Challenger Pump Problems

[IDoSeaDoo]

post some pics of the impeller!

Sorry Pale, it's already back on the boat, I was in a hurry to get out there as I still have to prep for my little party tonight. Now I have twice the reason to celebrate XD

 

[Guest_User]

SUCESS!! :hurray: The original prop made all the difference!! Runs better than ever before. My buddy and I went out to Harris Lake to test after swapping props and it planed right out. I don't think I'm hitting my peak RPMs tho, it's hard to read the gauge I have, but I feel like it's somewhere around 6.5k. I believe that's due to carb settings. The PO said he bought one new carb for it and rebuilt the other. I have never taken them apart before, so that's my next step. Well, that and putting in the new sound system! The engines run 100degF apart from each other, so I'm guessing once the carbs are tuned, I'll gain my rpms back. Still need to finish breaking in the new rings too. But the boat is getting there :cheers:

yay! Congrats!!!

you are still welcome to try the one I have!
Those clearances sound a bit high. I had an issues with only reaching 6.5K and it was the RAVE valve was stuck and not opening all the way, make sure you can move them their full cycle.

Good luck and go party!!!:cheers::cheers:

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Yea, the clearances are quite a bit higher than a new prop. I have that new Skat 17/23. I put it in just to measure and man, it's a LOT tighter in there. I'm not too concerned though as the prop I have in is still within the wear limit. It picks up okay as is, I don't really want to mess with it. It's time to rip apart the carbs and check to see why I'm running different EGT temps, as well as finish the sound system. It's pretty hard to outfit these tiny boats with bass and amps, there is just NO ROOM!! I've had to get rather crafty and accept the fact that I'm going to put a few holes in the otherwise perfect gel-coat.

 

[Guest_User]

Yea, the clearances are quite a bit higher than a new prop. I have that new Skat 17/23. I put it in just to measure and man, it's a LOT tighter in there. I'm not too concerned though as the prop I have in is still within the wear limit. It picks up okay as is, I don't really want to mess with it. It's time to rip apart the carbs and check to see why I'm running different EGT temps, as well as finish the sound system. It's pretty hard to outfit these tiny boats with bass and amps, there is just NO ROOM!! I've had to get rather crafty and accept the fact that I'm going to put a few holes in the otherwise perfect gel-coat.

very true, aftermarket impellers have a tighter fit than the OEM. after market impellers also degrade a wear ring much faster. you may not feel cavitation bc the tolerances are tighter, but there will be a boiled spot on the wear ring if not 2.I smoked a pair within 10-12 hours of use... Good thing yours is much lighter than ours...

The PO tried to turn ours into a disco ball room sound system:facepalm:... there wasn`t any need for that so I removed those huge bass speakers and made covers for the holes ...

some people are purists, I myself have been modding to suit my needs on everything. So I`ve accepted there maybe things I can not replace to OEM and have to used a modified part. I`m not real crazy of these seats, I mean it`s not a race boat, would be nice to get in and out behind the helm a lot easier, or stand...

someday I`ll change the configuration of the OEM seats...

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

yea, i've resigned myself to suffer with the small annoyances of my boat, mainly it's limited size. However, at this point in life, I can't afford an SUV and a bigger boat, but in a year or two I'll get an old land-cruiser and a direct drive, or V-drive boat. I hear they get better economy than my little 787. The sound system, however was necessary. This engine is so damn loud (another nuisance), that it literally drowned out the speakers on my previous basic system. Not this new one I spec'd it out to rupture ear drums, so at 40mph it will still play clear Mine is going to be the party boat in our little Redneck Yacht Club this summer :grouphug:

 

[Guest_User]

yea, i've resigned myself to suffer with the small annoyances of my boat, mainly it's limited size. However, at this point in life, I can't afford an SUV and a bigger boat, but in a year or two I'll get an old land-cruiser and a direct drive, or V-drive boat. I hear they get better economy than my little 787. The sound system, however was necessary. This engine is so damn loud (another nuisance), that it literally drowned out the speakers on my previous basic system. Not this new one I spec'd it out to rupture ear drums, so at 40mph it will still play clear Mine is going to be the party boat in our little Redneck Yacht Club this summer :grouphug:

cool! lemme know if there is ever a seadoo jet boat day in NC! true it`s loud and I`m running muffler delete pipes... but I`m tuned in to any discrepancy`s of engine tone, I like the way the 787`s sing...lol... and only play the radio when stopped...

enjoy! I hope we all have a very good boating season this year!:cheers:

 

[rjcress]

This engine is so damn loud (another nuisance), that it literally drowned out the speakers on my previous basic system. Not this new one I spec'd it out to rupture ear drums, so at 40mph it will still play clear Mine is going to be the party boat in our little Redneck Yacht Club this summer :grouphug:

Oh brother. :facepalm:
Hate to show my age here (seriously, I'm not THAT old)... but 2 things you might consider:
1) Enjoy your sound system, but please also be aware of the folks around you. It can be rather frustrating when we are anchored out enjoying the lake and a party boat heads our direction blasting their choice of music. It is incredibly rude, IMHO. If you are the only one's out there and want to play it loud, I can't see any problem with that.

2) For safety sake, while under way you need to be able to hear your boat and the boats around you. I can't say I agree with the logic that it needs to be loud enough to hear the music clearly OVER the sound of a loud 2 stroke. How would you hear the horn of another boat or a warning from a passenger that spotted something that you didn't? I was taught that the sound system should be off when the boat is moving... especially on lakes like Harris, where there seems to be a rule that one can't drive a fast boat without a beer in their hand. Boating isn't much fun when people get hurt.

 

[rjcress]

SUCESS!! :hurray: The original prop made all the difference!! Runs better than ever before. My buddy and I went out to Harris Lake to test after swapping props and it planed right out. ... But the boat is getting there :cheers:

Awesome! Congrats!
I know that is a HUGE relief to have this sorted out.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

cool! lemme know if there is ever a seadoo jet boat day in NC! true it`s loud and I`m running muffler delete pipes... but I`m tuned in to any discrepancy`s of engine tone, I like the way the 787`s sing...lol... and only play the radio when stopped...

enjoy! I hope we all have a very good boating season this year!:cheers:

NC Seadoo boat day? Now that sounds awesome! My buddy and I take our Seadoo boats out all the time. He has a 95 speedster. Got more friends with Seadoo skies (have some myself for that matter). I'll drop you a line when we have a lake party. I hope to be out there this weekend if the weather's good.

 

[SKETSEA]

Congrats That the most frustrating to go through. Did you compare the impeller with the skat 17 23 to see how close it is.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

I did actually. The original looked a lot less pitched. It's hard to believe that they're only 1 trailing degree away. I wish I had more info on this mysterious prop, but now that it works, I don't want to mess with it for fear of jinxing myself BTW SKETSEA, if you want a hint as-to where to mount a bass tube on that space-limited challenger, let me know. It took some time to find this perfect little niche.

 

[SKETSEA]

That's funny I was thinking of putting in a sub. My 16 son would love it.

 

[SKETSEA]

Did you ever try the skate trak 17 23.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Yea, I pondered long and hard as to where to mount one. I was going to cut a hole in the side of the helm, but didn't know how to build the enclosure for it. Subs are supposed to have one to work properly. So I bought a 10" marine bass tube by Bazooka and put about 175W rms to it. Makes me grin ear to ear I'm no audiophile, and it's probably not the best setup out there, but I'm no audiophile. It's prob the best my boat can support with it's limited room. I know that if I unplug the sub, the system just sounds neutered. I wonder how long this stand-alone secondary marine starting battery is going to last. I wish it was deep cycle, but I already have it so...

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Did you ever try the skate trak 17 23.

Nope. I guess I should, who knows, maybe it'll make it even better!

 

[jhjesse]

NC Seadoo boat day? Now that sounds awesome! My buddy and I take our Seadoo boats out all the time. He has a 95 speedster. Got more friends with Seadoo skies (have some myself for that matter). I'll drop you a line when we have a lake party. I hope to be out there this weekend if the weather's good.

OK where is Harris Lake??
Last May I purchased my Challenger 1800 from a guy just outside of Charlotte. Drove six hours from Chattanooga to look at it. I attempted to lake test on some lake that is near the Siemans Factory. Had the damn thing in the water with the seller and His whole family. He couldn't get it to start. He kept pulling the choke and letting it go back in before hitting the start button on either engine. So He pulled it out of the water and said it needed to go the the dealer for repair.
I offered Him $4500 cash. We settled on $5000. My wife was furious with me. I drove down the road a couple miles and pulled into a gas station, climed into the boat and proceeded to fire both engines up. My wife's mouth dropped. She didn't know what to say...best $5000 I ever spent. LOL

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

OK where is Harris Lake??
Last May I purchased my Challenger 1800 from a guy jut outside of Charlotte. Drove six hours from Chattanooga to look at it. I attempted to lake test on some lake that is near the Siemans Factory. Had the damn thing in the water with the seller and His whole family. He couldn't get it to start. He kept pulling the choke and letting it go back in before hitting the start button on either engine. So He pulled it out of the water and said it needed to go the the dealer for repair.
I offered Him $4500 cash. We settled on $5000. My wife was furious with me. I drove down the road a couple miles and pulled into a gas station, climed into the boat and proceeded to fire both engines up. My wife's mouth dropped. She didn't know what to say...best $5000 I ever spent. LOL

:thumbsup:That is awesome!! Great purchase, even if only to make your wife's jaw drop. I wonder how the guy ever got that boat started before? He must've thought it was the biggest POS. I bet he went through batteries and starters like nobody's business. Here's another reason to stay in school kids

 

[rjcress]

OK where is Harris Lake?

Shearon Harris Reservoir... http://goo.gl/maps/FQFXq

New Hill, North Carolina
Harris Lake is a reservoir in New Hill, North Carolina. The lake covers 4,100 acres in southwestern Wake County and southeastern Chatham County. It is the source and outlet of cooling water for the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant.
Area: 6.406 sq miles (16.59 km²)

The best know feature of Harris is that your boat will glow at night after a use. Well, that and the 3 headed fish.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

The water is also said to be several degrees warmer year-round than any surrounding lake. The fact that it gets somewhat filtered in the power plant makes it clearer than other lakes in the region. The clarity and warmer temperatures allow the growth of hydrilla, an annoying seaweed to grow around the banks. It's horrible for jets as running over it at low speeds instantly clogs your intake, resulting in loss of propulsion and more importantly COOLING. I'm looking forward to testing my weedless system on the challenger this summer when it's warm enough to swim. No way I'm chancing a clogged intake before it's warm enough to jump in and clear it manually

 

[rjcress]

The water is also said to be several degrees warmer year-round than any surrounding lake. The fact that it gets somewhat filtered in the power plant makes it clearer than other lakes in the region. The clarity and warmer temperatures allow the growth of hydrilla, an annoying seaweed to grow around the banks. It's horrible for jets as running over it at low speeds instantly clogs your intake, resulting in loss of propulsion and more importantly COOLING. I'm looking forward to testing my weedless system on the challenger this summer when it's warm enough to swim. No way I'm chancing a clogged intake before it's warm enough to jump in and clear it manually

Yeah. The warmer water is a nice benefit. I never had any issues with a GTX getting clogged on Harris, but certainly can see what you mean about the potential for clogs. My Challenger doesn't have a weedless system... guess I'll just have to be more careful where I drive it.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Yeah. The warmer water is a nice benefit. I never had any issues with a GTX getting clogged on Harris, but certainly can see what you mean about the potential for clogs. My Challenger doesn't have a weedless system... guess I'll just have to be more careful where I drive it.

My GTS had a clog the size of a beach ball one time. It was ridiculous! I had to lift one side of it and clear it after getting blown to shore by the breeze. I literally couldn't move myself with the pump :/ This happened because I was out rather late and didn't see the patch of the stuff.

 

[jhjesse]

Shearon Harris Reservoir... http://goo.gl/maps/FQFXq

New Hill, North Carolina
Harris Lake is a reservoir in New Hill, North Carolina. The lake covers 4,100 acres in southwestern Wake County and southeastern Chatham County. It is the source and outlet of cooling water for the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant.
Area: 6.406 sq miles (16.59 km²)

The best know feature of Harris is that your boat will glow at night after ;0a use. Well, that and the 3 headed fish.

LOL that is funny. I am in the power generation business. My company manufactures Nuclear, Fossil and Gas turbines that are installed in power plants just like that one. I'm always hearing how things "glow" in the dark. The lake water is used as a cooling medium therefore it will be a few degrees warmer. Makes for good glow in the dark fishing.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Well, I'm not so sure it's time to retire this thread yet. I believe I still have a touch of cavitation in my pump. Took the boat out yesterday to do some tuning. When it was fully loaded down with weight, it takes it somewhere like 10 or 15 seconds to plane out. The reason I suspect cavitation still is my RPMs were slightly higher when I was plowing water than when it finally caught. There was a noticeable difference in engine tone as well once it caught. I played around with my raves a bit too. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the further out the rave caps are, the earlier the raves open, right? If I want to make my boat plane at a lower RPM, I should have the raves open earlier, RIGHT? Currently, with the raves out one turn, I'm turning 5K RPMs with me sitting in the center seat, with about 100lbs of combined equipment onboard and the trim centered. I feel like that's still a bit high for this boat. I only weigh 180. It takes it only a second to plane out with just me, or one or two other, reasonably heavy people. But put a couple big guys on there and it's BOG-CITY. I played around with my Water Regulator Valve (WRV), and it doesn't seem to make a difference how my max RPMs. I noticed the lower pipe running damn hot (can't keep my hand on it), so I opened it to about two turns in hopes to get more water flowing into it.

Had to open my MAG high needle to 1/2 to keep the EGTs below 1100F (around 1080F or so). Aluminum melts just above 1200F and I want to stay well away from that. If I ever get a lean spike, I want a bit of wiggle room, or should I let it linger at 1130F? The compression is a perfect 150 on both cyls and the plugs look awesome (the MAG looking just slightly darker than the chocolate PTO which runs at 960F).

My next actions are to clean the raves, as I caught them not opening a few times. I had to to pull back from WOT and push fwd again to get them to open. It's weird as they feel okay when I take the caps off, move up and down freely. Maybe they're sticky? Also, I noticed a black drip coming out of the PTO rave. IDK why, these raves are less than a season old. Bought them from SBT last year, they might have like 40 hours on them MAYBE. I also want to try another pump off my XP. It's a taller Nu Jet, but I dont know the pitch. I know my stocker is slightly chewed. Although I cleaned, sharpened and polished it, I did have to bend back the trailing edge and ignore a chip on one of the leading edges. Maybe that impeller is just shot. If the Nu Jet doesn't work, I'll try that 17/23 I have.

Sorry, I know I'm a bit all over the place here, but that's kind of the nature of my boat's health status right now.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Well, Friday worked out to be the day I set out to clean the Raves. They did indeed need to be cleaned, one even started getting that black soot buildup. The interesting thing I found was that the caps had melted Seems my less-than-a-year-old raves/housings have already worn out!! Wow, I will definitely be buying from another vendor next time. I replaced the caps with some spare ones I was able to dig up in my parts bin and HOLY CRAP: the power is back! So before, my top speed was 35-38, now it's like 44-45. Sadly though, so back is the cavitation I was first experiencing when I had the original motor in there. Turns out nothing I did even took a chip out of the problem. If I floor it from standstill, the motor revves up and bounces off the stutter box for like 10sec before it catches. RPM at WOT are 7k now. EGTs still at least 100F apart though, sometimes even more.

At this point, I really have two options: try the 17/23, or go ahead and rip down the ride plate and reseal it. I'm leaning on the latter. My feelings are that if I just change props, I may get rid of some cavitation and it might actually just mask the fact that it still exists. I'd like to eliminate the last possibility for it. This may have to wait though, as I'm sort of dreading the process. I guess I should invest in some new raves as well before I melt any more caps.

 

[Guest_User]

were the RAVE housings already used or new. if they came with the SBT reman, it could have been in spec and then wore down. Both pieces wear, the housing and the Guillotine shafts...
Mine all needed to be replaced. if your still in warranty check out if they can do anything for you...
So far I have 23+ hours on them and understand it is a wear item...

try the easiest thing first, replace the impeller.