Is a 717/720 that's in a sportster any different than one that is in a jet ski

[jeffbeckib]

I was told today by Tom at SES that I can't just replace my 720 with any 720 because the motors that are in the boats are different, and have a different timing and are set to have more power at lower rpm, and a standard 720 in a twin engine boat with an original motor on the other side will cause the boat to pull to one side etc etc.

Is any of this true? Should I be worried about putting an sbt motor in this boat? are my motors going to be out of balance to each other?

Nothing I hate more than asking 10 people 1 question and getting 2 different answers from 1/2

 

[ocod]

Malarkey

The prop and MPEM is whats different from boat to ski, but not the heart itself...........
The timing is the same for all 717 but I'm no expert....


May be DrHonda will chime in

 

[jeffbeckib]

thanks Ocod, but no offence, the last thing I need right now before I spend 1G into putting in a new motor is more uncertain information.

Guys I really need a definitive answer.

 

[ocod]

thanks Ocod, but no offence, the last thing I need right now before I spend 1G into putting in a new motor is more uncertain information.

Guys I really need a definitive answer.

You mean the timing on the stator.
Then all you need to do is put it back the same on rebuild engine There are hash marks you line up.

The 717 is the same in all 717. Block>piston>crank>exhaust>RV timing.

Look at Fullbores timing instruction for stator. 1/3 way down

http://fullboreonline.com/tech_tips.htm


Hope this helps ease you mind on what Tom is saying is different?

 

[jeffbeckib]

I don't know Anything about boat motors, but that Kinda makes sense, but then why is Tom saying that I cannot put in an sbt motor? he told me the only way it will work is if the original motor is re-built. What I gather from what your saying is that the motor is all the same, you just have to put the rotary valve on the motor properly and get the timing correct and that's it. What Tom told me gave me the impression that the ONLY option was to send in my motor to be rebuilt.

 

[ocod]

^no way jose!


You can buy sbt drop in ready as short block.

Which means Mag housing with everything inside of it has to come off to be put back on new engine.

If you send it to TOM he will redo everything for you on your original motor which is good but takes longer!!!!!!

edit:
How far are you from SBT which is in clearwater.
You can walk in and out with new motor................

Look up griz400 thats what he did.....

 

[jeffbeckib]

I'm only about 2 hours from them, I'm in Daytona Shores,
I don't know what the Mag Housing is with everything inside it.
Problem with Tom is I don't have 1-2 MONTHS to wait for a motor
I just bought this boat, and I don't want to wait another 2 months to put a motor in only to find it still needs something else, and then the summers over.

 

[howie099]

I would ask SBT about the timming and see what they tell you. FYI I just had an engine rebuilt from SES and I lost compression on one cylinder. I will let you know how fast the turn around is on the warranty. I mad since I can never keep 2 jetskis running at the same time one is always down. All I can tell you if it 60 degrees out when I get that engine I am going on the water with the jetski..

SBT does stock the engines which is nice. Some people love the eninges and other hate them. At least in Florida you ride your boat pretty much all year.

 

[ocod]

I'm only about 2 hours from them, I'm in Daytona Shores,
I don't know what the Mag Housing is with everything inside it.
Problem with Tom is I don't have 1-2 MONTHS to wait for a motor
I just bought this boat, and I don't want to wait another 2 months to put a motor in only to find it still needs something else, and then the summers over.

Jeff,

You definitely what to google shop manual to help you along.

The Mag housing is the front part of engine that houses the flywheel and stator behind it.
Cover has to come off to get to those parts to put on new engine.

 

[howie099]

Like ocod said you will need the manual since you have to strip the engine if you do the trade in to the shop yourself. For SBT you have to take everything off even the PTO (rear balancer the drive shaft goes in) which is usually a bitch to get off and you need some tools to do it.

 

[jeffbeckib]

guys, I'm not doing this myself. lol I have the boat at a seadoo mechanic, All I really need to know is this. If I purchase this standard 720 from SBT, assuming everything the carbs and everything else are ok, should this engine perform like my right engine? or am I going to be struggling to steer this boat like I was told by Tom at SES

 

[howie099]

GroupK which pretty much rips these seadoo's apart to get the most of out them say on their website the engines are same execpt for a few electrical parts. From that I don't think you see a difference. You have 2 sticks away to compensate for that if it truely happens. I don't think it will since other people have posted doing what you are doing and don't mention that happening.

