1999 speedster sk?

[northernz]

Gentelmen,

I have the opportunity to buy a 1999 speedster sk, $5000. I have some questions about it and was wondering if I could pick your brains.
The guy I'm gonna buy it off says there twin 110hp motors which would mean that they are 787's correct? But from the info I've gained from reseerch on this site I belive the engines are infact the 717's rated at 85hp each. The sk speedsters didn't come with the 110hp motors right?
So my main deal with the deal is if there are any isues that you can think of that would make buying this boat a bad idea. Is the model good reliablity wise. I trust the guy I'm buying it from, but it is the first boat I will own so I just don't know much about them or the two stroke. My mechanical back ground is automotive so I'm new to this stuff.

 

[ProbeGT]

You are right, the Speedster SK has 2 717 engine of 85HP each.

An easy way to make the difference between the 2 engines are the rave valves, those big black plastic cap on the exausth side with a big red screw in the middle.

Rave = 787, no rave = 717. If the guy doesn't know wich engine he has in his boat, you now know how much he serviced the boat. Or you can't just trust him.

 

[northernz]

Good point. What sort of maintanace would you do? What are rave valves for?

 

[ProbeGT]

rave valves are powervalve acutated by the exausth pressure. When pressure builds up, the valve slide up to make the exausth port bigger, making more power. The rave valve make high HP in high RPM possible without sacrificing the low-end torque.

Maintenance is not that bad

change you jetpump oil every year, clean your rave valves every year, feed the boat with good quality oil and the right grade (API-TC) make sure the engines runs good, check the plugs every few rides to make sure the fuel/air mixture is still spot on. Flush them after every ride in salt water.

 

[northernz]

Thanks so much for the replies. How is fuel added or taken out in the carbs. Reading plugs in a two stroke with the oil being burnt is it any different, to blue exhaust mean lean?

 

[ProbeGT]

run the boat full throttle for 2-3 minutes, then pull the landyard.

remove the spark plugs and the porcelain should be a nice chocolate brown with no oil residue.

You can do the same trick at 3/4 throttle (about 5800-6000) to make sure the don't run lean, kill the engines, check the plugs.

You can do this every 4-5 rides, it takes time but could save you an engine.

If the plug is black, it's running too rich, if it's black with high carbon residue, too much oil, if it's light brown or a little white, it's too lean.

Rich = not good but Lean = dangerous. But good gaz from a newer station, good fuel filters and the carbs should always be feeding the engine correctly.

 

[northernz]

Buy lanyard I assume you mean the chip key on the lanyard. How can you check for water flow in the cooling system?

 

[RFoster130]

Just above the swim platform is the tow hook. Behind it on the bottom is the outlet for the water coming out of the cooling system. While moving, you should see water come out there.