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Been lurking, finally joined cause I bought a 97 challenger and need help

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Rushisrighton

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I just bought my first boat ever, a 97 seadoo challenger single engine. It runs okay but I'd like to know what I should do to get it running top notch. Here are my questions.

1. The wear ring looks ok and the impeller isn't bad but does have some rough edges on the ends. It takes a while to plane and doesn't come up very fast especially after a tight turn or spin, but my top end seems ok and the engine runs and revs fine. I would like it to pop up quickly and respond better when I whip it around, I'm thinking of a skat trak swirl or am I wrong?

2. It's a little difficult to start, has to be cranked and cranked and cranked over to get it started, but once running its fine, but if I shut it off for even five minutes it's hard to start again, any ideas?

3. Since I bought a used boat, and I've never owned or worked on one I've been reading this forum a lot, but I'd like to know the major things to service to get the most performance out of my boat, would anyone care to list the top things to do?

Thanks ahead for any help I'm no mechanic and definently not an experienced boater so I appreciate any help mechanic wise, BUT I am an experienced auto body technician I've been at it for over 20 years and am quite adept at fiberglass repair and gel coating so I hope I can contribute back. (I do boat repair on a regular basis along with semis, motor homes and cars and motorcycles)
 
1. Carbon seal can leak and cause cavitation. I'd say wear ring tolerance is hard to measure by just looking.

2. Carb work might be the way to go. I had same symptoms and had leaking needle/seat. Pto carb was leaking fuel like crazy and filling the engine.

3. Owner's manual is good for regular maintenance. Basic stuff like new plugs, correct 2-smoke oil(api tc) and new filters for fuel and oil. Yours is 787 right? Rave valves might need some cleaning.
 
Thanks, the replies are much appreciated, solid answers.

How about the skat trac vs stock impeller, from my readings it sounds like the way to go, if anybody has experienced the difference I'd like to hear from them.
 
Rushisrighton said:
Thanks, the replies are much appreciated, solid answers.

How about the skat trac vs stock impeller, from my readings it sounds like the way to go, if anybody has experienced the difference I'd like to hear from them.
Click to expand...

The stock versus Skat impellers performance are discussed in the thread I posted the earlier link to, your power and driveline needs to be in perfect condition to run the Skat but you will pick some top end speed with it at the expense of a strong holeshot under any real load. The stock impeller is still the best overall performer.

Go back and read that thread it has all the information you're looking for in comparing the stock and skat for the 97 Challenger.
 
I went with skats. Love em. Yes, I lost a couple mph up top, but have a strong hole shot with no cavitation. I know, different boat...
What I like most about them is the excellent hook up in choppy water.
 
Thanks for the link, I had read that one already though, what I got out of it was

Waterluvr said:
The stock versus Skat impellers performance are discussed in the thread I posted the earlier link to, your power and driveline needs to be in perfect condition to run the Skat but you will pick some top end speed with it at the expense of a strong holeshot under any real load. The stock impeller is still the best overall performer.

Go back and read that thread it has all the information you're looking for in comparing the stock and skat for the 97 Challenger.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link, I had read that one and quite a few others and what I'm understanding is this:

Stock seadoo impeller is an all around mid performer, not perfect but a safe bet assuming your happy with how the boat performs for you with it.

17/22 skat if you want top end speed assuming your engine and drivetrain are perfect and can utilize it.

16/24 skat for a little more bite without sacrificing too much top end (popular and has a few reviews on the forum.

14.5/22.5 skat provides bottom end grunt but sacrifices a few mph on the top end.

I can't seem to find too much info on the 14.5, but I did call impros today and it's what they recommended and I also found a boat mechanic locally who is familiar with the skat trak on these boats he also had good things to say.

Basically if the skat trak 14.5 wouldn't provide better hole shot, I'd stick with my stock impeller but everything I have read says it does. I don't care if I lose a couple of mph on the top end , I just want to plane as fast as possible.
 
The stock impeller is by far the best performer, you should be able to transition from a dead peg idle (rpms and hull speed) to WOT and be on plane 3-4 seconds in clean water. Of all the Skat impellers the 16/24 gives about three MPH in relatively flat conditions and you lose a good bit of the hole shot ability with a longer planing time.

If your boat and the stock impeller aren't getting you right up on plane you have problems to solve and adding a Skat for speed is only going to make it worse. The Skat 17/22 doesn't hold a candle to the factory stock impeller in the same pitch, it takes longer to hook up, won't pull the same load on a tow rope and has less top end.
 
I'm sure you are right, the 17/22 skat looks like it's geared towards maximum speed, not hole shot, I would definently choose the stock impeller over that one, however I'm debating the stock vs. the 14.5/22.5 impeller change along with a new wear ring and all of the other maintenance I will need to perform.
 
FinnExplorer said:
1. Carbon seal can leak and cause cavitation. I'd say wear ring tolerance is hard to measure by just looking.

2. Carb work might be the way to go. I had same symptoms and had leaking needle/seat. Pto carb was leaking fuel like crazy and filling the engine.
'
3. Owner's manual is good for regular maintenance. Basic stuff like new plugs, correct 2-smoke oil(api tc) and new filters for fuel and oil. Yours is 787 right? Rave valves might need some cleaning.
Click to expand...


Yes, motor is the 787, Thanks for the input, you've given me a good direction, I think I'll tackle the rave valves next. Just found the sticky (a look inside the 787) that was helpful also
 
I'm confused. My stock impellers would unhook constantly in chop. The swirls rarely do, and I boat in Lake Erie. I bought the skat swirls specifically for a better hole shot and better hook up. I guess the different pitches make the difference. I'd do the basic stuff first though, and try your stock ones again, and see if there is a big enough change. With Crappy drive line seals or a wear ring out of spec it won't matter what impeller you throw on there. Your stock ones may prove to be the perfect choice once everything else is made perfect (and you'll save some coin).
 
Don't be confused, you're trying to compare performance between two completely different hulls that have exactly nothing in common when it comes to impeller performance. His single pump is sitting lower in the hull on a ride shoe that's far superior and has a big advantage for hooking the prop in under any water conditions versus your twin pumps sitting up higher and outboard to each side of the boat scavenging off each other.

For your twin Challenger 1800 the Skat swirls are certainly a much better choice for any water conditions, for his hull not so much. I have all the Skat's for the 97 Challenger single available to loan for someone that needs to get it out of their system, no one that has run the stock prop previously (pn#204160027) has ever not brought them back to claim and re-install the factory impeller.

The one and only advantage to switch on the single Challenger to a 16/24 skat swirl is if you never pull anything and don't run with more than two people in the boat you will see faster speeds at WOT and cruise. You have to blow 150 psi or better on each cylinder with the drivetrain and pump in good order to make it happen or you're wasting your time and money the boat won't be able to get out of it's own way if it's short on horsepower or getting by on a clapped out drive shaft and pump which is pretty typical anymore.
 
Well I did order a skat trak 14.5 / 22.5, and wear ring, seal, oil etc. I also took my rave valves out and cleaned them up and noticed in a few posts that some people have green bellows vs red, but no one has said what the difference is and I can't find an answer.
 
Thanks for joining and becoming a Premium Member. Looks like you have gotten very good info thus far.

You will find this site to be nothing short of excellent for Seadoo products...
 
Rushisrighton said:
Did they improve them or just change the color?
Click to expand...

I would assume they changed the compound of the material, but it's hard to say. I couldn't see them making a change of part# just for a color change. I only have red ones here, no green ones (except on engines) right now to compare the two.
 
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