 

[jeffbeckib]

perhaps it's just scare tactics from Tom to get my business, I don't know, I'm just losing allot of faith in people here in my area. I wouldn't trust anybody to clean my windshield without telling me that it needs new Wiper blades and motors for the wipers and a new pump for the washer fluid.

 

[ocod]

guys, I'm not doing this myself. lol I have the boat at a seadoo mechanic, All I really need to know is this. If I purchase this standard 720 from SBT, assuming everything the carbs and everything else are ok, should this engine perform like my right engine? or am I going to be struggling to steer this boat like I was told by Tom at SES

I'm interested to know what the mechanic says? But in seriousness 3/4 of the job your paying him you can do yourself with help from friends or buy a engine hoist on craigslist like I did for 80 bucks..... It easy to pull and replace an engine...........

 

[kicker]

I would call SBT and see what they say, they will be able to give you an answer as well. If you are in a hurry you will be going that route anyways.
Tom will give you a guaranteed ship date if you ask for it but it will be longer then the 4 hours you would have to drive to get one from SBT.

 

[jeffbeckib]

I would do that for sure, but I live in a condo and I don't have anyplace to work on a boat. My mechanic won't cost me more then 300-400 to put the motor in for me and I trust him.

 

[jeffbeckib]

SBT told me they don't know why SES said that to me, there is absolutely NO difference in the motor and they sell Hundreds of them for boats and jet skis and have never had anybody tell them that the motor isn't performing well. Which kinda makes sense to me, but look, the info you get is only as good as the Knowledge of the person your talking to. asking a mechanic isn't the same as asking the service manager or the person who answers the phone at the service desk, I just don't know, and that's all that I know lol

 

[ocod]

I would do that for sure, but I live in a condo and I don't have anyplace to work on a boat. My mechanic won't cost me more then 300-400 to put the motor in for me and I trust him.

SBT told me they don't know why SES said that to me, there is absolutely NO difference in the motor and they sell Hundreds of them for boats and jet skis and have never had anybody tell them that the motor isn't performing well. Which kinda makes sense to me, but look, the info you get is only as good as the Knowledge of the person your talking to. asking a mechanic isn't the same as asking the service manager or the person who answers the phone at the service desk, I just don't know, and that's all that I know lol

Again, interested to see what your mechanic is telling you?

 

[jeffbeckib]

he told me it's not worth doing a rebuild on it, there are metal shavings everywhere and the amount of work to rebuild it wouldn't be worth it, It looked to him like the motor had overheated. He said the core is fine, but I would be better off with a refurb motor with a warranty.
Seadoo of Jacksonville told me the same thing, they did a pressure test on the bad port motor and found 150-60 compression readings, rear cylinder was way too low on compression and motor will need to be replaced.

 

[kicker]

As long as the core is accepted by SBT as a good core, go get the motor there and get a 2 year no fault warranty. It is hard for local shops to compete with the prices that guys like SBT and SES give on a rebuilt motor and warranty.

If your mechanic does not work on seadoos regularly, ask him how he is going to align the motor with the pump. Does he have the alignment tool? If not you can rent them from SBT for about $75.

 

[ocod]

he told me it's not worth doing a rebuild on it, there are metal shavings everywhere and the amount of work to rebuild it wouldn't be worth it, It looked to him like the motor had overheated. He said the core is fine, but I would be better off with a refurb motor with a warranty.
Seadoo of Jacksonville told me the same thing, they did a pressure test on the bad port motor and found 150-60 compression readings, rear cylinder was way too low on compression and motor will need to be replaced.

Agreed!
But what about difference b/w boat and ski engine?


Either way SBT is your best option since you can walk in and out with a new 2 yr warranty.

Just make to have it aligned by your mechanic. Accept no excuses as to I do this all the time!
It will destroy drive shaft splines, motor mounts and put stress on moving parts

 

[jeffbeckib]

my mechanic said he's never heard of any difference, a 720 is a 720, either it's White, or it's Silver depending on the year, otherwise they are all the same exact motor. I don't know if he has the aligment tool, I 'll ask him. I know he's done a ton of jet skis and a few boats as well, both seadoo and yamaha
If he doesn't have this Alignment tool he can't mount it properly??

 

[jeffbeckib]

why would I rent an alignment tool for 75 when I can buy one for just over 100??

 

[kicker]

I wouldn't rent one either if I could find one for $100.

 

[howie099]

The allignment tool is $150 from SBT. They have the best deal on them. The mechanic has to have one. Unless you are putting back the same engine the alligment could be off. If you are paying someone to do it they should have all the tools to do it. That is why you are paying them.