08 Challenger 3800 Max RPM???

[adambomb]

Well I took my boat out today and was running great for an hour.

After being parked for 30 minutes it never ran the same.

Now it won't go over 3800 rpms without shaking like crazy..

And it goes about the same speed if you go 2500 rpm or 3500 rpm. (5 mph).

I pulled the boat out of the water and I didn't see any damage to the impeller or any debre stuck in it?

It has less than 8 hours on it and I can definitely take it into the shop but i'd like to be able to fix it myself (and still use it on this long weekend) if it is something simple that i have overlooked?

Thoughts?

 

[adambomb]

I've read about some people replacing the wear ring. I can't imagine that this needs a new wear ring since it is soooo new.

I also saw a post saying that if the jet pump seal isn't good that it will suck in air and not work.

Is there an easy way to re-seal the jet pump? Any thoughts here?

 

[adambomb]

Any thoughts? BUMP ^

 

[adambomb]

I just spoke with the local sea-doo dealer and he told me that he couldn't do any warranty work because he doesn't sell boats, but that it sounds like a wear ring and that it would cost 300 bucks to fix.

I'm fairly mechanically inclined and don't want to pay 300 bucks to replace a 30 dollar ring that will probably need to be replaced several times in the future.

Anybody know where I can buy a new wear ring for an 08 challenger?

 

[kustomkarl]

Try our "parts" link; http://www.seadoowarehouse.com/

Karl

 

[vilord]

Adam, not sure if that is really a wear ring, sounds more like the engine is running on less than all cylinders. A wear ring would cause you to go slow, but wouldn't cause things to shake...
Check the spark plugs, take a look at them they should all look about the same. If 2 are dry and one is all covered in oily stuff it might be one of the coils/wires isn't right.


Being an '08 shouldn't it have a warranty?

 

[adambomb]

That parts link doesn't have 2008 models yet.

I'll check the plugs thanks!

 

[adambomb]

It is under warranty, but the closest boat dealer is 3 hours away and the sea-doo PWC dealer here told me they can't do warranty work on boats.

 

[adambomb]

One thing that makes me think that it is not the motor is that i'm going so slow at 3800 rpm (5 mph). Normally at that rpm I should be planned out going at least 20 mph.

 

[vilord]

Thats a good point.

I still think a wear ring won't make it shake, but a bent impeller definately would, just try running a fan without one of the blades... it'll go fine on low, but won't push as much air, then on high it'll act like its going to wobble itself to pieces.

 

[Gunsrunner]

Sounds like it could be in limp home mode.
Don't have manual so cant be sure but am sure i have read about this before!

 

[adambomb]

Man I hope it isn't a bent impeller, but i wouldn't be surprised. It was running like a top before I parked it in a cove with lots of sticks and debre floating around everywhere.

I didn't really see any damage to the impeller though when i looked at it.

Is it possible that the impeller can get unseated and sit crooked in the jet pump assy?

 

[vilord]

Adam, I think your pump is similar to the one in my boat (just bigger), so the impeller is attached to the pump shaft which goes all the way through, so it can't get unseated.

If I were you I'd spend the 150 bucks on gas to drive the boat to the dealer even though its a 6 hour round trip twice. Its a lot of time and not free, but if you find that its the impeller and maybe a bent driveshaft, and wear ring, and who knows what else, you're looking at lots of bucks and possibly voiding the warranty while you're at it.

 

[Thunder14]

Check to see if you don't have some thing wedged between the blades of your impeller. I had a 97 Challenger that sucked up a small rock and acted similar. Then run it out of the water and watch the impeller.

 

[adambomb]

Thanks Thunder!

That was it. I had a woodchip wedged in the impeller blade that I could not see.

I removed the intake grate and stuck my hand up in there and sure enough it was wedged under the blade hidden from view on both sides of the jet pump.

:cheers:

 

[vilord]

I'm filing this one away for later, if it ever happens to me, would certainly save time over pulling the whole pump just to find a pebble or wood chip!

Thank you for following up with the resolution!

-Jesse