1995 Speedster Restoration

[Andy4k6]

Hi,

So I have now decided to start a thread about the ongoing work on my speedster, I have already got a lot done however there is still a lot to do.

This and the next few posts will be catch up posts showing what I have already done but I intend to keep updating it and would love your comments (good or bad) to help spur me on. I like to do a good job and hope this should be an extremely good condition speedster I can be proud of once I have finished it.

So to start I found this boat parked up in a storage yard next to my work, after speaking to a few people and after making a few calls I was able to find the owner and was allowed to take a look at it and this is how I found it





















As you can see it was left outside for many years although I'm not sure how long, the tyres on the trailer were almost unused (still have the coloured bands on them) UK spec tyres which are dated 2004. As the owner brought this into the uk along with 11 other boats intending to sell it I can but assume it has been stood for 12 years although I believe it was kept inside for a number of years.

After some discussions with the owner I and my brother in law (co-owner) was allowed to go and spend a few hours in his yard to see if I could get the engines to start and have a proper look with some tools.

We put some lube down the bores a few days before and luckily it appears this had been done after they were last run also. We fitted a battery and shorted out the ignition switch ( keys were missing) and attempted to turn over the engines, neither would turn more than an 1/8th of a turn when trying. Fearing the worst we considered giving up however I had a quick think and decided to whip one of the jet drives off and see if it was the drive or not.

After getting the drive off the right engine it turned over no trouble at all and spat out a fabulous fountain of oil from the plug holes :rofl: I put the plugs back in put some pre mix down the carb and it started with very little trouble, we did the same with the left and this too was the same. With no water on site and half a tank of old fuel in the boat we were unable to test any more than 15 - 20 seconds however they sounded ok and after further talks with the owner it was ours.

 

[Andy4k6]

So a few weeks later the boat was dug out of the yard, loaded onto a trailer (as it's own wasn't uk spec and was not safe to tow) and whisked off to a friends driveway where I would be able to work on it.





Within a few weeks we took the boat off the trailer and stripped the trailer down ready to go off for galvanising while I removed the tyres from the wheel rims and painted the rims.

,





Unfortunately here is a major snag in the project which caused me months of delays

I delivered the trailer to a sand blaster who took all the paint off and sent it off to the galvaniser for me.

This is how the trailer looked when I got it back





Although it looks great in the pictures unfortunately what they had managed to do was fill the trailer with zinc and what I got back was a solid block of zinc I which 4 people could barely lift and the brackets for the lamps badly bent.

After some discussions with the galvaniser they advised if I drilled additional holes in the trailer they would take it back and attempt to remove the zinc for us. so after hours of drilling holes into the trailer and many many drill bits (due to the zinc wrecking the bits) we sent the trailer back and after 6 weeks they managed to remove about 70% of the zinc although still much heavier I may hopefully be ok to tow it without being over the legal weight limit.

However when I did get it back it looked like this :facepalm:



So with £250 down the drain I managed to find a local place who could shot blast it again and this time paint it.

With the trailer now painted I was able to start rebuilding it



and once done the boat was once again reunited with it's trailer (excuse the dark photo)

 

[Andy4k6]

While the boat was on the floor and the trailer away being ruined I carried on with the boat it's self.

I removed the reverse and steering cables which needed repair or replacement, the steering cables were completely seized however the reverse cables were just very stiff. I managed to repair them using a technique found here online which involved pumping oil into the cable using air pressure and although this was no use at all on the steering cables it worked very well on the reverse cables. (no pics I'm afraid)

I then moved onto sorting out the jet drives, the jet drives were seized solid and would not turn at all and I had to cut and chisel the wear rings out just to free the impellers, this did cause some damage to the impellers. This is what I found once the wear rings were cut out



Once the pumps were all cleaned up and the corrosion removed, I got on with striping the bearings and seals, although they looked fine (also looked to be seadoo original bearings too) I ordered new bearings apart from the thrust bearing which I was able to inspect fully and was in very good condition for both drives. While I had them stripped out and the end caps were slightly damaged and the impellers not great I tool the opportunity to upgrade to the new style end caps which have the spring in and also 2 new solus impellers (they are the only performance make which lists impellers for this boat). Also while I'm on this subject does anyone know why there are 2 different types?







I was also working on the seats with my brother in law one night a week also,







I got the seat covers from http://www.seadooupholstery.com/ and can highly recommend the covers.

I have a few more updates and photos still to upload showing my progress upto now however I have run out of time and will need to update it in the next few days.

