New (to me) 97 Challenger 1800....where to start ??

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Don’t worry about the black plastic caps. The holes were put there intentionally just so you can verify they are moving when the engine is running. It won’t affect anything and was pretty common back in the day.
 
Don’t worry about the black plastic caps. The holes were put there intentionally just so you can verify they are moving when the engine is running. It won’t affect anything and was pretty common back in the day.
That actually makes sense. I could not find broken pieces of plastic anywhere.
Ripped bellows and cracked/melted piston, broken o-ring in one of them though.
 
Probably Never cleaned and maybe the wrong oil was used at some time. Does your kit come with the gaskets too? What kit did you get?
 
There is blue oil in the bottom of the tank. Working on draining that out too.
I am ordering the individual OEM parts from BRP. Can't get an actual kit here with the exhaust piston included. And i need 4 gaskets anyway so i can pull the other 2 valves and clean them up too.
STARTER: I took old starter to a rebuilder and he LAUGHED! Rusted everywhere. So i got a new one....and if it breaks, the shop is only 3 miles away.
 
Ya, the o-ring one the shaft with the melted piston is also fried. Other one looks fine though.
I'm in Ontario Canada, about an hour from Niagara Falls so by the time I pay the exchange on a US after market kit, plus shipping, it's about the same price to get OEM at the local dealer.
 
Sounds like you are well on your way to a nice boat. While waiting for parts how do the little oil lines look from the oil pump to the intake? If they're original they will have paint on them. Are they really hard, brittle or cracked? The larger oil lines seem to last a lot longer than those little ones.
 
This thing has all new oil and water lines in it. Even a roll of about 10' of spare hose. So that's one bright spot!
 
Any common cause of no beeping when lanyard plugged in?
I have replaced the buzzer and still nothing.
I put a volt meter on the buzzer wires and it jumps up to about 4v briefly.
 
Check the plug where it connects and if that doesn't do it I would follow the wires on the harness. There are a couple spots where they're folded over pretty tight and zip tied.
 
What beeper did you buy? Some of the cheaper ones won’t sound at the small short pulse the MPEM sends.
 
Any idea what this is?? Found it in the bottom of the bilge, right near the drain.
It even says Bombardier on it.
 

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That looks like the pipe mount bushing. Without them you will break the headpipe studs.

The aftermarket beeper is probably the reason for no sound. The computers on these send such a small short burst of power most of the aftermarket beepers will not sound in my experience.
 
I got the starboard side engine started but I think there's a problem. Video attached.
It is idling at about 3000rpm with no throttle.
The smoke is pretty obvious.
The metal "tinking" sound seems to go away when I pull the trailer strap, so I'm pretty sure it's a trailer issue.
Also.... compression is 150 and 130 on that engine.
Port side engine has a fuel issue...won't keep running but when it does run its also at 3000 rpm.....no smoke though.

 
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The biggest issue is the 20 psi difference in cylinders. If that 20 psi is correct you have a piston seizing and it will not last long.
 
Oh its right...I was hoping to make it last the year. Once I find a decent video showing a top end rebuild, I might just tackle it.
I'm going to double check it...again.
 
Rebuild kit on order....and the manual looks like it actually does cover off replacing the pistons so I'll give it a shot.
What do I use to get the wrist pin out of the piston without a puller??
 
Rebuild kit on order....and the manual looks like it actually does cover off replacing the pistons so I'll give it a shot.
What do I use to get the wrist pin out of the piston without a puller??
When rebuilding 2-stroke motocross bikes, I usually just push or tap the wrist pin out with a wooden dowel. They slide right out easily if the top end bearing isn't mangled.
 
You can easily make your own puller with a bolt or some threaded rod, a lock nut and washer that's small enough to fit into the piston that grabs the piston pin and then a big washer and nut for the other side. Just make sure you remove both circlips on the piston pin first. If you want to try and "tap" it out you need to be gentle with it. Remove both piston pin circlips - or at least the side you're pushing it out of / both is best. Usually a 3/8" extension fits to push out the pin, put the larger side in the piston and hold the piston and extension with one hand and hold it toward the side you're tapping it with a hammer - gently. You need to go easy, the connecting rods weren't made to be banged on from the side.
 
How much oil should there be in the bottom of the crankcase??
Again,I'm a newbie to two stroke engines, if this was a four stroke that wouldn't bother me at all.

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Well that was almost a waste of 2 days. I got it all back together.... compression is equal between the cylinders but a bit lower....between 135-140 psi.
Still smokes like crazy but it runs on the starboard side.
Can't get the port side to idle at all.
Plan: tackle the port side carbs and get it idling then put it in the water and let it warm up and see if the smoke burns off.
If that doesn't do it there might be a boat for sale!!!!!
 
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