05 RXT, Flywheel Fastner Failure

[key Largo Gigolo]

Hello,

I am new to the Seadoo Forum.

My 05 RXT with less then 100 hours recently experienced a catastrophic failure of the flywheel fasteners, resulting in the flywheel becoming off center and severely damaging the alternator, starter and associated case assemblies.

Calling the BRP recall/warranty phone number (715) 848-4957 resulted in a statement of "sorry Sir, its out of warranty." Reference # 2157012.

My local dealer stated that this is a known design defect with the 05 models, and resolved with later models design improvements. They also stated that sometimes BRP (with lots of conversation) will assist the repair with the manufacturer supplying parts.

Has anyone else experienced this problem, with BRP assistance in a resolution?

 

[seadoosnipe]

Hate to hear that!

I hate to hear of your mis-fortune but I've not heard of this happening before. You are the first one who has reported this as a potential defect. I'm not sure who would be responsible for this damage. The Sea-Doo research and development department has some of the best engineers money can buy and they put their ideas through the pace to find ways of breaking their stuff, because of the hard riding they know it's buyers are gonna do with it.
Could this have been a local dealers fault? I know lots of recreational toys come to dealers, not completly assembled. I wonder if this was a part that a dealer had a hand in putting together.
It is a 2005, so being a realist, if you didn't buy an extended warranty and the Sea-Doo company hasn't had a world-wide recall on these crafts, I hate to say it, but it seems you'll be left footing the bill on this one.
I wouldn't give up. If it's possible, I'd take pictures and continue to approach the main Sea-Doo corporation with friendly communication and see if you can find someone with an open ear and try to at least get them to hear you out.
I hope you find a solution that is good for you.....let us know how things turn out!.........

 

[kustomkarl]

Hello KLG, welcome to the forum. I agree with seadoosnipe. I haven't heard anything about this problem before. I think if it was a defect or a recall problem we would have heard about it from at least one other person...but you are the first that has ever posted this type of problem. Keep us posted on how it turns out. Good luck with it.
Karl

 

[key Largo Gigolo]

5 RXT, Flywheel Fastner Failure

Gents, thanks for the excellent replies.

3 months ago I had the ?turbo assembly? replaced due to a dragging bearing. Even though I am an engineer, I do not know the layout of this engine. Would the flywheel fastners have been touched to perform this work?

 

[seadoosnipe]

turbo or super

You mean your supercharger don't you? I don't see a turbo on the RXT. Anyway, removal and repair of this component wouldn't have any way caused your problem with the magneto or flywheel.
I am looking through the manual though. First, you say "fastners". You mean the bolts that bolt the magneto to the flywheel, or the bolt that holds the flywheel on the crankshaft. At any point, I'd think this to be an incorrect assembly problem. When this engine is put together, all the fastners are coated with "Locktite" to lock the threads. So unless there was a fastner break due to fatique or some type of unseen fracture in the part, I don't see how this could have happened. It's to new for this to have happened.
I know this, for the price and for the year, I'd have some serious questions I'd expect some answers to. In my opinion, you should not be the one bearing the burden of fixing a problem like this.
I can see if you ran it out of oil and blew it up or something of that nature, but not something like this.

 

[Dennis]

Flywheel Fastener

Hi KLG,
A repair shop would not have to remove the flywheel in order to repair a supercharger. The supercharger would have been removed as a assembly, disassembled, repaired, reassembled and reinstalled. None of this would require disassembly of the magneto or the flywheel.
Having said that, there is a possibility that your previous supercharger repair indirectly caused a flywheel problem later on. The supercharger is driven by a gear that is behind the magneto and uses the same retaining bolts (the ones that failed) to secure it and the magneto(flywheel) to the crankshaft. There's a possibility that this drive gear was damaged by the failing supercharger which in turn damaged the bolts that secure it to the crankshaft. The repair shop would not know there was drive gear damage unless they took the rear engine cover off. It was not necessary for them to remove this cover in order to repair the supercharger.
I agee with SEADOOSNIPE. I haven't heard of any problems with these flywheel attaching bolts. My guess is the bolt failer was caused by the previous supercharger failure.

Good Luck, DAWG

 

[seadoosnipe]

Advice!

Key Largo Gigilo, this is exactly why we have such a dynamic forum. The expert advice coming from it's members is the most valuable service you can get any where in the world. In my opinion, I'd trust the advice from one of these guys, just like Dennis aka DAWG has just given. I was in the middle of researching a reason for that failure and now, reading his post, I'm satisfied that what he has said bears a lot of weight to the truth in the matter.
Who bears responsibility? That's a good question. Is it one of those things just overlooked by the mechanic that replaced the supercharger or was it something that happened indepently of the original problem. My problem with mechanic shops, is they bring something in, look at damage and replace damage. When I work on something damaged, I want to know what caused the damage? Anything associated to the damage would have to be inspected and the root cause as to why the failure occured would have to be identified. That's just not done anymore. They want you to bring it back in so they can make more money fixing something else. When they get paid by the hour ( which is around $90 dollars by what KustomKarl has said), then they make double the money to re-remove the item that was just repaired to repair something further down the line..........I got to get out of this mood of not being very trustworthy of automotive/marine repair shops!....but I've just seen to many people get "screwed" over and charged so much extra money for nothing. And the bottom line is that they know they have you once you bring it to them. What you gonna do, take the pieces home in a basket? I'll get off my soap box now..........:rant: