Pre Buy check....97 Challenger 110hp

[Chasespeed]

I have been doing some reading... but.. I am going to be straight-forward and ask....

I am about to trade my favorite bike(although I cant ride it anymore due to injuries incurred overseas), for a boat......

One of the offers I have, is for a 97 Challenger, w/ single 800cc 110hp motor...

I have heard a lot of bad... and read a bit of both....

The guy says it only needs a starter, has new impeller and wear ring, etc.... I am trying to get him to toss the 250 for the starter(read, buy it, put it in etc), before I go too far. I dont doubt it running, nor his spending money on it....

IS the 787 motor, worth the time?(pending comp test of course)
Is the pump a problem child?

What do I need to look for?
I know what to look forward to...... I love jet boats... have had a blast driving them in the past.. .even better getting paid for it....

BUT.... they were all diesel powered, and thus, no problems with tq/hp....

Sorry for the rookie post being this...but, I can only search so much...

Hopefully Karl, himself has great insight, as he seems to know most about the boats....

Thanks,
Chase

 

[Chasespeed]

Well, found the sticky... was tired yesterday, guess I missed it.


I guess I am only asking about the reliability of the 787 engine....

Chase

 

[timmyboy76]

thats a good boat with power. Reliability will be based on previous owners' maintenance. Where you live, if it was winterized, carg cleaned/rebuilt, if it was sank/injested water..etc.

The pump, if new wearring/impellor, then your good to go, if compression good and it fires up/sounds good...

 

[Chasespeed]

thats a good boat with power. Reliability will be based on previous owners' maintenance. Where you live, if it was winterized, carg cleaned/rebuilt, if it was sank/injested water..etc.

Thanks, thats what I was looking for.

Seems to to have been very well maintained, he had it less than a year.. traded a bike for it... and is dying to get back on a bike...

Freshwater use only etc...

Cool, thanks....

Chase

 

[cjb]

Well, found the sticky... was tired yesterday, guess I missed it.


I guess I am only asking about the reliability of the 787 engine....

Chase

According to my research the 787 is one of the best 2 stroke engine Seadoo ever made. To keep it running just rebuild the carbs to keep it from a lean condition and at the same time do an engine air leak test to make sure no seals are bad.

 

[Thunderkat13]

here a link to the starters for your boat
http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_tr...+Challenger+starter&_sacat=See-All-Categories

 

[scooper77515]

Do the compression check, then pop off the top cover under the spark plugs. Not the head, but the one that covers the water passages. It will tell you what the inside of the entire engine looks like.

The one I bought from karl was totally gunked up with salt and mineral deposits. Karl assumed it was mostly freshwater used, and thoroughly cleaned after use. But engine failed after 6 trips out after I bought it.

When I popped off that cover, I was completely shocked at how cruddy it was.

I would have passed on buying the boat if I had seen that first, especially for the price I paid.

But, put new engine in it and having a blast with it now. Wakeboarding behind it every weekend.

 

[timmyboy76]

I found muriatic acid, makes the heads/cylinders look like new, but that was with these off the motors and on a board in street. Made a black smoke bomb around the neighborhood, but looked great when rinsed off.

Havnt tried, "flush'n" the system yet with this, while motors in boat....

 

[Chasespeed]

Okay, after rooting around on here.... I found that the guy is a member here... and read his posts of woe....

Anyway, the compression is stated as being 110 and 112... which is within tolerance... but... sorta low no?

I havent been into one of these engines, but, have been in many, many other engines...

Pull the engine to rebuild top end? Going to see what I can find as far as pistons, rings, etc(cost)...

Chase

 

[scooper77515]

I think you need closer to 150 psi. That engine is well on its way to shot. Correct me if I am wrong, anyone...

Let it slide unless you are ready to sink $800 extra into it for a new engine.

 

[seadoo GTS 1993]

Yea, thats pretty low, anything under like 120ish i would rebuild top end

 

[Chasespeed]

Well, the parts for a top-end rebuild itself arent too bad, and would have been done this winter regardless... 12 year old 2 stroke... in a jet... you know its spent most of its life at max RPM...

I am more than capable of doing any work on this that needs doing......

Even if I need to pull the crank this winter, and do new bearings in the lower crankcase... eh.. not a big deal.

With 110-112, the question is, will it make it through the rest of the season. I honestly wont get to use it much, and our fun season up here is pretty short compared to what I am used to in Corpus Christi....

If I put more than 30 hours on it this year, I would be EXTREMELY surprised.. probably closer to 20ish...

BUT.... just food for though.. open discussion, and trying to make sure I have my ducks in a row.

Chase

 

[seadoo GTS 1993]

If it starts with that compression, u probably would be OK for the rest of the season, u mite not be at top performance of wat the boat is capable of tho, and starting it may be a little difficult...

 

[seadoo GTS 1993]

Just take it easy on her, u should be fine

 

[Chasespeed]

Well, regarldless the deal fell through. So, i will keep my eye out.

Chase

 

[scooper77515]

That may be a good thing. Wait for something you can use immediately and not have to rebuild.