2001 Seadoo Sportster LE. Just got it!

[Bonmotwang]

bleach bottle probably will work. Make sure the cut a sample and bend it for 100 times and make sure it will hold.

I was going to use bleach bottle piece to glue the broken ones back, using plastic glue with activator. But that couldn't get the hinge pieces and bleach bottle piece hold together. Maybe I need to try different glue.
So I decided to pick my fight :-D ---- Ordered 2 sets from OSDparts.com for $30.

Now I am waiting for yours to break and expecting your rework instructions. :thumbsup:

Kept on testing the fix.

I cut a piece of cloth from a package material, and crazy glued (gorilla) on the broken hinge, clamped over night on my vice with a rubber spacer on the cloth side to make sure cloth is contacting the plastic.
Checked in the morning. It worked! I think it is better than the OEM part (too bad, parts ordered are now for back up :-D). It will take a LOT more bends than the plastic ones.

I will post some pictures tonight.

 

[Bonmotwang]

Here comes the pictures of material, super glue I used.

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[Bonmotwang]

When I was cleaning the front storage door latch, I found that there are some cracks in the plastic parts. Those cracks are very close to break the whole assembly. I used crazy glue fixed them. The metal pin is too tight for the hole had a crack. So I stole a LEGO piece from my son's room. It fits perfectly.

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[Bonmotwang]

Mystery oil update.
Phoned the marine shop, the guy told me if people asked for suggestions for carb 947 oil, they would always have suggested XPS 2 full synthetic, which is not blue (reddish right?). He wouldn't even suggest Amsoil personally.
But he said a couple of years ago they had an big inventory clearance. Some old XPS 2 full synthetic got sold in cases. The old XPS 2 is bright blue which is the color in my oil tank. The PO owned the boat for about a couple of years if not 3. So the timing is about right.
I maybe lucky to have a full tank of The good stuff?

Does the color story and timing make sense?


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I went to the that local dealer. After I said it is 951, he gave me the XPS in yellow jug and said 951 has to use this if you don't want the engine to blow up.
BTW. This store has a big banner for selling Amsoil too.
I took one jug home and did a overnight mix test in a glass. Checked in the morning, nothing hard or gummy stuff noticed.
The blue one sit at the bottom, XPS stays on the top. (I didn't stir last night, now I did to see if there is a difference).
They smell similar but different.

Anyway it seems like it had the right oil in there. The plan is still to drain the old one and put XPS in. The 2 Gallon of amsoil will be returned.


Edit: the mix test last 24 hours, the oil mixed extremely well. more in believe it was XPS 2 in there. :-D

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[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

I don't recall ever seeing blue seadoo oil, it always used to be yellowish color until it became red.
I like the mixing test, if one settles to the bottom that's NOT GOOD, you don't want to mix these oils!

I think if the blue mystery oil really was XPS then it would mix well with the real XPS.

Hmm on the hatch hinges, I only thought I might be able to use some HDPE from a bleach bottle, haven't tried this yet. Another thought though, those hinges look like the hinge on some camping ice coolers too?

$30 for two sets isn't bad.

I don't think you can successfully glue the HDPE by using epoxy or Gorilla glue, it is completely resistant to solvent welding. I hope eventually you can find something to use the Gorilla glue for, the adhesives I use mostly are epoxy and 3M 4200/5200 unless the parts are ABS or PVC, then I can use MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) and/or acetone, PVC or ABS plumbing fixture adhesive. There is a slight difference between ABS and PVC, if you have an old bottle of PVC/ABS plumbing fixture cement that's dried out and turned into snot, you can add some (a good amount of) MEK and some actone to make it good as new.

I think the sweet spot is 5000~5200 RPM! I can see 30MPH on the dream-o-meter(r) if the water is really smooth.

I didn't read all the rest, but I enjoy your thread! Oh, hard starting - Make sure to use full choke until the motor pops, then there should be enough fuel but on the second cold crank (assuming the first doesn't start) it is sometimes is necessary to use choke.

There is only a small amount of fuel available for the accelerator pump until it has no more to pump, it's not enough volume to badly flood the engine IMO. I suspect you didn't have enough fuel (choke).

If you sometime feel the engine is flooded with fuel then pull the plugs and ground the ign plug wires then crank it over 10 secs with plugs out, this will dry out the crankcase from excess fuel.

Happy sailing!

