RESTO 1998 SeaDoo Challenger 1800 Restoration Project

[Guest_User]

I`m new to this forum, and Glad to see that it has an active dedicated sub forum for SeaDoo 2 stroke boats.
Thought I would share my latest rehab on this Challenger 1800

*A Brief Note*
I purchased this "turnkey boat" from a trusted person back in late March/early April 2012. It turns out to be not turnkey at all. I had tossed what I usually preach to others about used watercraft to the curb, bc I knew the previous owner. with that said:
Lets cut to the chase:
I did not know the many issues I will encounter along the way and was excited to have this boat bc I have a little history with it. So I started with a few cosmetics and then found the BAD at a later time. Otherwise this boat would still be sitting in the last owners driveway. I did pay a Premium price for this boat!

Here we go!
This is how I received the boat, and brought it home.
The reverse/forward cable felt strange so I had to investigate. I was Told I need to be in the sweet spot for the engines to crank over, so I didn`t waste any time looking into the very stiff and uneasy feel to the shifter mechanism. Found a bent cable and ordered a new one, installed and adjusted it. In doing so found broken screws and stripped holes in the shifter console/surround. So that had to be drilled and retapped and new stainless hardware installed. I also adjusted the tension on the throttle controls. The rubber handles had to be removed and the salt water corrosion removed to clean up the handles.
I had to use a sacrificial wrench and modify it to get the reverse cable nut off.

PS: someone had used an acid wash on the boat and ruined quite a bit of the finish on the gel coat. you can see the white wash on the pump assy`s.

 

[Guest_User]

a few more:

 

[Guest_User]

Next came the trailer repair which I elected to do, bc basically the trailer was used as a BOAT STAND and sat at the salt waters edge... we all know what that means...

Previously 1.5-2 years before new hubs and 3 new tires were put on the trailer and sat the whole next season.
Before I hook up and take it to Crowley`s for a run quite a few things needed replacement/repair.
Axle springs, U Bolts, Tie Plates, winch, trailer jack, coupler, safety chain, safety cable and license plate bracket along with a bit of wiring repair and all new hardware throughout.
Even the roller and pin was repaired just under the winch strap and painted for protection.
Oh and new 2x6x8 carpeted bunks and hardware, as there were almost no screws holding the existing one on, wow...

 

[Guest_User]

Next: Take it down to Crowleys, back down the ramp and fire it up, see what`s up!
Well it was disappointing to say the least. Many many water leaks from carbon seals to exhaust and wherever I can not see. Home goes the boat!!!

 

[Guest_User]

The tear down begins and what I find is what I expected, but these driveline parts were replaced a few years ago and was told they were in still new condition.
prior parts at that time were pump housings, rebuild kits, after market impellers, wear rings etc etc.

The salt water damage was horrific! carbon seals were shot from lack of tension and mis-aligned engines. The drive shafts were shot. The pump housing aluminum hubs were so corroded the sealing edges were gone by the oil seals, water intrusion into the pump.
The pump inerds themselves were wasted. Burnt smelly oil, crushed torrington bearings, the wear rings literally fell out the pumps housings.
Upon removal someone used an entire tube of RTV to seal the Port side pump. It took hours just to clean that up for the replacement parts.
The thru hull fittings for the bellows are crushed and deformed, they will need to be replaced.
(I still have the old pump housings in a box, just no pics at this time)
in the mean time,
I don`t care for any liquid acid battery, and the PM2 is made by Oddy for sears.
also made my own way of anti rattler for the hitch draw bar by drilling 2 holes in the lip of the receiver and drilling and tapping for allen set screw with low profile nylok nuts!

 

[Guest_User]

In the meantime while parts are on order from PPG, I didn`t care for the color green of the traction mats supplied with the boat or the fact that they needed to be glued down, so an order was made for grey self stick mats from Hydroturf. Somewhere along the way we decide to paint the visors bc they were nasty and had years of 303 or Armor All on them. It took hours and lots of denatured alcohol to prep them for paint. We used a plastic type paint, came out decent!

 

[Guest_User]

At this point I start getting ready with shop supplies and stocking up on sealants, thread lockers, misc hardwares etc.
I`m getting in parts which consists of:
2 driveshafts
2 carbon seals, 2 bellows, 2 floating rings, 4 O rings, 4 clamps
2 pump housings, 2 wear rings, stainless hardware for pumps/exit nozzles.
2 pump shafts, 2 bearing kits, seals, pump cones, 2 pushers and springs, O rings
2 large and 2 small Oetiker clamps, 2 PTO rubber boots
2 impeller boots, 2 impeller rings

The skats that were in the old pumps were removed and sold, they were to tall for this boat. I reinstalled the oem impellers after cleaning them up and dressing the edges...

