Could be a Carbon Seal issue.
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Challenger 4tec Upgrade
- Thread starter IDoSeaDoo
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Sportster-2001-951C-Stock
Well-Known Member
Ahmen brotha! On the other end of the scale like having a turbo puffer with a manual transmission. Gotta slip the heck outta the clutch just to get the turbo to spool up!
Pretty soon Coastie's gonna enter with his "beat you with common sense stick"!
devonte007
Active Member
If you suspect your issue is with drive shaft seal setup, and since you clearly have a modified boat, you may want to consider a non-oem carbon seal system. PSS Shaft Seal makes carbon drive shaft seals that fit just about any boat, they are meant for those who want to rid themselves of the old stuffing boxes.
http://www.shaftseal.com/en/categories
Not sure that any of their products would work with Seadoos, but might be worth some investigation. What I like about their product, is the ability to adjust accordion boot pressure, and how they have a cooling line built into the carbon seal so that you can run it out of the water without issue (theoretically).
I’m not endorsing this as a fix for your issue, but it seems like you may need an adjustable option. The stock seadoo setup does not allow for this. Since you have modified geometries in your drive system maybe it will help.
http://www.shaftseal.com/en/categories
Not sure that any of their products would work with Seadoos, but might be worth some investigation. What I like about their product, is the ability to adjust accordion boot pressure, and how they have a cooling line built into the carbon seal so that you can run it out of the water without issue (theoretically).
I’m not endorsing this as a fix for your issue, but it seems like you may need an adjustable option. The stock seadoo setup does not allow for this. Since you have modified geometries in your drive system maybe it will help.
IDoSeaDoo
Well-Known Member
Well, I used the entire pump tunnel and two rear engine mounts to preserve this geometry. However, reading some horror stories where a guys engine was too far back ruined his thrust bearings. Hearing this, I slid my motor as far fwd as I could. This no doubt relieved some tension off the accordion boot. I will put in a thick oring to extend it fwd some and regain that tension.
MPower
Active Member
How about going to a bearing carrier setup? Carbon seals are just crap all around.
IDoSeaDoo
Well-Known Member
Agreed, hate em. Put a 3mil oring between the hull and accordion boot and I'm not sure it was any better. It's not that bad though, but I def can't launch from idle speed. I don't really want to repitch the prop because once it gets up, it has pretty good hookup. I can't floor it, but I can do 75% or so for just a sec off idle, and then can work into the upper throttle. We had a blast on it today.
snikwad003
Well-Known Member
Can you still hear the S/C:cheers:
IDoSeaDoo
Well-Known Member
Oh ya esp. Right when i first hit the throttle and it spools up, then it's mostly drowned out by the motor.
I still think I need more prop pitch. I'm still turning too many rpm and cavitating, but the hookup is so much better with this prop.
Next big step is that dash cluster, but I won't really be able to get to it until next week :/
esp. Right when i first hit the throttle and it spools up, then it's mostly drowned out by the motor. I still think I need more prop pitch. I'm still turning too many rpm and cavitating, but the hookup is so much better with this prop.
Next big step is that dash cluster, but I won't really be able to get to it until next week :/
IDoSeaDoo
Well-Known Member
Had friends in from Miami this weekend. We took advantage of the beautiful weather on Saturday to have a lake picnic. While the ladies were on shore lounging in the sun, we took the Challenger out and went wild. We weaved about, pulled fast 180's and even got it out of the water a few times jumping wake. The hull graft and all internal components held perfectly. I'm beginning to build trust in the boat in terms of reliability.
I still have a few more things I need to do to it before the big meetup at Lake Norman. Ironically, I have an extremely tough week at work, which will no doubt demand a lot of afterhours work. I am not sure I'll get the hood cover made in time for the meetup. I hope everyone will forgive the ghetto duct taped gauges.
I still have a few more things I need to do to it before the big meetup at Lake Norman. Ironically, I have an extremely tough week at work, which will no doubt demand a lot of afterhours work. I am not sure I'll get the hood cover made in time for the meetup. I hope everyone will forgive the ghetto duct taped gauges.
Sportster-2001-951C-Stock
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure how you can just move the engine anywhere you want, I'd guess the splines need to engage. How much forward/backward movement did you end up with (for my curiosity)? Mine looks like there might be 1/4 inch based on the drive shaft moves rearward when pumping grease into the PTO.
You can extend the thru-hull fitting pretty easily, I think.
Anyway, I like the carbon seal setup for my purposes. A couple weeks ago I rotated mine ~180* to avoid the egg shape they take on in the ID, was working fine before and still does.
You can extend the thru-hull fitting pretty easily, I think.
Anyway, I like the carbon seal setup for my purposes. A couple weeks ago I rotated mine ~180* to avoid the egg shape they take on in the ID, was working fine before and still does.
IDoSeaDoo
Well-Known Member
The motor mounts have about a 1.5cm hole that you can slide them around the bolts on. I pushed mine fwd on them, but I also have about a 3mm oring pushing the carbon seal fwd.