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

And I tend to agree, at 5500 RPM this is enough engine speed there should not be any missing. It does sound like a miss you reported, are both of the plug center electrode insulators approximately a cardboard brown color? It's possible maybe one of your plugs is close to fouling? You need a brown color on the center insulator, it starts yellow with new plugs and becomes brown after an hour or two and stays brown, this is using XPS-2.

If the plug is gray it's too lean of fuel and the next step would be aluminum dots coating and electrical shorting the plug center insulator!

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

But gorilla glue is polyurethane, right? If so then it's quite similar chemistry to 3M 4200/5200, maybe not as pretty?

 

[Bonmotwang]

But gorilla glue is polyurethane, right? If so then it's quite similar chemistry to 3M 4200/5200, maybe not as pretty?

I got the 2 sets of hinges. Haven't put it on yet. By they look great
Shouldn't fool around for this $30, I did it only when I couldn't get the parts in time and wouldn't want to lose the lip on high way. :-D


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[Bonmotwang]

And I tend to agree, at 5500 RPM this is enough engine speed there should not be any missing. It does sound like a miss you reported, are both of the plug center electrode insulators approximately a cardboard brown color? It's possible maybe one of your plugs is close to fouling? You need a brown color on the center insulator, it starts yellow with new plugs and becomes brown after an hour or two and stays brown, this is using XPS-2.

If the plug is gray it's too lean of fuel and the next step would be aluminum dots coating and electrical shorting the plug center insulator!

In my memory, every time it took the spark plug out, it looks black to me. But I will double check in the morning.


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[Bonmotwang]

Used my shop vac to start, now taking most of try blue oil out.

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[Bonmotwang]

Man that is a LOT of oil

Brought it to Canadiantire for recycle.

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[Bonmotwang]

And I tend to agree, at 5500 RPM this is enough engine speed there should not be any missing. It does sound like a miss you reported, are both of the plug center electrode insulators approximately a cardboard brown color? It's possible maybe one of your plugs is close to fouling? You need a brown color on the center insulator, it starts yellow with new plugs and becomes brown after an hour or two and stays brown, this is using XPS-2.

If the plug is gray it's too lean of fuel and the next step would be aluminum dots coating and electrical shorting the plug center insulator!

It is dark brown (looks like a kind of wood) on the isolator post, no coating noticed.

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[Bonmotwang]

I didn't read all the rest, but I enjoy your thread! Oh, hard starting - Make sure to use full choke until the motor pops, then there should be enough fuel but on the second cold crank (assuming the first doesn't start) it is sometimes is necessary to use choke.

There is only a small amount of fuel available for the accelerator pump until it has no more to pump, it's not enough volume to badly flood the engine IMO. I suspect you didn't have enough fuel (choke).

If you sometime feel the engine is flooded with fuel then pull the plugs and ground the ign plug wires then crank it over 10 secs with plugs out, this will dry out the crankcase from excess fuel.

Happy sailing!

Tried to start in the morning. It's been sitting for about 12 days now. I pulled the choke all the way, and pressed the button, letting the starter crank until it started.
So no problem.

What I did wrong was I always give up after a couple of seconds cranking, thinking something is wrong :-D

 

[Bonmotwang]

I got the 2 sets of hinges. Haven't put it on yet. By they look great
Shouldn't fool around for this $30, I did it only when I couldn't get the parts in time and wouldn't want to lose the lip on high way. :-D


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I put the new hinges on tonight. It fits well with some attention.

The vertical slot side has to be on the hull for the best result.

Before install the hinge, put the screws into the hinge and close the hinge to see if it can close to less than 1mm. Otherwise the lid won't close well.

The screws were there is too big. I guess precious owner(s) may have lost the OE screws.

I had to get some M3 and file the head down.

All good now.

The bigger screw is the wrong one

With the big head hinge cannot close tight

It should be like this

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[JamesHBCA]

I just replaced those hinges on my 2001 Challenger. One hinge was halfway broke and I figured I would replace both. The dealer wanted $64.00 for 2 hinges, prepaid special order. I not so politely declined.

I purchased 2 almost identical plastic hinges from McMaster Carr delivered the next day for like $2 each plus shipping. The new hinges have much more meat on the flex part and will probably outlast the boat. The factory hinges where obviously modified to fit and didn't leave much plastic left, which appears to have caused the failure.

 

[Bonmotwang]

Update on the steering trouble shooting.
I virtually checked the steering linkages and cable by taking the front bin out also the cup holder at the driver side. I don't see anything suspicious.

Than I asked my wife to hold the nozzle and I turn the wheel. The play is only a few degrees. And she said it was hard to hold the nozzle when I turn the wheel.
I also did the test the other way around: she hold the wheel and I try to turn the nozzle. It was hard to move the nozzle when she was holding the wheel in the centre.

