C-180 Inake Grate

[Craigmri]

C-180 Intake Grate

Guys,

I'm all ready in a world of hurt here.

In process of removing the intake grate. The rear three bolts(closest to stern) came out fine but the single larger bolt(closer to bow) loosened but only partially. Its loose but either the bolt threads are stripped or the threaded insert in the boat is spinning.

Since it is loose I was able to move the grate to the side so I could get my hand inside near the impeller to cut out all that oozed out black sealant. So now its all clear I want to re-install the grate but not sure what to do with the front bolt because it wont come out and it wont tighten either as it just spins.

WTF????

Craig

 

[Craigmri]

OK, looking at the BRP parts diagrams....They have a "Elastic" nut on that bolt. So I now understand why its just spinning. I'm going to need to locate this nut inside the bilge and secure it to remove the bolt. What a pain!

Craig

 

[CypherAZ]

OK, looking at the BRP parts diagrams....They have a "Elastic" nut on that bolt. So I now understand why its just spinning. I'm going to need to locate this nut inside the bilge and secure it to remove the bolt. What a pain!

Craig

Sounds like you are going to have a fun afternoon.

 

[06challenger]

get some little hands in there! it might be a little more easy to have someone hold it with a pair of vice grips!

 

[Craigmri]

Cant get it!!!!

Guys,

I cannot get to where I need...The engine sits practically on the bottom of the bilge...I think I'm screwed!

Craig

get some little hands in there! it might be a little more easy to have someone hold it with a pair of vice grips!

 

[06challenger]

i think our boats are almost the same! when i get off shift from the FD in the morning i take a look @ mine and see if i can come up with any ideas for you!

 

[Craigmri]

Sweet!

Dude, you rock! Dont go crazy though....Its gonna be a nightmare. I'm gonna send my 15 year old down the bilge tonight and try it.

Craig

i think our boats are almost the same! when i get off shift from the FD in the morning i take a look @ mine and see if i can come up with any ideas for you!

 

[Craigmri]

OK guys.....After hours of messing around I finally found it. One needs to have a skinny arm, be a contorionist and a lttle sadistic! Its under the supercharger close to the engine itself. No direct way to get to it. I stuck my arm down near the black exhaust cannister and under the supercharger and several gashes and blood spirts I got the nut out and the grate off.

I'm too bloody to re-install tonight so thats a job for tomorrow. I just have to figure out the best solution to seal this. I have some good black RTV silicone so I'm thinking I'll shoot some up the hole from underneath then when I place the washer and nut on the bolt it'll seal off.

Advice to anyone with a Challenger 180.......Never attempt to remove the Intake grate. let the dealer do it for you.

Craig

 

[06challenger]

lol... good job man! :hurray: do you think it would help to use a brand new nut and bolt so it will screw on a little smoother! also i would use the red lock-tite! its better with heat from the engine! and it will help it keep from backing off and creating a leak!

 

[Craigmri]

I'm gonna stick with the Nylock nut. Its effective and now that I know how to get it all I have to deal with are the stiches.:ack:

Craig

 

[rookie101]

Craig good to hear you've overcome your first hurdle. As for silicon, I believe that the permatex (sp) 5200 is the marine grade silicone that most boat shops use.

Aaron:cheers:

 

[stripesace]

sounds like you need to make a special tool wrench to hold it. Makes you wonder how the dealers do it? they probably life the engine out a little bit.

You going to get it on the water tomorrow after its fixed?

 

[Sikiguya]

Now you can say that you have put blood and sweat into your boat!:cheers:

Sorry...pun absolutely intended.

When I had my strap debacle, I had tried to remove the grate to get to it. Took me about 5 seconds to realize that it was over my head and I didn't want to strip or screw up the screw. :ack: Bummer to hear about the problem..but it sounds like you solve the goo problem! Hopefully, you can put it together and see if it helps.

You think it is the cause of the hole shot?...or the cavatation?

 

[Craigmri]

Aaron, Thanks for the tip on the Silicone....This is what I am going to use...what do you think?

http://www.permatex.com/products/Au...ermatex_Black_Silicone_Adhesive_Sealant_b.htm

Stripes, we cannot go the back back to the water till next weekend. Just too much going on Sunday for us.

Jimbo, With all the oozed out Silicone down near the impeller I am confident it wasn't helping the performance. How much it will improve is to be determined. While the intake grate is off I'm going to measure the clearance between the impeller and wear ring.

Craig

 

[RobertV]

Don't use 5200 for this application 4200 maybe

5200 is for things that you never want to take apart again. It is very good, but a real pain to remove once it sets up. 4200 would work since it doesn't have the same holding strength as 5200. I think that the black rtv would be the best choice here. Seadoo uses it all over their jet boats. You know it seals well. It can be removed if needed.
Do you have the shop manual for this beast? I bet it would state which product to use. I know my 97 shop manual has every sealant listed.

Here is a link to an article discussing 5200 and 4200:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=242468&postcount=21

 

[Craigmri]

Robert, You think I'm safe with the Permatex Black Silicone?

Craig

 

[Craigmri]

The Intake grate is back on and finished. Once I realized you can actually see the hidden bolt of you stick your head all the way to the rear of the engine compartment(you have to lay across the engine) and look down and forward(towards bow) you can see the bolt with a light.

While its not the simplest of tasks its certainly not dire as I first thought yesterday.

This process saved me at minimum a week at the dealer and at least $100. In addition I now have something to offer the other Challenger 180 owners.

Craig

 

[RobertV]

Robert, You think I'm safe with the Permatex Black Silicone?

Craig

Yes sir - is that what you used?

 

[Craigmri]

Yeah.....After handling it, it seems like its some intense stuff. I'm sure once it sets up that it'll be a flexible water tite bond.

Craig

 

[rookie101]

Robert.....thanks for the article. It makes sense once you read it not to use the 5200 on something you will be taking apart for periodic maintenance. I know I have used butyl tape in the past when replacing the roof vents in my RV, and can guarantee they will never leak. If I were to ever install underwater lighting, or a transom mounted depth/fish finder where the wires had to run through the hull on there own I would still recommend the 5200, but after reading the article, something with less holding power may be preferred on things that are bolted, and may need to come apart in the future.

Aaron:cheers:

 

[Craigmri]

I too didnt know how aggressive 5200 was. Good information for sure!

Craig

 

[bubba2004]

by any chance is this bolt reversely threaded?...I ask only b/c on my '06 sportster, in the process of attempting to drop the grate to remove fishing line from the shaft I sheared the bolt head off after only a couple of turns...kept getting tighter than loser...was thinking that perhaps the washer was catching on the the hull and it would just pop off..no dice...just hope dealer can tap and rethread for me:toetap05:

 

[Craigmri]

Bubba,

Which bolt sheared off? The single forward bolt or one of the three that screw into the jet shoe?

Craig

 

[bubba2004]

front...and apparently from what I just discovered there is no reputable dealer in my area willing to work on the Seadoo boat with the rotax engine....excellent....but from my doggn' round I discovered that this bolt is actually screwed into a fiberglass sleeve and since i already sheared the head off the bolt the grate is apparently being held on by that black goo that seadoo puts on its boats...pretty strong stuff since I was hangin of it when i first thought i could just yank it off but gave up thinkn there was somethin else hangn onto it...got the fishn :svengo:line off the shaft without taken the grate off now thinkin just gonna leave bolt as is for now until end of year service due to distance to nearest dealer...

 

[Craigmri]

On the C180 the forward single bolt has a nylock nut in the bilge holding it in. I would assume its the same on the Sportster.

Craig