Andy

 

[Matt Braley]

Great job on this thing so far. I think that was me forcing penetrating oil down in between the inner and outer cables right? If not then that is one of the few things I came up with without a forum or service manual haha.

There are two different impellers because they had an awful time with cavitation with those 94 and 95 year models. Starting in 96 they went to two different water intakes exiting in two different locations. Yours has a single intake that splits to the two pumps. One pump is borrowing water from the other sometimes so it feels like a slipping clutch when your trying to get going initially, especially with a boat load of people. The good news is that those older Speedsters with the single intake are faster on the top speed.

 

[Andy4k6]

You may be right, I read a forum post somewhere and that gave me the idea.

If it was you then thanks however even at over 100 psi there was no saving the steering cables but the reverse seem good so far. Time will tell when I fit them.

I did read a review on the solus upgrade and apparently they make a massive improvement on the single intake so I hope that's the case.

I wish my boat was a 97 tbh as I would like the spotters seat, however I found what I found and as seadoo boats are rare over here I will make the best I can with it.

Andy

 

[Andy4k6]

Next I decided to get the trailer in a towable state, as the trailer was already rebuilt, painted and all the bearings replaced all that was left to do was to fit and wire up the new uk spec lights and fit some new side markers.

I managed to order some nice submersible rear lights from Australia meaning if I got the wiring waterproof and mounted the number plate in the right place I would never have to do a anything to the trailer before launching except for removing the strap from the back of the boat. I hated having to remove and refit the lighting board with my jet ski so I wanted a simple system this time.

I used a waterproof junction box along with a stretchy tow hitch connector to create a simple system where all I have to do is hitch up and connect 1 plug and I'm good to go. The junction box splits the wire form the car to the 2 rear lights and the side markers. I upgraded the trailer to having 4 side markers instead of 2. Picked them up for a bargain £10 (ebay) for the 4 and they are a great fit.










Now the trailer is mobile I towed it to my parents house which is closer to home meaning I can work on it easier without having to drive to my friends which is twice as far away.

Once at my mum and dads house I emptied the boat and decided to give it another clean as the cover I was using was full of holes.















Not a full clean an polish just a tidy up, there is still loads of work to do an the last things I intend to do are remove the decals, a full buff and polish and have new decals fitted along with the seats. I don't see the point in cleaning it up to dirty it while I'm working on it.

Still more updates to come but I have run out of time again

Andy

 

[wfo speedracer]

Great job on this thing so far. I think that was me forcing penetrating oil down in between the inner and outer cables right? If not then that is one of the few things I came up with without a forum or service manual haha.

There are two different impellers because they had an awful time with cavitation with those 94 and 95 year models. Starting in 96 they went to two different water intakes exiting in two different locations. Yours has a single intake that splits to the two pumps. One pump is borrowing water from the other sometimes so it feels like a slipping clutch when your trying to get going initially, especially with a boat load of people. The good news is that those older Speedsters with the single intake are faster on the top speed.

Actually cavitation was only part of the issue, the lower pitch impeller gets the ski up one plane then the higher pitch impeller gives it more top end, this way it loads different pumps at different times , the single intake really wasn't big enough for both those pumps so that was Seadoos;s workaround till they redesigned it in 96.

The 96 models had cavitation issues also because the went to the newer style setup with the carbon ring , it does not work well on such a heavy boat and sucks air around the carbon ring , the best setup overall is the 96 pump setup with the 94-95 driveshafts and bearing carriers installed.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Great job so far, seats look amazing. To date, the most fun I ever had with a steering wheel was driving a boat just like this one. You're in for a treat once you get her all running :thumbsup:

 

[Andy4k6]

Great job so far, seats look amazing. To date, the most fun I ever had with a steering wheel was driving a boat just like this one. You're in for a treat once you get her all running :thumbsup:

I can't wait to get it out once I have finished it, I just hope I can finish it this year and don't have to wait until next year.

Glad you like the seats, They are close to perfect in my opinion, the kit from Keith at www.seadooupholstery.com was excellent as it was made from 4 way stretch vinyl which helped a lot but we spent around 3-4 days doing our best to make it as close to perfect as possible. The hardest part for us was the loss of the foam. As it had disintegrated so badly over the years we just has to buy some foam and try to shape it and made it fit the best we could. Hopefully by the time we come to fit them any little lumps and bumps where the change of foam is will be pretty much invisible.

Andy

EDIT: On a note about the seats, if anyone decides to do their own I highly recommend glue on the back rest material to hold it to the foam. If you don't glue them together then the material stays loose and doesn't fit to the curve and I would imagine it would become baggy very quickly. We fitted the back rest cover stapled the tops and the ties at the back and then once we were happy pulled the bottom back off and used spray glue before smoothing it down for the last time. It isn't easy and takes a little longer but the seats look way better for it and follow the curve of the foam and hopefully won't go saggy over time.