So the linkage and cable seems to be OK.

The only thing I could think right now is the reverse cup wasn't not totally engaged but enough for the throttle level to move. I should check the reverse gate location when it is the water.

It is a kind of mystery now. I also check the hull and anything could possibly drag, but nothing is obvious to me.




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[Bonmotwang]

Low speed go straight, but pulling to right on the plane

Went boating in the morning to double check the steering performance.

Met some friends at the park. So got 4 adults and one little kid on board :-D

What I found out is: when the speed is low, there is no problem, the wheel is straight, boat is going straight.

Only when the boat is on the plane, something is pulling it to the right side. The weight is a little heavier on my side, say 60lbs more because of the body weight difference.

Also when the boat is on the plane, it is pretty hard to turn the last 30 or 45 degrees on the steering wheel, when I tried to turn left. turn right is easier.

Again, I have checked that the steering cable is tight.

One more thing I forgot to mention. The nozzle is not original, but the Venturi is. I bought a set of nozzle and venturi in good condition. But when I was installing it, I found the venturi won't fit because of a "bump" on the venturi body.
Obvious that set is not made for 2001 Sportster LE. But they look exactly same except that "bump". The nozzles looked exactly same to me. So I took of the nozzle and put on the better one.

The original nozzle and venturi are working, just the surface is very bad.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

I meant to answer your previous question about this, I thought I mentioned. It's normal(expected) for the steering to go to one side. It's b/c the water doesn't exit the impeller straight, it comes out at an angle b/c it's not laminar flow, it's a compromise due to the rotational direction of the impeller.

I think you are noticing a normal steering phenomenon, but if it's too difficult to compensate against the torque (you cannot control the boat safely?) then your steering cable may be worn out and binding (doubtful this is the case but possible).

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

It is dark brown (looks like a kind of wood) on the isolator post, no coating noticed.

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I cannot see the center ceramic insulators well from this distance but they look a little grey to me, one seems to be a different color from the other?

At lest they're not white but I've seen many seized 2-stroke motors with grey plug insulators (too lean). Usually this follows a symptom of a bog and hesitation during a rapid throttle acceleration.

Edit: And, the metal crush gaskets don't seem to be crushed, are you properly torquing the plugs during installation?

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

A normal plug should look like this:

More info can be found at this link, the last photo is the unfortunate end result AFTER the damage has already occurred. He should add one more photo of a grey(not brown) plug. The brown film layer is fluffy and easy to scratch some off.
http://www.seadoosource.com/sparkpluginfo.html

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

And it's obvious those plugs from your photo have not been run for very long, so the film is still growing in the insulator and has not yet stabilized.

Do you still have the previous plugs available? If they still work, I think you should install them for the next trip.

 

[Bonmotwang]

I meant to answer your previous question about this, I thought I mentioned. It's normal(expected) for the steering to go to one side. It's b/c the water doesn't exit the impeller straight, it comes out at an angle b/c it's not laminar flow, it's a compromise due to the rotational direction of the impeller.

I think you are noticing a normal steering phenomenon, but if it's too difficult to compensate against the torque (you cannot control the boat safely?) then your steering cable may be worn out and binding (doubtful this is the case but possible).

Ok. I feel better. (Boy, I got a lot of feeling about MY boat)
I talked to my friend later and mentioned this. He told me that it is the same on his prop boat, and above behind the propeller there is a small vein like device for compensating the torque/turn.

Yes, I can drive the boat safely no problem. I have no idea what should the "turning on the plane" be. I thought somebody said even at high speed you should be able to turn the boat "easily". If I say I can turn the boat easily at 3500RPM, then it is hard to turn especially to the left at 6000RPM.


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[Bonmotwang]

Edit: And, the metal crush gaskets don't seem to be crushed, are you properly torquing the plugs during installation?

I only tighten the plugs by fingers, definitely not by arm, afraid to damage the threads :-D

So I should "crush" the gasket?

Is it ok to take the plug off and on after every trip?


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[Bonmotwang]

A normal plug should look like this:

More info can be found at this link, the last photo is the unfortunate end result AFTER the damage has already occurred. He should add one more photo of a grey(not brown) plug. The brown film layer is fluffy and easy to scratch some off.
http://www.seadoosource.com/sparkpluginfo.html

Ok. I will take off the plugs and take a close picture as is.


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[Bonmotwang]

Ok. I will take off the plugs and take a close picture as is.


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