2002 Challenger 1800 revs up blows out random

[Irish1800]

I recently purchased a 2002 Sea Doo Challenger 1800 with low hours hasn't been in the water in the past 2yrs. I used it for the first time this weekend and randomly it'll get on plane about 4500-5000rpms and then just rev up and act like it's cavitating the impeller. This boat was thoroughly inspected by a Sea Doo dealer prior to purchase and they found nothing wrong. I'm baffled and now worried I've got something going wrong with the pump. It won't do it everytime it's really random.

 

[bferg61]

I see you are in Michigan. I got my Utopia from Leader marine in Kalamazoo and they forgot to install some vital parts on my boat. When my problem of holes in my exhaust hoses came to light they denied any wrong doing. If it was Leader that checked it out for you I would never trust their service department.

Do you have any way of seeing if a jet of water is coming out the nozzle when this happens. Does the stream coming out of the nozzle look any different than normal when this is happening?

When the boat is on the trailer, get under the pump and shine a flashlight up into the impeller and see if you have any damage to it. If the problem is intermittent then I doubt the impeller is damaged. It would do it all the time. Also grab a hold of the drive shaft and see if there is any movement other than it turning as it should (side to side and up and down). What kind of grate do you have on it? Is it a hydro surge? Does it push up into the intake area? If it does then it is a hydro surge.

 

[igneous]

Did you drain any old gas out? Replace water/fuel separator?
Sounds like a fuel-related or maintenance issue to me. Does it lose RPM's at slower
speeds? Plugs new? Alot of variables here

 

[Irish1800]

I see you are in Michigan. I got my Utopia from Leader marine in Kalamazoo and they forgot to install some vital parts on my boat. When my problem of holes in my exhaust hoses came to light they denied any wrong doing. If it was Leader that checked it out for you I would never trust their service department.

Do you have any way of seeing if a jet of water is coming out the nozzle when this happens. Does the stream coming out of the nozzle look any different than normal when this is happening?

When the boat is on the trailer, get under the pump and shine a flashlight up into the impeller and see if you have any damage to it. If the problem is intermittent then I doubt the impeller is damaged. It would do it all the time. Also grab a hold of the drive shaft and see if there is any movement other than it turning as it should (side to side and up and down). What kind of grate do you have on it? Is it a hydro surge? Does it push up into the intake area? If it does then it is a hydro surge.

No nicks in impeller and no didn't buy it from Leader Marine. Rather not say who checked it out because they sold it for a customer on consignment and actually they are willing to step up and fix it and bill the customer I just have to haul it 3.5hrs back and then wait while they fix it.

It does have a hydro surge grate on it. Doesn't seem to be any movement in the shaft. There is water shooting out of the nozzle when it does it just not a solid stream like when under power.

 

[Irish1800]

Did you drain any old gas out? Replace water/fuel separator?
Sounds like a fuel-related or maintenance issue to me. Does it lose RPM's at slower
speeds? Plugs new? Alot of variables here

A complete service was done on the machine prior to me purchasing the boat. This is part of the consignment process the dealer goes through to list a boat through them. Compression check, inspection of pump, stator plate, nozzle, impeller and wear ring. Also they do the maintenance on it and take it for a test ride. Anything safety related or mechanical is to be fixed which was. The boat had been sold and serviced by this dealer since new they have all work orders on the boat showing it was stored without gas the last time it was winterized for long layup.

I filled it with premium and fuel additive first tank engine runs like a top like I said when this occurs it revs up to the rev limiter. It definately feels like it's a pump issue not a motor issue.

 

[bferg61]

Good deal for you. Let the dealer deal with it. They may just replace the pump, but I doubt it. From what you describe it sounds as though water is somehow being interrupted on its path to the impeller, which might possible be solved by replacing the hydro surge grate with a solid bolt on grate. The grate is the only thing in the path of the water on its way to the impeller.

 

[Irish1800]

Good deal for you. Let the dealer deal with it. They may just replace the pump, but I doubt it. From what you describe it sounds as though water is somehow being interrupted on its path to the impeller, which might possible be solved by replacing the hydro surge grate with a solid bolt on grate. The grate is the only thing in the path of the water on its way to the impeller.

Yea my concern is it's intermittent and doesn't do it at any certain RPM or speed. It could be a dead stop or rolling along at 30mph.

Acts just like a clutch slipping when it does it. You let back off and it'll start to go again. You hold it you'll continue to slow down and the engine will just rev to the limiter.