# Eheim 2217... still... rattling



## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

I've tried everything.

Checked and cleaned the hoses; tried running without any media at all; cleaned and replaced the impeller, the bushings, the ceramic shaft, and the O-ring; and applied vaseline to all the seals and moving parts.

It's not a priming issue; the sound continues four months after the canister was last opened.

It's a low-level rattling/grinding noise. It doesn't seem to be affecting flow rate, it's just seriously annoying for a filter that is supposedly super-quiet and reliable. 

Any other ideas?

Oh, and it's outside warranty.


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## Disco Dan (Mar 17, 2011)

Remove the impeller and stick your little finger in the hole - see if you can feel any imperfections. Shine a light in there and take a good look.


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## trap (Apr 10, 2010)

I had this exact thing happen to mine. I pulled the ceramic shaft and flipped it end for end, and the noise stopped. Hope it works for you too.


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## Franzi (Dec 7, 2009)

Is the canister empty (no water) when you have everything hooked up and in place? I had issues too cuz I wasn't priming correctly. I always had the canister full of water, then plugged it in. Only when I set it up empty, then sucked on the outflow, did everything work noise-free.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

How old is the filter??? If the impeller has the smallest nick (magnet) it will rattle, if it's loose on the ceramic rod it will rattle, if it's old the rubber bushings on the end of the rod will compress and the impeller locking bar will not be tight, it may rattle. I just replaced my impellers, rod, bushings, 7 - 8 years old and it makes a big difference, btw Big Als had the best price.


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## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

The filter isn't old - eighteen months - and I always prime the canister from empty.

I recently replaced the impeller, as well as both bushings, with no improvement. There is no damage to the impeller shaft (which is around eight months old) nor the impeller magnet. I haven't yet checked the inside of the casing.


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

That's a young filter and should have no problems with the impellers. The only other time I've had this problem was with an air lock in the system. I fill my canister at the sink (no Chlorine, well water) and rock it back and forth to get out all of the air and refill as needed, I use the quick connect ends so I can close them, then I do the hook up and only open one valve at each end so one remains closed at each end, then I plug it in and open the valve on the intake side (bottom) and open the valve on the exhaust end and sometimes I will still get air and even slow movement, so I will close a valve on the exhaust end and some what quickly re-open it, sometimes 2 or 3 times and I'm good. I know I'm going to hear it now but I tried Eheim's way and didn't like it, besides I've been priming construction trash water pumps since I was 17. I hope you get it figured out soon, good luck

PS. do you ever clean the little hole in the filter head that leads to the impeller seat with a pipe cleaner, I really don't know what it does but I always clean it.


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## Disco Dan (Mar 17, 2011)

Sounds like you have tried everything - at that age I would be thinking about returning it to manufacturer under the warranty (with proof of purchases of all your attempts).


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## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

I can't return it, I bought it second hand. (It was perfectly silent when I bought it; and I purchased it from a trusted source).

I can't find any imperfections in the impeller cavity, except for barely detectable hair-thin scratches. I doubt very much they're significant enough to be the cause of the problem.

I checked that the impeller shaft was straight against a steel ruler, and it is. There are no scratches or imperfections.

The rattle is not the loud, clunking rattle you hear when bubbles are in the filter; it's a much higher pitched, constant rattle.

I also tried putting more filter floss in (I've heard that the grate will vibrate against the head with insufficient media) with no success.

Running the filter head with no canister or water causes it to rattle awfully, but I imagine this is what to expect?


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## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

(Bump)


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## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

Figured it out.

I swapped the impeller shaft and bushings into another Classic.

Now the rattle has moved to the other filter.

I really can't see what's wrong with the shaft - it's dead straight, and without any imperfection I can see - and the bushings are new and unworn, but I guess that means that replacing those parts is the answer.

Cheers guys


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