Now I can get to work:
drive lines installed, impellers/pumps installed, steering adjusted, reverse cable checked for adjustment...

 

[Guest_User]

Well we are just about ready for a return trip for the shakedown run and see how the new parts rectified some issues.

So I ring up my buddy and he meets me. We launch the boat, fire it up and already see more leaks. we warm up the engines and head out on the Mullica.
I slowly bring the boat up on a high idle bc the throttle feels a bit spongy, after a little bit I get the boat up on plane with no cavitation, Imagine that, one issue fixed...lol..., when I hear my friend say OMG! I immediately ask what what??? and he says you don`t want to know now!, I can`t help myself and slow down to hear what`s up, we are riding with the engine hatch open. He says when I hit the throttle to get up on plane BOTH head pipe gaskets are leaking like a stuck pig, like an old school water fountain!!! This was a previous repair from the last owner, enough said.
so anyway, we rode about 24 miles up and back, and now I had a whole list of things to check and repair...:banghead:

 

[Guest_User]

So the boat is back in the driveway and I start to get into repairing what`s leaking.
First thing is the exhaust hoses between tuned pipe and waterbox and waterbox and mufflers. This boat was OVERHEATED and I found more damage
These hoses were replaced previously and leaking again... I replaced them with Silicone hoses. Also the bilge pump outlet hose was cracked and leaking back into the boat when running! I replaced that bilge hose and swapped out that wimpy 460 with a 800GPH Rule pump.
There were various smaller hoses leaking and a few others that I addressed.

There was a plastic crate of parts included with the sale that had aftermarket heads bc the water line bungs were corroded off, and now was a good time to just install them and get it over with... the whole time I`m thinking after this I`m golden and can ride and bring the family out... not the case, you`ll see...

I pulled the heads to find both engines in BAD shape. Totally rusted cylinders even tho it ran, scratching my head on that one... There was one cylinder on each engine that was severely cracked between the aluminum and steel sleeve.
The perimeter groove that holds the O ring for the head outer seal was broken. all this was due to POOR care and being frozen.
I also found that one engine had a seizure in it`s recent past. Bad bad scoring/transfer.
I was in denial and installed the heads with new o rings and JB welded the cracked groove part so it could hold the seal...
I could not sleep, I could not take my family out with 2 time bombs on board. I was soo pissed.I knew what had to be done...uke::willy_nilly::grouphug:

 

[Guest_User]

a few more of the damage:

 

[Guest_User]

Just when I thought it couldn`t possibly get worse, the exhaust parts are a disaster.
The poor work/repair previously done by last owner was the cause for a major water leak.
There is a copper sealing ring between the head pipe and tuned pipe that was not only dislodged and mashed but leaked longgg enough to have severe salt water corrosion totally eroding the pipes rendering them JUNK. It leaked so bad that the salt water corrosion almost sealed itself. How do you miss seeing the misalignment on the pipe and copper sealing washer sticking out like a clams pisser! , it`s almost comical, but I`m not laughing...:svengo:

There was a cardboard box that contained a few tuned pipes a few head pipes and one exhaust manifold that was included in the sale. I could use 3 of the 5 pieces, the others were damaged.

upon disassembly and inspection of the exhaust, another leak found was at the exhaust manifold to cylinder, this leak and the leaky head pipe was dumping sea water right over the carbs! wow... There was also a shoe shine repair made to the fuel return line on the Port engine that I discovered when I started removing parts...wow...

 

[Dr Honda]

Actually... for a saltwater boat... it's in real nice condition.

The head-pipe leaks are normal for a salt boat. The weld plugs are known to rot out. Also... when you have leaky gaskets in the exhaust, it's generally for someone over torquing the bolts. Those parts get hot, and expand... so the bolts and gaskets need to be good. I would recommend replacing all the hardware, and gaskets. Then torque them to only 18 Lb-ft.

Oh... and even if the carbon seals were changed recently... that picture is exactly what they look like when someone has been running it on the trailer for too long. The cook and crack. (from overheating)


Anyway... I'm sure you will have it all sorted out soon.

 

[Guest_User]

Actually... for a saltwater boat... it's in real nice condition.

The head-pipe leaks are normal for a salt boat. The weld plugs are known to rot out. Also... when you have leaky gaskets in the exhaust, it's generally for someone over torquing the bolts. Those parts get hot, and expand... so the bolts and gaskets need to be good. I would recommend replacing all the hardware, and gaskets. Then torque them to only 18 Lb-ft.

Oh... and even if the carbon seals were changed recently... that picture is exactly what they look like when someone has been running it on the trailer for too long. The cook and crack. (from overheating)


Anyway... I'm sure you will have it all sorted out soon.