 

[Andy4k6]

Actually cavitation was only part of the issue, the lower pitch impeller gets the ski up one plane then the higher pitch impeller gives it more top end, this way it loads different pumps at different times , the single intake really wasn't big enough for both those pumps so that was Seadoos;s workaround till they redesigned it in 96.

The 96 models had cavitation issues also because the went to the newer style setup with the carbon ring , it does not work well on such a heavy boat and sucks air around the carbon ring , the best setup overall is the 96 pump setup with the 94-95 driveshafts and bearing carriers installed.

Is there anything I can do to improve the single intake?

Anything I can buy or alter that will help?

As per above I have already invested in a pair of solus impellers which are the solus recommended impellers ( skat trak don't list any) which according to the only review I could find says they are a massive improvement over stock. However if I can do more to improve it I would be interested.

Andy

 

[wfo speedracer]

Is there anything I can do to improve the single intake?

Anything I can buy or alter that will help?

As per above I have already invested in a pair of solus impellers which are the solus recommended impellers ( skat trak don't list any) which according to the only review I could find says they are a massive improvement over stock. However if I can do more to improve it I would be interested.

Andy

That is about as much as you can do, just make sure everything is sealed up properly.

 

[ialonso]

You look like you know your stuff really well... so this warning may be for nothing...

The seal carrier on your boat is based on bearings that sit on top of the shaft. It;s the piece that allows your shafts to spin while keeping the water outside and the seal attached to the boat.
Some folks did not grease these as suggested and it was enough stink for SeaDoo to discontinue them and switch to carbon seals instead, which do not require grease. (that's the rumor I heard, not sure if that's why they switched)

I think the old style is actually superior as it does not pass air, you just need to grease them as recommended to prevent catastrophic failure. I switched my boat several years ago and have not looked back, other than to grease them to make sure it stays afloat.
grease them to make sure it stays afloat.
grease them to make sure it stays afloat.
grease them to make sure it stays afloat.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Agreed, that style is much more trouble free, if you just maintain it a little. It really doesn't take much. I've had problems with a carbon seal leaking water into the hull as well as cavitation. It's just another point of failure for today's driveline

 

[Andy4k6]

Thanks for the advise guys,

I have already filled them with grease however I decided to remove them and check them properly instead.

I have found the seals on both have gone rock hard although the bearings look immaculate and to be the original bearings.

Knowing the seals need to be replaced I have looked into seal kits and the best price I can find is this one from osd

http://osdparts.com/index.php?main_...oducts_id=66&zenid=6ph6h6fr7rj23ol0uf7m9pdcd7

My only concerns / questions are, should I put the non genuine bearing in or keep the original and also will this new seal design with the single lip seal work?

I'm concerned with the single lip seal, will the far end of the bearing carrier get air locked and the single lip seal let grease out while leaving the airlock at the bearing meaning it is dry and also if some water does get in the grease this system will not be able to get the bad grease out as the nippe and single lip seal are at the opposite end to the bad grease.

Anyone ever used one and have any advise?

Many thanks

Andy

 

[Andy4k6]

Update time again (still working on old updates)

Next up I decided to tackle the engine oil and fuel system so I could give the engines a proper run and do another compression test.

First up I drained the oil and fuel from the tanks, the fuel looked to have some pre mix in it and when looking at the oil system it looked to have no small oil lines attached to the pump for either engine which did create some concern.







I also removed the larger lines which seemed to have somehow partially filled with water and had emulsified oil in them even though the tank appeard to have good oil in it. I removed the lines and drained them into a bottle as per the photos below which show the aweful oil I got out.

As you can see from this photo there is loads of water on the top (this has been left to settle for 3-4 weeks)



and I have no idea what is in the bottom here





I never removed the line from the exhaust side of the engine as this would mean removing the exhaust which I didn't wish to do unless I needed to. However removing the intake side seemed to allow alot of oil out of the engine and hopefully will have flushed the chamber that way. Once I had the lines off and drained I trimmed them down and refitted them.

While I was working at the bottom of the engine bay I did find 2 old small lines and it appears they have just rotted and fallen off and the system was in working order prior to being layed up. I ordered some new tygon pipe and the 2 ear clips and replaced the small hoses. Once done I removed the spark plugs and held the pumps open and craknked the engines over until the lines were full off oil.

