newbie probs and questions ...

[guzzio]

Hey guys. After owning a few small rib boats, a little speed boat with out-board engine, i fell in love with a second hand Sea-Doo challenger manufactured '97.

It's a single engine, 2-stroke, 90 hp and a think it's the 717 engine.

It's in a good overall condition, but when i took it for a spin with the salesman, things went wrong.

The engine climbed up well and fast when giving throttle. But ... the boat didn't even plane. In fact, it hardly go forward.

I think the impeller sucked up a lot of moister and dirt on the slibway and the impeller is damaged.

So i didn't bought the boat yet, but i'm really in love with that beauty. The style, the agressive sound, the seats, the space ... i like everything in and around the challenger.

Second problem: water came in really fast around the end shaft ... so i thing it has a rubber fitting problem that needs to be replaced.

So here is my first question to you specialists ... help me out on this one. I realy like the boat, but the few probs i mentioned does worrie me.

So do or don't ...

And the single engine is realy fast enough for me ... i always take my two kids with me when i'm on the water (4 and 6 years old), so i'm defenetely not a 'race' kind a guy. Just 1/5 throttle cruising ...

Thanks for the answers and please, don't mind the writting mistakes ... i'm from Belgium.

 

[TJ198]

I was about to ask what they are asking for it, but with you being in Belgium it may not help much. It is possible the repairs could be fairly minor then again it could cost you some serious coin. If the boat is overpriced to begin with I would stay away from it.

 

[guzzio]

Well, the price is about 1/3 from the most others ! ! ! That 's way it is an interesting buy. And he looks clean en is in overall good condition ... except the impeller system. But i hate it when i have to work on any kind of boat for lets say four houres and then can go on the watter for lets say one houre ...

So all i want to know is ... are they fair reliable or are the challengers 717's those kind of engines / boats where you have to work on more then you can enjoy them ...

A have some experience with engines such as in motorcycles ... but totally no experience with boat engines ... but hey, i learn fast and i have this great forum as a usefull guide:hurray:. I'm am not afraid to do some maintanence myself, so that is not the problem ...

But i defenitely don't wan't a boat that needs more maintainance then fun ...

 

[cheappc]

When I first bought my boat I was in the same situation as you..

The gentleman turned it on in front of me, but when I got to the water, it wouldnt go over lets say 10 or 20 miles an hour... I posted a video here and the wonderful mechanic Seadooya came over and helped me.

He redid the carbs, and my wear ring was ripped up, he changed it, molded my impeller in place, and my baby ran! lol! it ran great!

here is a video after recarbing and so forth:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS4xM2JaC2c

So as you can see im maybe doing 35, or maybe close to 40...

So I did some studying on those 717 engines, unbelievably they are german! thats right german, they are manufactured in austria now, but the engineering is german (info from wikipedia lol)

So I believe they are pretty good, even if you have to rebuild them.. depending on the price of your boat, but any body could come in and correct me if Im wrong..

 

[seadooya]

challenger or sportster

First bud, what boat yuo got. If the challenger, than you got a single 110hp (787cc), if sportster, than yes, a 717(85hp).

Sounds like you got an impellor and/or wear ring issue, both are a minimal repair job, that is, if you got an impellor removal tool, other than that, the boat sounds that its hitting on both cylinders.

As for water, it'll drain with the forward momentum, but if you cant stand it, the nreplace the bad scupper valve in back with new....

O-yeah, thanks "cheappc" for the shout-out, now we need to fix the throttle cable/assy...:ack:

 

[voodoo]

If you look at the top of the motor the head cyl is flat on 657/717 type, the 787 has a tilted head cyl and 2 black/red caps over the exhaust section - the tilted type is 110hp, either type boat/engine uses a hull seal that may need to watered to seal or it could be worn thru and is easy to replace while the pump is out for service to improve the thrust - the first item of importance is a compression test looking for 135-150psi or 9.4-10.5bar and they should be close to one another within .5bar, then observe the oil tank level and run the boat again for awhile to be sure it is drinking the oil or there will soon be piston troubles and/or more intense damage.

 

[guzzio]

@Seadooya ... did some research and yep, you're right ! ! ! Got the 787 engine 110 hp. So i think i got the most popular engine?

Impeller pomp is ready for a rebuild and then ready to hit the watter ... can't wait ! ! !