1997 Seadoo speedster

[BigDog209]

I’m trying to get a little help here. I’m really good with 2 stroke engines. I rebuild dirt bike and banshee engines all the time. I also build high performance Chevy and Ford Mustang engines as a hobby. This is my buddy’s boat and I’m trying to help him fix it but now that it’s at my house I can’t even figure out how to turn it on. I put the key fob in earlier and I didn’t hear any beep. I turned the nav switch on and I noticed the lights were dim so I got the battery charging. I have the adapter to connect the inlet to each engine through the back of the boat. The problem he’s having is the right side engine runs, but when he puts it in gear it dies. I also noticed it has three levers on the right side and the one in the middle feels like it’s not even hooked up. Some advice would be greatly appreciated. I’m not sure what model it is but I do know the year is a 97 because I checked the HIN. And I read the tag on the starboard side and it says I think 717. But I’ll double check to make sure. Also there is a lever under the steering wheel I forget what they call it but yea under the steering wheel and I’m not sure what that goes to. I’m also wondering were the two stroke oil fill is at. I want to make sure I do a good job on this because some shop out of business told him it needed a new top end on the starboard side. That wouldn’t be a problem for me because I’ve built two strokes for the last 25 years and I understand the intake valve description. Even the bottom ends are just the same as regular dirt bikes and the rebuild would almost be the same.

 

[BigDog209]

If I can I want to do a video of me fixing this thing with your guys help. Here’s pictures of it.

 

[BigDog209]

Engines

 

[racerxxx]

The beepers die all the time. Please don't charge the battery while it's connected to the boat, you put the MPEM (ECU) at risk of damage. The idle should be set to 3k out of water, when you put the boat in water it will drop to 1500 which is perfect. You can adjust the friction on the control lever for the port engine. You'll need to pull the entire assembly carefully. It's a teleflex control handle, there is a procedure in the service manual which you can Google and find for free. You could possibly go to teleflex's website and see if they have a manual for adjusting the tension. I know someone here posted the page from the manual. I'm not home right now so I can't do it. But it's fairly straight forward.

 

[racerxxx]

www.seadooforum.com/threads/floppy-loose-throttle-lever-friction.15013

 

[Kenrussell3]

If it is the key fob not making proper contact, you will not be able to start either engine, unless you replace or bypass the key fob. I bought my 1997 Speedster that someone had done a bypass key fob bypass. I was not be able to turn the engines off, without choking them out. I repaired the key fob, but the plastic disintegrated in a couple of days at the lake. I did a key fob "rebuild". (I'm too cheap to buy a new one and have it programmed)

 

[Kenrussell3]

The handle under the steering wheel is to open the weed gates that cover the water jet inlets. As to the three handles to the right, the left handle is neutral, forward, and reverse. The middle handle is the throttle control for the left engine. The right handle is the throttle control for the right engine. To start the engines, you must place the key fob in position and hear the double beep; the left handle must be straight up (in neutral), and both throttle controls all the way back (in idle position). Usually, you will need to pull the choke handles to start the engines, until they start and get warmed up.

 

[Kenrussell3]

After recharging or replacing the battery, you can put a trickle charger on the battery, without having to disconnect the battery.

 

[jts32]

As sensitive as Sea Doo mpems are to voltage spikes, I personally would never charge a battery with the cables connected. Boat mpems are becoming tougher to find, and at $500-$1000 for a used replacement, the 30 seconds it takes to disconnect the cables is well worth the time spent. Just my 2¢

 

[Kenrussell3]

As sensitive as Sea Doo mpems are to voltage spikes, I personally would never charge a battery with the cables connected. Boat mpems are becoming tougher to find, and at $500-$1000 for a used replacement, the 30 seconds it takes to disconnect the cables is well worth the time spent. Just my 2¢

You are right about charging the battery; however, the "trickle" chargers are unable to spike or charge the battery. They are designed to keep an already fully charged battery from discharging, without having to remove or disconnect the battery.