller shaft spinning and there are no water leaks from the pump when it is running. I only get the water flow through the pool cleaner that I would get with just the pool pump on. So even though I can see the impeller turning I am not getting pressurized water out of the pump.
I really appreciate any insight that anyone can offer.
Thanks.

 

[ajw22]

Welcome to TFP.

The impeller seems to crack from the ice in this model pump. I think if you disassemble the pump you will find a cracked impeller. While the impeller is turning it can't pull any water through with the damage.

 

[xford66]

I have exact same pump and issue .. took the front cover off and my impeller is in two pieces.

 

[Dhorsup]

I have exact same pump and issue .. took the front cover off and my impeller is in two pieces.

Thank you that’s exactly what I found. Now I need to try an locate a seller that hasn’t sold out of these! Thank you.

 

[Dhorsup]

Welcome to TFP.

The impeller seems to crack from the ice in this model pump. I think if you disassemble the pump you will find a cracked impeller. While the impeller is turning it can't pull any water through with the damage.

Welcome to TFP.

The impeller seems to crack from the ice in this model pump. I think if you disassemble the pump you will find a cracked impeller. While the impeller is turning it can't pull any water through with the damage.

Thank you that’s exactly what I found. Now I need to try an locate a seller that hasn’t sold out of these! Thank you.

 

[Stanleycchia]

I just opened my pool and seeing the same problem. I’ll open up the pump tomorrow. Did you manage to find an impeller?

 

[xford66]

Yes, local pool shop had one luckily.

 

[ErniesPool]

I'm having a similar problem. I'm in Dallas and lost power for 3 days;. When things thawed, other than a burst heater, which I bypassed, everything came up and has been running fine. Then, yesterday I noticed the sweep hat stopped moving, although the pump was running. Pump makes a kinda funny noise but seems to be running. I'm wondering if I had a cracked impeller that finally just died. It is a big job to take the front of the volute off??

 

[ErniesPool]

The impellers R0536400 for the PB4-60 are MIA and some say won't be back in stock until sometime in 2022. Anybody have any luck finding a supply place that still has one on the shelf? Also, what is plan B for getting the junk out of my pool in the meantime? Suggestions appreciated. (I have seen some scalpers on ebay offering the impellers for over $150 ...it's a $30 part normally).

Update: I figured there would be no impellers in TX, OK, or northward, so I spent hours on the phone to shops in Albuquerque, Phoenix, Tuscon, and CA in various places. No luck until I called a pool shop in Tuscon and got a guy who said they didn't use boosters in Tuscon but they did in a little shop he worked in in northern CA. He gave me the name and I called and behold! They had one! Haven't gotten it yet but hoping the transaction works.

Here is my next question. When I take the front off the volute to access the impeller, will I need to replace that front gasket??? Also, i'm assuming the impeller comes off by CCW rotation off of the motor shaft, locking the shaft from the back of the motor with a crescent wrench?

update: impeller replaced. It had sheared away from the shaft. Here is the picture: