717 sportster single engine plz help

[teamziehm]

I have a 97 sportster 717 that I recently bought and have issues im hopin ya can can help me with? First thing is is outta water on trailer when I run it is it supposed to sound like it has a rev limiter and cuts out when throttle is pushed momentarily to half throttle? Its sounds like its either to rich and cuts out or is it just a rev limiter kicking in becuz boat is not in water or is there another issue I need to look for? Secondly in the water it wont go faster than approx 15 mph but it sounds like the motor revving but boat is going nowhere could this have anything to do with the sea weed door being closed over around the exit of jet and would lever need to be pulled all the way out? Im not super familier with these jet boats now the engine i am familiar with, any help would greatly be apprieciated I would very much apprieciate it thanks mike

 

[hotrodssnova]

Your post is so jumbled. I can't understand anything you are asking.

 

[XP 787]

Instead of seaweed door do you mean the reverse gate? if this is down a little bit you will be going no where.

Check wear ring around the impeller for damage and deep gouges.

 

[teamziehm]

I fixed the post up a bit

 

[teamziehm]

Lol I guess I mean reverse gate , im not super familiar with these jet boats also is it possible that becuz it is in nuetral that it cuts out? Thanks guys

 

[LawnDart]

Your pump is cavitating......check the condition of the impeller and the wear ring around the impeller. Cavitation can also be from a bad carbon seal, the seal around the driveshaft which keeps the water out.

Yes, it limits RPM when in neutral. It should operate normally in the forward position.

 

[hotrodssnova]

Check to make sure that the reverse bucket goes completely up and out of the way of the jet. That will also limit forward speed. The only time I run the boat on the trailer is to flush it out. It's really hard to tune it for water without actually being in the water, not to mention that the flush hook up doesn't really cool the engine properly.

 

[teamziehm]

Okay I just got home from testing itin the river for first time and yas were rite it has no limiter when its in gear it would rev up at full throttle but felt like it was still holdin back and felt like a rich condition and seems that if u slowly back outta throttle a tiny bit it would actually go a little faster like it was gettin to much fuel or as ya said reverse bucket possibly not completly outta the way which I just seen you guys stated , I will have to check tommorow to see if its all the way up when its in forward, also previous owner replaced the two llittle brass flat screw tapered needles on both carbs, could they be adjusted wrong? Anyone know he approximate settings in or out on these?" Is turning them in make it rich up high or down low in the rpm range? Thank you guys I really apprieciate all the help as this is my first jet boat thanks mike

 

[Sandman251]

You'll get all the help you can handle if you describe EXACTLY what your boat is doing when you apply/change inputs to the throttle. Be specific! Leave out your speculations on what YOU think it is. Your posts are not an easy read. If I had to guess...I would agree with LawnDart. Sounds like propulsion. (Impeller/Wear ring/Carbon seal.)

 

[hotrodssnova]

Do you have any history on the boat? From what you say, sounds like the wear ring. All 3 of the water craft I have bought needed a wear ring and the impeller oil changed. Seems like folks give up when their rig won't go.

Edit
On carb adjustments, there's a great thread on the 2 stroke pwc section. It's in the top sticky section. He covered the basics and it is very informative.

If the previous owner put the wrong size needle and seat in, that could cause issues. Also pop off could be set wrong.

What do the plugs look like? Are they fuel fouled? Have you trimmed a 1/4" off the plug wires and made sure that they are all the way seated?
Just some things to check out.

 

[teamziehm]

Okay today I took carbs off completlly went thru them and cleaned them and hs and ls setting were all wrong it was so pig fat wit settings where they were, I now have hs set at lightly seated clockwise all the way in gently seated. And Ls is set at 1-1/4 out from lightly seated,Now I went out for a ripp in the river and only problem I have now that I didnt have yesterday is that boat will start n idle but will not rev up till I blip the choke for a split second then she goes lke crazy now no matter where I put the low speed needles it still wont rev off of idle till choke is hit for a split second then all is good, plugs are dark not black and not wet they are dark brown. Now when I was cleaning the carbs I found something missing it was a little small transparent strip that goes under a little metal tab mounted on a little aluminum block that two screws hold it to the carb body, can anyone tell me what it is?and id also love to know what is a pop off??? Thanks guys very much on all yur help, it is really apprieciated thank you again mike

 

[hotrodssnova]

Pop off is the amount of fuel pressure that is required to open the needle off the seat in the carb. It varies from carb to carb.

https://youtu.be/WAmRA2auqsk

If you have a shop manual, it should be listed in there.

 

[teamziehm]

Thanks bud for the reply I dont haveca manuel I will need to purchase one overvwinter as I ony have about 3days of boating left before major cooldown, now did anyone have any idea after doin carbs why low speed adjuster settings does make any difference where i set it too, choke needs to be blipped to start revving then is good after that, also where do I find locatioms for drive drain and fill plugs there appears to be two plastic knobs on back of transom one on each side of the jet drive and they are black I took out and dont see any oil just black wet looking risidules should both the plugs be out and fill one side tilll it comes out the other black plug on other side of drive? Thank you very muchvguyscwas hopin so, eonecwill chime in before 230pm east before I head back out , however I realize everyone has a life and cant be committed to being 24 hr tech on here, lol! Thanks guys

 

[hotrodssnova]

Those plugs are probably your drain plugs for the hull. The impeller oil is checked by pulling the reverse gate and steering nozzle. Then you will see a cone with 3 screws/bolts. You will also see an allen plug at the top of the cone. I use a small zip tie to check the level. The procedure takes about an hour to pull the bucket and nozzle and replace. Make sure you use blue lock time when you put it all back together. I also use an oil resistant sealant on the allen plug. The impeller oil housing will build up some pressure. It also helps prevent the plug from coming loose.

On the carbs, definitely sounds like a lean bog/tip in. Could be adjustments of the low speed screw. They might need rebuilt. Might need carb to manifold gaskets. Could be a number of things.

 

[teamziehm]

Thanks hot rods I found it and it was good okay I went out all day from 3 till 9pm, so I now I know today that there is def somthing wrong in the jet wether its wear ring or propeller it takes forever to get on plane and sometimes when I open throttle all the way the motor will all of the sudden act like a crazy free rev like theres no drivshaft attached and ya have to hurry up and get outta throttle so I dont hurt the motor , its like there was no turning impellar at all no load and its not consistent, it comes and goes, I guess I may just buy a complete jet pump assembly off ebay for around 300 to 400$ instead of doin all individual pieces, does any of what I described sound familiar to ya guys?? I really apprieciate it again guys - mike

 

[teamziehm]

Last three days of the new sportster were alot of fun until today when my motor blew up about 1 mile up river from the brink of niagara falls on the upper niagara river, its the last time I ever use the hotter stock br8es plugs ive always used 9's in the rotax motors, motor went from dark brown plugs with the br9es to solid white lean with the br8es. HERES THE BIG QUESTION I HAVE GUYS CAN ANYONE PLZ TELL ME WHAT YEAR JET SKI TWIN ENGINE WILL BOLT IN MY 97 SPEEDSTER AND STILL WORK WITH MY STOCK ELECTRONICS YEAR AND MODELS??THERE ARE ALOT OF EM IN MY AREA ON BUFFALO CRAIGSLIST FOR $500 ish FOR A COMPLETE SKI, BUT I DONT WANNA GO SMALLER THAN WHAT I HAVE IN THERE NOW AND ITS A 717.THANKS GUYS FOR THE HELP I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO GET IT BACK UP IN THE WATER FOR AT LEAST 3 MORE WEEKS THANKS AGAIN MIKE