2000 islandia runs rough

[mike's islandia]

2000 Islandia Starting problems
Just recently purchased a 2000 Islandia with a V6 EFI Mercury motor. Overall this boat is great! Definitely underused by the prior owner. I am having a few problems. Most concerning now is a starting and idling issue. THe boat is hard to start, it takes many turns to get it to fire up.When I first start the boat I get a large cloud of smoke. I also cant put it in gear and throttle it up , it seems to bog down.after 10 mins or so of smoking like crazy i can put it in the water and it will run with just a little lag every now and again. Whats more it won't idle properly, and sounds like it is running on every other cylinder.

This happens pretty much both when cold , but more smoke and roughness when cold. , After 2-3 minutes wide open it cleans itself out and runs great, and I can return it to idle or neutral and it just seems to run rough and starts smoking agian. If I shut it off for short periods, it will restart and run. More than about 2 hours and it is hard to start
Other notes:
-I have run the tank empty and replaced the bad gas i bought it with and put 93 ( no ethenol) and startron enzyme cleaner

Does anybody have a clue?
Thanks, Mike

 

[canadianwhiskey]

These do have a fuel injection setup on them that you have to use to start the boat or it will take you forever to start it. Turn the Key to the right once click and you will hear a humming noise. That is the injectors. Don't try to start the boat until that noise has stopped. If you do this, the boat will start fine. As for the smoke, it is 2-stroke. Until it runs for a few mins it will smoke.

 

[WAJetboating]

Turn the Key to the right once click and you will hear a humming noise. That is the injectors. Don't try to start the boat until that noise has stopped.

Actually, that is the first (electric) fuel pump, pressurizing the low pressure side of the fuel system. It will run for about 30 seconds each time you turn the key. I agree on waiting until that pump has run its course the first time you start it on a given day, but after that a properly running SportJet engine should start with a touch of the key. And I really do mean a touch... I cannot release my key fast enough before the engine has already roared to life. It's that fast.

If the engine sat for a while ("bad gas") the gasoline may have gelled in the fuel system. I'd replace both external fuel filters first. If that doesn't fix it, decarbon using a strong mixture of Seafoam. If you still have problems, pull the VST and clean the needle+jet and the two internal fuel filters.

Report back!

 

[mike's islandia]

Thanks for the info! it does start fine after i have had it running and stop for a bit, it was the initial start-up that was killing me. i plan on turning the key and waiting for 30 sec this weekend ill let u know what happens , i wasnt even waiting 1 sec. one other thing is I know this jet boat is bad on gas but should it use 1/4 tank (50 gallons ) in about 30 mins of running about 10 at WOT. I got the manual on it and it mention the head temp sensor could cause excesive fuel consumption.

 

[WAJetboating]

Thanks for the info! it does start fine after i have had it running and stop for a bit, it was the initial start-up that was killing me. i plan on turning the key and waiting for 30 sec this weekend ill let u know what happens , i wasnt even waiting 1 sec.

Open the engine compartment and then turn the key to "On" (not "Start"). You'll hear the pump start clicking. Wait for it to stop. This will give you a feel for how long it runs. You shouldn't HAVE to wait the entire time on the first start of the day, but I usually do just to be sure.

one other thing is I know this jet boat is bad on gas but should it use 1/4 tank (50 gallons ) in about 30 mins of running about 10 at WOT. I got the manual on it and it mention the head temp sensor could cause excesive fuel consumption.

In other words, you used 25% of a 50 gallon tank, or ~12.5 gallons, in 30 minutes? No, that's not even CLOSE to normal. Expected fuel consumption on this engine is roughly five gallons per hour in mixed mode. Flat-out 6000 RPM's, you'll use more. Idling around, you'll use less. Normal mixed-mode usage, you'll use about one can of gasoline per hour.

Yes, the port head temp sensor can cause increased fuel consumption. It does that by causing the ECU to widen the injector pulse widths until the engine is "warm". BTW, this also occurs while the key is turned to "Start"... a separate line runs to the ECU to tell it to lengthen the pulses to run the engine rich while it's starting. This is why, when the weather is REALLY cold, you can keep the engine running during a cold start by holding the key in the "Start" position for a few seconds. Hard on the starter, but it works.

 

[mike's islandia]

ok i have replaced the head temp sensor and it seemed to help a little but still has a hard time starting if it sits more than 5 hours,also i have a new prob, if my tank of gas gets less than half the boat will bog down when running 1/2 to full throttle. just cruising along then no power and constantly does it, but if i have a full tank it doesnt do it.

 

[ApexIslandia]

sea doo bogging down

I have a freind that had a very similiar issue on his bowrider, not a sea doo, however, after all kinds of trouble shooting he pulled the gas line that dropped down into the tank and found a beetle stuck to the screen. It seems when he filled the tank up it would pull away and as he ran the boat and got about half down the bug would be sucked back to the screen and cause his boat to bog down and become sluggish. It also seemed to loose accelleration. Just a thought, now you need to find out how that fuel line works. Hope this helps.

 

[mike's islandia]

ok here is what we got so far..... I had a busted oring on the fuel rail ,causing an extreme amount of fuel to pass right out to tail pipe, The part alone was $400 buck (nothing on this boat is cheap) problem number 2 ... there is no compresion on the #6 cylinder!!!!! not sure if it washed out or what but now i have to find an oversized piston and ring set because the walls around the cylinder and port are chewed up. any ideas where to get an oversized piston and ring set or a sleeve?