Hi Dr., true and I agree. I know those gaskets have been used/reused with the wrong sealant and wrong torque applied. I do know some history on this craft, but had I known it was to this extent, I would have went to plan B and purchased something else in way better shape.
The weld on`s have been replaced on the original pipes and that`s how the last owners repair contributed to the many leaks...
I`ve had boats and ski`s that run from fresh to salt waters and back, and I believe it is all in the proper care and maintenance that keeps them running well and fresh...
The boat is up and running, stay tuned for the continuation of the thread...

LOL, I hope I get it sorted, it`s been a while since I worked on a Seadoo

 

[Guest_User]

OK, now I get to do what I like to do best!
a plan is in motion, replacement engines ordered from SBT. Now the clean up and going thru what I have what I need and making a list...

some gaskets sets came with the boat.
ordered new copper sealing rings.
more shop supplies:
271, 242 loctite, Copper spray, High tack spray, permatex HP thread sealer, spray cleaner, acetone, paint,etc etc etc...

Started out by picking the best exhaust parts from the crap pile and cleaning them, resurfacing sealing areas and prepping and painting.!

 

[Guest_User]

A nice stock pile of cleaned parts on the shelves along with gaskets, carb kits, various pieces and hose etc etc.
After removing drives, exhaust, carbs, oil pumps, fuel/oil lines the engines come out by just climbing in the boat and lifting them off their mounts onto the side of the boat on a moving blanket, then getting out and picking them up and put on the tray for disassembly.
The SBT remans show up in a few days!
I have the reusable parts layed out on the table.

Tied the engines together so I can really crank on the breaker bar to remove the PTO with the PTO/impeller tool!
removed all fittings that need to be reused.

 

[Guest_User]

Assembly begins!
Lots of pics...
work all done to spec, torque specs followed, new seal in mag housing. blah blah blah...

 

[Guest_User]

assembly cont:

 

[RFoster130]

Lookin good...im guessing you have more to this story. Boat looks like it will basically be all brand new when done. Are those the original seats? I dont see anywhere where you said you redid them? The windshields look great. Did you change the hinges and the latch to hold them close?

 

[Guest_User]

Rotary valve, TDC, some more pics:

 

[Guest_User]

Lookin good...im guessing you have more to this story. Boat looks like it will basically be all brand new when done. Are those the original seats? I dont see anywhere where you said you redid them? The windshields look great. Did you change the hinges and the latch to hold them close?

Thanks, The front helm and passenger seats have been replaced, the rear is original, the rear deck pad was also bought used, I think off Ebay from last owner. Good thing it "looks" good, that`s what sold the boat to the misses,lol... and that it was supposed to be turnkey with a little Guest_User love...

The hinges, and latches are in great shape. I just don`t have the key to lock them...
Oh yeah! there is a story for sure...lol...

 

[Guest_User]

Copper spray on the exhaust gaskets, all new stainless hardware, allen cap bolts and correct lock washers. I actually liked the WSM metal core exhaust (?) gasket for the manifold and header pipe better than compressed paper or fiber that I saw of the SD OEM gaskets. I know that is debatable, and subjective to opinion...
This is my first time working on 787`s and these challenger jet boats. So it`s a big learning curve!, But I`m having fun! , so far... there is more...oof...

 

[Guest_User]

The engine compartment gets it`s final cleaning and new tygon oil lines for the rotary valve tank start getting installed. (premix, no oil injection)
and the engines get placed on their mounts...

Hindsight: what I learn over the next repairs, I should have just replaced all the engine mounts.
I do have plans to do that in the off season, if all goes well...

 

[Guest_User]

The deformed thru hull fittings for the carbon bellows get cut off. The hull thru holes will get dressed/squared before the Anodized fittings get epoxied in.

 

[Guest_User]

The SBT anodized thru hull fittings get put in place but not epoxied yet. The engines are aligned. they will be checked again after all the exhaust/weight is on them.
I had to quickly make a pair of shims to get the engine in alignment. (I had various thickness aluminum sheet on hand)

Hindsight: either the original mounts have sagged, been replaced, or other. I have not confirmed the part numbers, but do know it was not done since 2008.

This is a SBT alignment tool...

 

[Guest_User]

Electrics, oil lines start getting attached and sorted, and exhaust installed.

I need to view the timing marks I made previously on the PTO`s, so I enlarged the windows in the stainless PTO shields. Also the coil/relay tower was nut and bolted to the shield. I wanted to make this removable here so it is easier to remove the wing nut that attach the shield to the rear mount bracket, so Rivnuts were installed and allen socket heads attach the coil towers now.

Keeping my reference lines and transferring to the shield verifying TDC so I can see it with the timing light.

Drive line installed again. :banghead: