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First day out was a bust

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rteichman

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Well today I took my 2001 Challenger 1800 for the first time. I read everything in the manuals, checked out all recommendations online, and took care of all the Oregon paperwork. Yesterday I connected up the flush kit, turned the hose on full force, and started the engine. It started with no problem so I shut it all down a set everything for today.

After a few back and forth attempts, I got the trailer down the ramp and the boat in the water. After parking the car, got in the boat and started it up. The buzzer came on almost immediately. Checked the manual to make certain it was what I thought, the overheat alarm. The ramp was busy so I maneuvered the boat to a side dock. I opened the hatch, removed the engine cover looked around but it looked fine. I started the engine and no alarm. With the engine running, I put the cover back on, put everything back and closed the hatch. The engine never stopped, no alarm so I cast off pretty much at idle. Got about 50 feet from the dock and the alarm starts again. I head back to the ramp, and load the boat back on the trailer.

What a bust, off to the shop tomorrow. It smoked a lot too. :-(. Just 3 weeks ago when I bought it a marina checked everything out. They took it out on the water too. They even commented that it didn't smoke....
 
Sorry to hear that. Hope they stand behind their work. By their nature all 2-stroke engines should smoke, I worry about not seeing or at least smelling some amount of oil smoke.

And, now you know the warning buzzer is working.... That beats the alternative of no warning.
 
For the future, I'm pretty sure the engine has to go on first before turning the water on. Forgive me if this doesn't apply to your model
 
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For the future, I'm pretty sure the engine has to go on first before turning the water on. Forgive me if this doesn't apply to your model
Actually that is not the case on th Merc engine. The water MUST flow first, the manual says never to run it without water.
 
Just got good news from the shop. The alarm I heard was not the engine overheating but a depth finder low depth alarm (set at an absurd value). Turns out it has the exact same alarm. I mentioned to the guy that now I felt like an idiot but he laughed and said not to. The tech couldn't figure it out at first either. He heard the alarm but nothing showed up in the alarm codes. He went at it for a while before realizing that the alarm sound was coming from the depth guage and not the engine alarm buzzer (which are right next to each other)..... So it's all good! YAY!
 
If they don't charge you at all or not a lot I would be bringing some 12 packs of beer and wings over there on a Friday or 2. Never hurts to have a shop/tech like that locally on your side.

Also if this was winterized prior to maiden voyage then some of the smoke could have been from excess fogging oil or 2 stroke oil in cylinders and fuel stabilIzers/additives in fuel to protect during winter down time.

Rob
 
If they don't charge you at all or not a lot I would be bringing some 12 packs of beer and wings over there on a Friday or 2. Never hurts to have a shop/tech like that locally on your side.

Also if this was winterized prior to maiden voyage then some of the smoke could have been from excess fogging oil or 2 stroke oil in cylinders and fuel stabilIzers/additives in fuel to protect during winter down time.

Rob

X2, having local support on your side is very valuable! A bit of smoke is not always a bad thing, I agree. If it doesn't go away, then that's another story.

I always get reminded of this when surfing behind ours. This isn't a four-stroke, that's for sure. I feel like I have been following snowmobiles all day after a good surf session.
 
Yup, now that winter weather is breaking and I smell something even reminiscent of a 2 stroke, i'm like LAKE TIME!


X2, having local support on your side is very valuable! A bit of smoke is not always a bad thing, I agree. If it doesn't go away, then that's another story.

I always get reminded of this when surfing behind ours. This isn't a four-stroke, that's for sure. I feel like I have been following snowmobiles all day after a good surf session.
 
Yup, now that winter weather is breaking and I smell something even reminiscent of a 2 stroke, i'm like LAKE TIME!

Lol, winter weather breaking. 3 to 6 falling today, I'm hitting the snowboard in a few hours. One of the mountains had posted they're closing on April 22 nd. Woot, I could potentially snowboard on a Saturday and hit the river on Sunday. Spring starts tonight at I think 6 something.

uploadfromtaptalk1426868172012.jpg

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk
 
Lol, winter weather breaking. 3 to 6 falling today, I'm hitting the snowboard in a few hours. One of the mountains had posted they're closing on April 22 nd. Woot, I could potentially snowboard on a Saturday and hit the river on Sunday. Spring starts tonight at I think 6 something.

View attachment 29794

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk

Yup, no more snow for us.

It's good enough to go to lake in my hood, brappp

Rob
 
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