1997 Challenger Problems (list)

[Fat Cat]

So after coming back from winterizing the ol' SeaDoo, I have a few problems. Some were from last year, but never really were too important. So here's a small list.

-Speedometer. It doesn't work at all, but sometimes it will flicker between speeds if we hit a small wave or turn in a certain way. What could I do to fix it, and how much would it cost?

-Throttlesticks. One is very loose, and if you don't hold it with your hand then it falls back to idle. Also my port engine stick (the loose stick) has to be about 1 inch more forward to match RPMs. How could I set it back to match? The odd part is, they idle the same, both port and starboard engines when the sticks are completely down.

-Gas gauge. When we have the tank about 1/2 full then it shows it as empty. And even the little light on the right side of the dashboard comes on, and a little beeper thing comes on too that turns off when you hit the gas button. How can we get this fixed?

-The port engine doesn't rev above 5k RPMs. Is there a safety feature or something that when it shows low gas you can't rev? I'm not sure though, as I can easily get my starboard engine to rev to 7k RPMs. Could it be the plugs? I replaced the plugs with old ones that I knew still worked, and it somewhat fixed the problem. I had to wait for it to rev to 6k RPM, it was not instant.

That's it for now, and if someone could answer all of these that'd be great. Keeping this as 1 thread so it doesn't clutter this board.

 

[Dr Honda]

Speedo: You will have to do a little troubleshooting on that one. It could be the sender, the wires, or the gauge. If I have to guess... it's the gauge.

Throttles: There is a friction adjustment in the lever. Just lift the assembly out of the hull, and tighten it. You never will get the engine to sync perfectly, so don't try. That's why they give you 2 throttle levers. Also... that boat has 2 diffident pitch impellers, so the engines will run at different RPM's.

Gas Level: It's probably the float in the sender. Pull the sender out of the tank, and replace the sender. Also, make sure all the magnets are in the old float, and not stuck in the sender tube.

RPM's: You need to service that engine, and figure out what's wrong. Low RPM could be a sign of bigger problems. But, change the plugs, and clean the RAVE valves.


As far as not cluttering the board... you are better off separating questions. Most people won't answer if it get's too complex, and if this goes farther than this response... the replies will be very long if we are covering everything.

 

[Fat Cat]

Speedo: You will have to do a little troubleshooting on that one. It could be the sender, the wires, or the gauge. If I have to guess... it's the gauge.

Throttles: There is a friction adjustment in the lever. Just lift the assembly out of the hull, and tighten it. You never will get the engine to sync perfectly, so don't try. That's why they give you 2 throttle levers. Also... that boat has 2 diffident pitch impellers, so the engines will run at different RPM's.

Gas Level: It's probably the float in the sender. Pull the sender out of the tank, and replace the sender. Also, make sure all the magnets are in the old float, and not stuck in the sender tube.

RPM's: You need to service that engine, and figure out what's wrong. Low RPM could be a sign of bigger problems. But, change the plugs, and clean the RAVE valves.


As far as not cluttering the board... you are better off separating questions. Most people won't answer if it get's too complex, and if this goes farther than this response... the replies will be very long if we are covering everything.

Thank you for responding. I'm looking at the engine tonight, going to clean the rave valves tonight. I've seen that oil can clog those up, and the past owner and us have only premixed.

 

[Fat Cat]

OK, I cleaned out the rave valves. Could adjusting the cylinder on the valve (red screw able part) effect this? Also could it be the loose throttle stick?

 

[Dr Honda]

Adjusting the RAVE set's when it opens. If the engine is healthy... it will still reach max RPM's, it just may not perform as well.

A "Loose" throttle lever has nothing to do with max RPM's. BUT... you may want to make sure the cable is adjusted properly, and that the carbs are opening.

 

[Fat Cat]

Is it up or down for the rave valve that does performance? I read a thread earlier that said which was which. I could really care less for running it wide open, I just usually cruise with it at 4500-6000 rpm, and then some occasional water skiing.