I don't like them because of how many problems I've had with them in the past. On this build I believe my problem is low leading edge pitch. This week is slammed. No time to work on the boat really. My job has me working 7 to 9 or so. Can't wait til this is just a bad memory.
I don't like them because of how many problems I've had with them in the past. On this build I believe my problem is low leading edge pitch. This week is slammed. No time to work on the boat really. My job has me working 7 to 9 or so. Can't wait til this is just a bad memory.
IDoSeaDoo
Well-Known Member
Ofcourse the hardest and most demanding week at work happens just before the big meetup. I've been staying in the office until 9-10pm every night this week :ack: There is absolutely 0 chance I'll get to finish the gauge pod for the hood. Looks the gauges will just have to be duct taped on there again 
I managed to paint the trailer rims at least and get the trailer lights sorted. Unbelievably, my trailer light module is starting to fail AGAIN. This one is only a year or so old. The brake lights would not come on. Out of desperation, I smacked it with a wrench 5 good times and guess what? Brake lights come on now :rofl: Why are these things so unreliable? The last one was a hoppy, this one is a Reese. Is there a brand that DOESN'T suck?
Anyway, I'm desperately trying to finish my stuff here at work so I can make it out earlier and finish preparing. It would be nice to install the auto bailer switch, as I would like to leave it in the water over night this weekend, but no telling when I'll finish. I have a 2.5hr drive ahead of me tonight as well. Wish me luck guys, and I hope to meet some of you this weekend :thumbsup:
I managed to paint the trailer rims at least and get the trailer lights sorted. Unbelievably, my trailer light module is starting to fail AGAIN. This one is only a year or so old. The brake lights would not come on. Out of desperation, I smacked it with a wrench 5 good times and guess what? Brake lights come on now :rofl: Why are these things so unreliable? The last one was a hoppy, this one is a Reese. Is there a brand that DOESN'T suck?Anyway, I'm desperately trying to finish my stuff here at work so I can make it out earlier and finish preparing. It would be nice to install the auto bailer switch, as I would like to leave it in the water over night this weekend, but no telling when I'll finish. I have a 2.5hr drive ahead of me tonight as well. Wish me luck guys, and I hope to meet some of you this weekend :thumbsup:
snikwad003
Well-Known Member
You could use SPST relays and make your own light controller
IDoSeaDoo
Well-Known Member
I'll have to look into that. I thought I fixed it last night, but today, we drove out and I realized that we lost running lights. I smacked it again and got running lights but then lost brake lights. It's one or the other. I'm definitely looking for another option.
suke
Well-Known Member
Oh, that's right!
snikwad003
Well-Known Member
My bad SBDT, 3 of em.
Sportster-2001-951C-Stock
Well-Known Member
IMO concerning trailer wiring and braking components, Tekonsha represents the high end. I have the impression they actually strive to be the best.
Keep in mind, some converters aren't LED compatible.
Keep in mind, some converters aren't LED compatible.
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IDoSeaDoo
Well-Known Member
Just got back from an awesome weekend with the forum crew on Lake Norman. The 2016 members unite meet up was AWESOME! So many good people and awesome skis! I brought the challenger down, and upon showing it off to Suke and Mpower, we lost the ability to turn left. Alarmed, I pulled it out off the water and found my mistake. I made an error in the way I installed the steering cable and it had pushed itself into the boat an inch, thereby not extending enough to turn left. Luckily there was a guy the day before who lost a motor mount on his x4 and found a guy parting out a challenger 1800. I went down there, boughy thenecessary hardware, and was back on the water within an hour. Man, was I glad! We had an awesome weekend, the challenger ran perfectly, I even think the cavitation is getting better (or maybe I'm just learning to adapt to it). BTW, here is the latest addition to the boat
Krispy
Well-Known Member
I had a chance to drive this boat during the trip. Quite an awesome and fun ride! It seems like the power is perfect for the craft, enough power to scare you a bit but plenty smooth at 60% throttle.
Bonus points, when driven at night the rear marker LED blinks with the bass from the subwoofer.
Bonus points, when driven at night the rear marker LED blinks with the bass from the subwoofer.
snikwad003
Well-Known Member
Here you go bruh
IDoSeaDoo
Well-Known Member
So I went out yesterday to scope out the lake for a camping spot for this weekend and do some fishing. Inadvertantly, I spent a bunch of time just cruising and carving turns with the boat. I love driving that thing. Such a blast! Toward the end of the day though, it started acting up. I still had 3 bars on the fuel gauge, but at one point, it acted like it didn't want to accelerate. It would stutter and get up to only 6800rpm on the up swing. It felt like it was running out of fuel, and very well might have been, but I still got worried. Last time I ran it low, I had 2 bars and it didn't do this. Then again, last time I was a lot more fearful of breaking the boat, and wasn't driving it quite like I do now. I hope it's nothing... Going to suck all the fuel out and see how much was left in there.
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