97' Sportster...I'm scratching my head on this one;)Yes, I'm Blonde:)

[ColeSlaw]

Okay, so I welcomed myself yesterdayI bought this w/Dad's $,LOL. Not sure what I was getting myself into really. It's just to play on the river w/my boys.

The steering console looks as though it had mirrors??I want mirrors and why is there that shape on the side of console/hood?? is this where they go??can i find them or do i have to rig some bs.

The boat is very clean, I scrubbed it and ordered the hydro-mats. I hope it will look pretty bas@ss when im done w/it!!

For some reason the guy had rigged a skidoo starting thing to it. Also, he told me the front light is not connected nor the gauges. the only gauge that works is the gas??Im confused a bit. can i buy something to hook to the battery and run all the eletrical to that? I will be coming off the water early if i dont figure something out.

Why would he disconnect the lights & stuff??

One other thing, after reading a bit. i think i may have made a booboo. Compression rate is 125 each side. is that bad??

I talked dude down to 2500$$...I hope i didn't get screwed w/a junk boat!!

 

[John in Valley Forge]

$2,500 sounds great. It looks like a nice clean boat.

I found this image of a dashboard with mirrors.

I do not know if they were standard or optional equipment. Don't know about 1997 but In 1998, there were no mirrors on the Sportster, they were optional on the Challenger (2mirrors) and the Sportster 1800 had one mirror standard.
My Sportster 1800 has a right side mirror and it is useless. I can look at my elbow as I hold the throttle. Just look at where they are placed in the picture. You cant use them to watch the skiers behind you.
In 1998, there were no mirrors on the Sportster, they were optional on the Challenger (2mirrors) and the Sportster 1800 had one mirror standard.

The non-working navigation lights and gauges are a bigger issue for you. Could just be fuses. They are in the engine compartment. You will never pass a safety inspection without nav lights, at least not where I am. Coast Guard does inspections and gives you a sticker if you pass. They dont stop you if you fail, but you dont get the sticker. Lack of a sticker is a red flag for the boat cops to pull you over.

Be happy your gas gauge works, most of them don't.

The HydroMats look great in photos, they are just a little pricey for me.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[ocod]

$2,500 sounds great. It looks like a nice clean boat.

I found this image of a dashboard with mirrors.

I do not know if they were standard or optional equipment. Don't know about 1997 but In 1998, there were no mirrors on the Sportster, they were optional on the Challenger (2mirrors) and the Sportster 1800 had one mirror standard.
My Sportster 1800 has a right side mirror and it is useless. I can look at my elbow as I hold the throttle. Just look at where they are placed in the picture. You cant use them to watch the skiers behind you.
In 1998, there were no mirrors on the Sportster, they were optional on the Challenger (2mirrors) and the Sportster 1800 had one mirror standard.

The non-working navigation lights and gauges are a bigger issue for you. Could just be fuses. They are in the engine compartment. You will never pass a safety inspection without nav lights, at least not where I am. Coast Guard does inspections and gives you a sticker if you pass. They dont stop you if you fail, but you dont get the sticker. Lack of a sticker is a red flag for the boat cops to pull you over.

Be happy your gas gauge works, most of them don't.

The HydroMats look great in photos, they are just a little pricey for me.
Let us know how it goes.

look at my avatar
got a good deal on iboats ~20% less

 

[ColeSlaw]

look at my avatar
got a good deal on iboats ~20% less

LOL, I did buy the dark blue from iboats.com

 

[Phildoo]

It sounds like the MPEM is bypassed. If so, it went bad and they used a ski MPEM to run the engine. Hence, prob why no lights are working. All electrical goes thru the MPEM.

 

[Phildoo]

And 125 on each cylinder is not good. You will need a top end rebuild ASAP before you destroy the bottom end. Them it's time for a whole new engine.
So yes. You made a boo boo.