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supercharger washers

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chillholm

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Hi

Would anyone be able to tell me if BRP have updated the washers from ceramic to something stronger/ more reliable in the 2008-2010 model superchargers in their craft.

Cheers.
 
Be sure you really have a 2008 (or later!) model though... sometimes people buy a new vehicle (or watercraft) not realizing that it's been sitting on the dealer's lot since the previous year! I've seen Ebay listings for SeaDoo 2006 RXP's that were clearly 2005 year models (by their color schemes; the seller bought them in 2006 from the dealer and just assumed they were 2006 year model PWC's, but they were actually left overs from 2005). So this does happen in fact!

- Michael
 
Thanks for your response Mike. You're right. I checked the engine manufacturing date and it has 10th month( Oct. obviously) 2008. So I assume it has the washer upgrade. When I take it in for it's 10 hour I'll confirm all with the dealer. I guess i can give them some latitude. It was sold to us as an early 09 model but they did mention that they got a ripper deal for left over stock from BRP and we got a great deal on it. So all in all I can't complain. The colour is the blue with white colour scheme and they did have that colour in 07 so I just wanted to make sure on the supercharger. Cheers.
 
Sounds like you're in good shape then. With so few hours on it, isn't it still under factory warranty?

Not that they'll change the SC washers under warranty if they're not broken of course.

I replaced the SC washers in my 2006 RXT myself. Those ceramic washers feel just like plastic compared to the steel washers. I was amazed at the difference when I held them in my hands!

Regards!

- Michael
 
Not too difficult. You'll need to remove the SC's from their engines of course (and 1 of the 3 bolts is a real turkey to reach with an end-wrench... took me over an hour to remove and then again to reinstall that single bolt!). Patience and a telescoping mangnetic pick-up tool are very helpful (as I dropped the wrench a few times, and right under the engine it slides). Anybody know of a better tool than an end-wrench to get to that 1 SC bolt, PLEASE let me know! I could only turn it about 1/16 of a turn before having to reposition the wrench each time... what a PITA!

Once the SC's are out, you'll need the new metal washers and 1 set of SC tools and a vice to hold the SC with. Also I had to use a propane torch to heat the nut on the end of the SC shaft in order to break that nut loose (it has red loctite, very tough stuff to get loose but some heat makes a huge difference!). Borrow a torque wrench from O'Reilly's if you don't have one (they have loaner tools). Once you get the nut off, carefully remove every part and keep them in order (I made a stack of the spring washers and stuff all in the exact order I removed them; they have to go back in the same order and orientation as they come off!).

Watch for needle bearings inside the drive gear, in all likelihood they'll fall out (a clean white towel underneith the supercharger is VERY helpful to keep from losing those little bearings!). I was able to put them all back into the gear with a dab of lithium grease to hold them in place. I think it's only a few extra dollars to get new needle bearings though if you don't want to mess with the existing ones. It only took a few minutes to get them all back into the gear though, just be sure not to lose any of them they're tiny buggers!!!

Note: The SC washers appear to be the same size but they are NOT! 1 washer has a slightly smaller inner diameter than the other (holding them flush against each other and looking thru the hole from both sides, you'll see that 1 has a larger hole than the other). They have to go on in the right order! If you have to force either washer then you probably have them in the wrong order!!!

I think once I got that SC nut broke loose it took about 30 minutes to replace the washers and re-torque the nut back down (clean it and the threads well 1st then use red loctite on it, you don't want that nut coming loose inside the engine!!!!).

That's all I can think of really. It's nerve wracking the 1st time, but once you've done 1 it's really not that bad. Getting the SC's out and back into the engines is probably the hardest and most time consuming part!

ps. You'll almost surely have to undo the strap holding the muffler box down and slide it backwards a few inches to get enough clearance to pull the SC out of the mounting hole it's in. This implies you'll have to undo the stainless steel clamp that attaches the exhaust manifold to the pipe that goes to the muffler box. Just take your time and keep everything in the correct order, if I can do this anybody should be able to!

- Michael
 
Thank you for taking the time to explain this in detail, I am considering doing this since I have the time over the winter and it sounds not too difficult.
 
Well note that the SeaDoo dealership will only rebuild the entire SC's (very expensive!). My local SeaDoo dealership said that they cannot get just the washers and will not replace just the washers even if I provided them! So it's either do it yourself, find a friend in your area who will do it for you or help you, or pay the dealership big $$$$$ for complete SC rebuilds (no matter how few hours may be on them).

Good luck!

- Michael
 
I have found a place that quoted me $100.00 for just the washers and I believe they have the tools also. Still not sure because the hours are 72 and 80 and the dealer says to rebuild at 100hrs.
 
How many hours on average do you put on them in a boating season though? If you think you'll have them up to 100 hours or so in just the next boating season, then maybe it makes sense to go ahead and spend the money now to fully rebuild them.... but if you're like me, only putting maybe 10 to 15 hours a boating season on the watercraft, then you have 2 or 3 more seasons of boating before a full SC rebuild is called for.

Up to you.

- Michael
 
I just bought a place on the water so I will be using them frequently probably 50 hrs each. Thanks again for your input.
 
I think you just have a "crappy" dealership.

This is a possibility... they're the biggest SeaDoo dealer on the north side of Houston though. I can't say if other SeaDoo dealers are the same way or not. :confused:

I'd taken the SC in hand over to them to ask if they could and how much to just change the washers so I could try to get my RXT in the water before the season ended, and they told me they'd have to order an entire rebuild kit and would only rebuild the entire SC and it'd take at least a week. Money's tight right now, so I got online and ordered a washer upgrade kit with SC tools and ended up doing it myself about 4 days later. I got to take the RXT to the lake about 4 times from late October thru early November before it got too cold (the lake, I mean)... we're still getting temps up into the 80's most days, but with fronts coming thru the nighttime temps are now getting down into the low 30's every few nights and the lake water is too cold now and I had to winterize the RXT last week so. Season over. :(

But, only 4 or 5 more months and it'll once again be warm enough to go boating again... :cheers:

- Michael
 
This is a possibility... they're the biggest SeaDoo dealer on the north side of Houston though. I can't say if other SeaDoo dealers are the same way or not. :confused:

Well, it looks like it turned out for the best for you. You saved money and learned how to do it yourself.

we're still getting temps up into the 80's most days, but with fronts coming thru the nighttime temps are now getting down into the low 30's every few nights and the lake water is too cold now and I had to winterize the RXT last week so. Season over. :(

I would be riding with a wet suit :)
 
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