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2003 Sea Doo Islandia 240EFI Engine issue

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New issue now

I got the boat back after paying 480.00 for the tune up and parts. I took it out on the lake with my family and friends. The engine beeped a long beep (Not even 10 min into boating) and I just got it back from the dealership. I turned the engine off and now, it won't start up again.

I'm very pissed. I called the repair shop and told them what happened and she said, "Well lets hope you didn't damage the engine."

I'm thinking ME!? WTF!? I just got it from YOU, you stupid B!$#! To further pour salt on an open bleeding wallet, another Islandia showed up and towed us back into shore (How embarrassing).

Does anyone know how to address the repair shop without going fricken crazy on them? I'm trying to be nice but I'm not going to eat this second repair.

I understand that parts break but only 10 min into getting from the shop and putting it in the lake, it breaks? How can that be explained!?
 
I'll explain it this way...

"That's why I try never to take my boat to a stealership, er, I mean dealership."

With all due respect... I think this dealer has revealed themselves and their standards. It's time to get yourself a Mercury service manual (available on this site, as I understand it) and dig in yourself. This may be a VERY simple problem that just requires some time to diagnose. The manual is full of test procedures that will guide you, and that's exactly what the dealer will do - except that you'll pay their hourly rate while they do it.

Just my $0.02, YMMV, etc.
 
Engine trouble

Yeah, I know. However, I don't feel comfortable playing with a boat engine. I have a feeling the shop is going to repair this for free. I'm just waiting for the results from this diagnosis.
 
OK, but...

I'd ask them, face to face, if they actually TESTED the engine when they were done with it. Just replacing parts and running it on a hose at idle isn't testing anything. Plenty of marine engines run great on the trailer because they are under no load at all. Even if you rev them up, very little fuel is flowing because it doesn't take much fuel to rev up an unloaded engine.

Put that boat in the water, though, and it's a whole different story. Now there's a load, and greater fuel flow, and all sorts of conditions that don't happen "on the trailer". And gee, how do you want to use your boat? In the driveway, or on the water? It's not a test unless it's done in the proper environment.

Unless they're on the water they'll likely complain about doing an on-water test. But you should remind them that the last time they "fixed" it, and took your money, it DIDN'T WORK and you had to come back. You don't want or need that happening again.

Report back!
 
Engineer overheated

Well, they called back. They said that the engine definitely overheated. She claims something got sucked up in the intake. I told her that we had checked that and it was clear. She is positive that there is a restriction and that is why it over heated and she is looking possibly pulling the engine to find out where the problem is. Ugh. I am just sick to my stomach at the though of more $$$$ being put into this boat.

New update:

The engine starts but it over heats still. She said that the engine sounds fine so that a relief. However, there is a restriction somewhere and she is going to take it to the lake and test it to see if they can remove the restriction. If they are unable to do it that way, they have to pull the engine and find out where the obstruction is. This will be an expensive repair.

I think being that I have only owned this boat for 2 weeks, after this repair, I think I might put it on ebay and sell it. I wanted to have fun this summer for once and I wasn't planning on dealing with a high maintenance boat. It's possible Minnesota just has too many weeds to have a jet boat. At least whoever buys this boat will have a fully repaired and beautifully kept up boat.
 
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Backflush it...

I haven't had a Utopia, but it should have a hose fitting for backflushing the engine. I'd hook that up to a hose with lots of pressure, and turn it on/off lots of times while letting maximum water flow through it in between on's and off's.

The reason this might work is because the normal cooling water intake is a set of holes in the high pressure area of the jetdrive. IF something got sucked up in there, running water into the hose fitting will cause water to flow backwards out of the intake. This might flush out any obstructions. It certainly cannot hurt, and is WAY WAY better than having them pull the engine.

Remember, Mercury engines can handle water flow even when not running. Take advantage of that.

Weedy environments don't normally cause cooling blockages. The intake holes are about the diameter of a normal pencil - weeds just don't go in there. The usual culprit is sand, from running aground on a sandbar or backing onto a beach or something similar. If sand got packed in, but not too far in, hammering it with hose water might push it back out.

Other possibilties include the dealer kinking a hose, etc. while "tuning" your engine. While running it on the hose, see if you have any water leaks within the engine compartment. If they disconnected something to get better access to spark plugs, etc. it may not have gotten reconnected properly. Wouldn't be the first time.

There's a whole lot of things you can do short of pulling the engine. I'd do all of them.

By the way, how do they "know" it overheated? Does the DDT say that the ECU says so? Are they just guessing based on your description of the beep?
 
2002 SeaDoo X20/Challenger/Speedster Shop Manual

Here is a link to the shop manual but it does not discuss ‘beeps’ (unless I missed it somewhere). If that link doesn’t work for you let me know and I will email a copy (it’s about 8MB).

http://articles.richardhartman.net/jetboating/Shop%20Manuals/2001-02.Speedster.Challenger.X20.pdf


Also try this link – there are more manuals here.
http://articles.richardhartman.net/jetboating/Shop%20Manuals/

If you get a guide for the error codes (beeps), please contact me. Thanks.
 
We've been asked not to post links to manuals...

They are available here on this site, and the owners have asked that we refer to those.
 
No apology necessary...

Sorry brother.....just trying to help. Also have the manual for the 240 EFI.

If it was up to me, I'd point folks there too in the interest of helping them. However, this is not my site and we should honor their wishes - which is why I'm passing it on to you.

Thanks!
 
Manuals

How about this....for anyone reading this please feel free to contact me if you are looking for:

2002 SeaDoo X20/Challenger/Speedster Manual or the 240 EFI Motor Service Manual (M2 Jet Drive).

Just a fellow boater who struggled finding this information and is willing to share with other. Thanks.
 
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