The lines seemed to fill in spurts where the pipe would fill a bit more then stop then fill some more, however reading online this is normal?

With the fuel and oil systems drained and the oil system refilled and blead i put some pre mix into the fuel tank ( to give some extra oil ) I turned the fuel on and cranked them over and with supprise both engines started with very little trouble running on their own carbs.

Unfortuatly as per my other thread they do not run 100% as I think the carbs need rebuilding however they did start and idle well and when stopped would start at the first press of the button which is great.

Still more updates to go and I will add some more images to this post tonight.

Andy

 

[Rich1983]

Nice work so far Andy, Looking forward to seeing the finished result.

Can I ask where you managed to get hold of a axle or bearings from for the trailer? Mine will need replacing soon so Im hoping their fairly easy to find in the uk and not a odd size.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

I would take the oil tank off and seal up that outlet fitting with some good quality silicone, like Hondabond or something. That sucker has always leaked on my old Challenger, even though I bought a brand new one. Make sure you clean the mating surfaces with acetone or something to remove the residue before sealing up.

 

[Andy4k6]

Yep they are available in the UK, although the seals were special order they managed to get them for me,

I went into a local bearing place and they had them on the shelf.

The trailer I have is a shorelandr SDV1417 and takes L44649 Bearings and the seal size is 1-1/6"

The seal was a bit of a pain, I ended up taking the old seal with me and they took a number off the seal and eventually they were able to cross reference the seal but I don't remember what the replacement was sorry.

Andy

 

[Andy4k6]

Still working on previous updates....

Forgot to add to my previous update,

when running the engines I got a massive amount of emulsified oil out of both exhausts, hopefully this oil has kept the engines protected over the years but hopefully doesn't mean the crank seals are buggered. Once the engines had been run and all the excess oil gone I did a compression test and goiod news is the left engine was 140 on both cylinders and the right was 130 on both, the right seemed to turn a little slower so hopfully thats the difference in the compression.

With the engines working, the trailer mostly ready I decided to get some of the little extras sorted out.

With the ignition switch having no key I have wired myself up an IP68 rated push button switch to act as the ignition switch and even wired up the light





So with the soldering iron out and working with the wiring behind the steering column anyway I decided to fit my new Faria depth gauge, using the original ignition switch location I made the hole bigger to get the gauge in and wired it upto the accessory feed. Unfortuantly this does mean the gauge is always on unless I manually turn it off or disconnect the battery as the accessory feed isn't switched, however as I will be fitting a battery isolator this is not a major concern and possibly a bonus if i'm sat floating with the engines and ignition off for any reason.



Andy

 

[hotrodssnova]

On the boat bearings, don't over grease them, you will pop the seal off either the impeller side or the pto side. If its the side towards the pump, you'll never know till after it happens. It will seize up while the boat sits, and when you go to start it, it will either rip the rubber that holds the assembly or rip the coupler out of the hull.

You're doing a great job on the boat. I have the 94. I also have a write up on mine. Check it out if your mpem ever fries.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Nice, I used the same button. I burned the led out on it, but will wire it to my master switch to indicate that the accessory relay is on once the new one comes in.

 

[Andy4k6]

On the boat bearings, don't over grease them, you will pop the seal off either the impeller side or the pto side. If its the side towards the pump, you'll never know till after it happens. It will seize up while the boat sits, and when you go to start it, it will either rip the rubber that holds the assembly or rip the coupler out of the hull.

You're doing a great job on the boat. I have the 94. I also have a write up on mine. Check it out if your mpem ever fries.

That's part of the reason I'm looking at the OSD kit but still unsure of the single lipped seal idea as per above.

Thanks for the kind words, and I have already seen and read your write up

Andy

 

[Andy4k6]

Nice, I used the same button. I burned the led out on it, but will wire it to my master switch to indicate that the accessory relay is on once the new one comes in.

I will see how the light gets on, as long as the switch is good I can live without the light.

Andy

 

[hotrodssnova]

I use the osd ones also. I believe they have a dimple to hold the seal in place, but you can still pop it. I give mine a couple of squirts on the pre-trip inspection and test start engines before I leave the house.

On your oil, more than likely condensation from over the years. The oil pump lines are obviously missing off the oil pump. If they aren't capped off at the intake manifold, you will run lean due to unmetered air getting in to the engine.

You can test the oil pump on or off the engine.

 

[Andy4k6]

The inlet wasn't blocked off but I have now replaced them with tygon tubing and they seemed to bleed ok so I guess the pumps are working ok.

I have no idea how the condensation would have got in but I know the engine bay has been wet inside for years so maybe it's that.