97 seadoo challenger 1800 stalls on idle only, now won't start- please help!

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RiverRat74

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Hi- I am a newbie here. I bought this boat end of September last year. Had it out only once and had issues with stalling out every time I wanted to slow down in no-wake zone. The boat runs like a champ full out though. Had it winterized and decided to deal with it later. This year- same problem. Tried filling gas tank and adding startron stabilizer but did not help. Trying to pull into boat slip it must have stalled 8 times and now won't start. I was getting 4 beeps prior to that. I just bought a new battery and it is on charger right now. Gonna try that and changing spark plugs again. Any help would be appreciated, my wife and I are so stressed over this boat. Think we made a huge mistake!
 
What is your idle set at? On the trailer should be 3000rpms and 1500rpms in the water.

4 beeps means the shifter is not in neutral.
 
Do both engines stall? Have you done a compression check? If so what are the numbers. What kind of oil did the previous owner use and what are you using?
 
Hi thanks for responding! Today my brother in law and I installed a new, fully charged battery and new spark plugs. Happy to say both engines fired right up. Still issues with stalling in idle though. Brother in law may try adjusting idle, but he is a little hesitant to mess with it.
 
Please help- 1997 challenger 1800 stalls out when idling and now won't start!

What is your idle set at? On the trailer should be 3000rpms and 1500rpms in the water.

4 beeps means the shifter is not in neutral.

Shifter was in neutral, must have been spark plugs or battery because brother in law and I installed new plugs and battery and both engines fired right up. He may try adjusting the idle for me, but is a bit hesitant to mess with it. Thanks for responding!
 
Thanks for responding! Yeah both stall, one and then the other follows. And no, compression check not done. That is something I would not know how to do. It is better today after new battery and plugs installed, but still stalling. I believe previous owner used seadoo brand oil, 2 stroke. That is what I am using, ordered it from Amazon. I looked over his repair records and mechanic used that, but do not know what he may have put in there himself.
 
Always a good idea to check the compression and it isn't very hard to do. On my 98 the internal carb filters were filthy. Once I cleaned those the engines ran much better. New plugs are always a good idea. Should always carry an extra set on the boat just in case. Check your repair records and see if the carbs were cleaned or rebuilt.
 
Please help- 1997 challenger 1800 stalls out when idling and now won't start!

Checked repair records and I don't see anything on carb cleaning. Local mechanic quoted over a grand to do that. Could someone instruct me on adjusting the idle? I might consider trying that if I have step by step instructions. Battery WAS bad by the way. It starts right up now. Thanks!
 
So if the engines start right up and the engines run good except at idle, then adjust the idle by screwing the idle screw on the Mag (front or gas tank side) carburetor clockwise 1/4 turn at a time until your tach reads 3000rpms on the trailer or 1500rpms in the water.
If you look under black air breather at the front where the throttle cable ties into the linkage you will see a spring loaded screw with a "T" this is your idle screw. Turn it 1/4 turn and check your tach. Do this until you reach the proper idle. You may need a mirror to see it, or you may just want to remove the black air breather to get a better look, but don't remove the spark arrester. (screen)
If you can't find it post back and I will uncover my boat and snap a picture for you.


If this doesn't clear it up then will have to investigate further. Most probably in the carbs.
 
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I'd vote for carbs--clogging in the idle/pilot (not sure of terminology) jet or circuit.

The idle/pilot passage is what the engine pulls fuel thru, at idle rpm's. At higher rpm's, other circuits come into play, in addition to the idle circuit,
to provide additional fuel.

The passages for the idle circuit are smaller, and easier to clog.

I had a friend with a Yamaha 75HP 2S outboard, that didn't want to idle *at all*, after he'd not run it for about four months (he didn't use any type of fuel stabilizer, at that time)...you had to advance the throttle just a bit (which brought intermediate
speed fuel circuits in carbs into service) to keep her running. Once you pushed the throttle harder, she'd run like the proverbial violated gorilla. We took
the carbs apart, and after thoroughly spraying the idle circuits out, she began idling again.

Different carbureted 2S engine, but same symptoms.

You might try adding some 'fuel treatment/carb/injector cleaner', and it might clean out the idle circuits. If that doesn't do it, the
carbs are really quite easy to work on. The Mikuni's were first carbs I ever tackled, and it was about as tough as tieing your shoe...
the tough part is getting them off/back on the engine!
 
Thanks, alot of good information here. Everyone is so helpful on here. I did add a fuel stabilizer but have not had a chance to run much of it through. Hopefully you are right, and that will fix the idle issue. Thanks again.
 
Wow~ thanks, this is great. Going to give it a shot if the fuel stabilizer does not take care of it after running it through. I hate to ask you, but can you snap that picture for me? I am really gonna need all the help I can get! I keep my boat down at the slip at the river docks, which is about 7 miles one way. Would hate to go down without the picture and realize I have no clue what to do. Going to print all the info you provided and take it with me. Thanks again and thank you in advance for the picture!
 
Thanks, alot of good information here. Everyone is so helpful on here. I did add a fuel stabilizer but have not had a chance to run much of it through. Hopefully you are right, and that will fix the idle issue. Thanks again.

Fuel stabilizer is GREAT for preventing gumming, varnish (and to some degree, phase separation by gasahol) in gas that sits for more than a month, in your vehicles.

Fuel stabilizer is not intended to 'cleanse' gum or varnish deposits, tho...and you should use it, from here on out. It will help prevent, what I'm thinking is going on with your Challenger ;- )

You can try putting something like Berryman's B12 Chemtool, Seafoam, or any variety of 'fuel injectory/carburetor cleaners' in your tank (mix it in the plastic jug with the new gas, or pour in tank before you add pump gas, to mix it up well). Run it for several hours, and you *may* get lucky, and the cleaner *may* get your pilot circuit cleared out. If that doesn't do it, I'd go after the carbs directly.
 
It is a 16 year old boat and the carbs haven't been gone through. You can add all the fuel stabilizer and cleaners you want but you are still going to have to take the carbs off and give them a good cleaning. There are guides online and the service manual has all the info. Just do one side at a time and it isn't too bad. The hardest part is getting the carbs open. You'll need an impact screwdriver for that. Old boats get expensive fast if you have to pay for all your repairs.
 
Well both motors started right up. Put in idle for 15 minutes and it purred like a kitty cat. Took boat for 45 minute ride altering between fast and slow speeds. no more problems. When heading back to docks, I backed off throttle into neutral and when I pushed lever forward to speed up the throttles stuck. It moves in neutral, but as soon as I try to go forward and give it gas, the levers will not budge. So I took a few steps forward and now a few steps back! Please tell if this is an easy fix I can take care of myself. All help is very appreciated, you guys got me this far!
 
There's some interplay between the levers...does yours have three levers? The short one is 'VTS', Variable Trim System. Try centering the VTS lever, before
moving the F/N/R lever from Neutral. VTS is supposed to automatically re-center when you go to Neutral, but the mechanism was apparently pretty wonky (Seadoo issued an updated mechanism at some point--mine had original set up, and never re-centered itself).

I just went out and checked mine (1996 Challenger). VTS doesn't affect throttle lever movement on my boat in any position, but I had some problem with it years ago, and disconnected/removed some of the parts that were supposed to re-center the VTS when you shifted to Neutral--I can't recall what the issue was.
 
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