New member - bought a '95 speedster - could use some advice

[shrug]

hey gang,

my name is kyle, im from just outside philadelphia, PA. i just picked up a '95 speedster for what i believe was an absolute steal. i know there are people who are going to warn those new to watercraft away from the speed/sportster, but i have literally wanted one for 19 years (im 31). im new to watercraft ownership but far from new to them in general. been in/on many different boats and pwcs and am very comfortable with operating jet drives. also ive been working on, swapping, and rebuilding engines my whole life, so im very comfortable doing all my own work. its more the rotary valve system as well as the driveline/pumps that ill need help with (so basically eveything other than the engines lol).

the hull is in remarkably good shape for its age, nicer than my '91 F-150. i found a registration from 2003 under the "hood" in the cockpit so im guessing thats when it was last in the water. i like old vehicles. im a computer/electronics nerd and thats exactly why i like older vehicles. anyway the guy was selling because he didnt have time to fix it, the usual. it said in the ad one of the engines probably needs to be replaced. i accounted for this in my offer, even though from my experiences buying dirt bikes/quads and cars, ads will say it has to be towed and ill get it running in the persons driveway and drive it home (after i paid and we transferred the title, much to their dismay).

i got it home and opened the engine bay. i only had an hour or so before dark. neither motor would turn over, just a click, like a seize. i didnt check the starboard motors battery yet, but the one he thought was seized, the port side, i pulled the plugs and they were dripping oil. cranked it for not even a full rotation and oil shot ten feet in the air. so that motors obviously not seized. ill play with the starboard motor tomorrow which looks to be in much better shape. the engine bay itself has about 1" of a mixture of oil and water in the bottom, and i cant just bilge it onto my driveway, wish i could thread a hose on there. so once i clear the port engine of oil, ill make sure i drain any remaining oil from anywhere it may be (the oil reservoir is empty obviously because its all in the port motor lol). then ill drain all the old gas, which looks to be just the reserve. is there a fuel tank drain plug, is it easy to find, and is there a separate one for the reserve?

i at least have a rough idea of what needs to be done to get the engines running, but basically what im asking for is if anyone has anything to add to this list, and could also provide a part number or source for anything difficult to find myself:

- fresh gas and oil
- new air filters
- new fuel filters
- new plugs (wires?)
- *replace grey fuel lines* correct?
- new batteries (he said the batteries are fresh, and the one i was able to reach showed ~12.5v but theyre definitely motorcycle batteries. even though they seem to provide enough cranking amps, i know i need marine batteries, but which size/type and do i need two? or could one large one with enough cranking amps suffice?

everything else seems to function fine except nav lights, and the steering wheel wont turn. is there a mechanical linkage or a cable between the wheel and jets? once i get the engines running ill go over the driveline/jet pumps/impellers etc. i plan on keeping it for a long time so im not super concerned with being upside down on resale value. ideally id like to get it on the water as quickly and inexpensively as possible for the season, without cutting any corners thatll cost me more in the long run. then i can do a full, complete, proper overhaul over the fall/winter.

thanks for welcoming me to the community and reading my insanely long post, i can be a talker at times,

Kyle

 

[bruce taff]

Nice choice. First things first. Make sure all your ground cables are NEW as over time they turn black corrode and loose their grounding power, Cables are cheap $6-8 bucks each. Then YOU know it will Not be a
further problem. I speak from my past mistakes over the years.Good Luck

 

[mikidymac]

Just use the battery called for you don’t need a special marine battery.

What color is the oil. Sometimes it’s the blue or green oil that can cause the inner crank seals to leak. Replacing with the correct API-TC oil has sometimes caused them to stop leaking.

Obviously fresh gas, there are no air filters. New fuel filters, rebuild carbs with only genuine mikuni kits and needle and seats. Replace all gray fuel hose. Service jet pumps.

 

[shrug]

EDIT: the oil is blackish brown, looks similar to 4-stroke oil. definitely replacing the fuel filters right away. are they easy to find? as far as the jet pumps and carbs: if i can get it running properly at both part and full throttle, ill wait until this coming winter when i plan to do a complete overhaul. also will definitely replace ground cables.

thanks everyone. after spending almost a full day on it, i now have both engines cranking freely but havent fired them up yet (need to drain out old fuel and get oil). when i bought it i was only able to peek under the hood quickly in order to make the title shop in time. i noticed what looked like a motorcycle battery that wasnt tied down in the battery tray and thought it was a temp and figured its a boat so it needs a marine battery. however after looking at the trays ive noticed it does indeed use two 12v motorcycle batteries, and now see it doesnt use air filters.

strange thing is, both before and after all the cranking to get all the nasty oil out the starboard motor (which eventually required jumping off my truck for a bit), then the port motor after i got the one piston unstuck, the one battery still read 12.5v, but the second battery tucked in the back read 3v, even though theyre new batteries and im pretty sure they had it on a trickle charger. i see that the grounds from each battery join together, but the pos enter the computer box thingamagig (is that the MPEM?) separately. so do the batteries join together in parallel or does one battery power each motor? -- EDIT i know understand how the battery boost works and have looked at the wiring schematic MPEM

in the meantime while i let the rest of the BS in my cylinders evaporate, im focusing on my other main issue, steering. i printed both the operator and shop manual so i have the diagram/schematic and can see how complex the steering system seems to be, mainly from lack of access. when i try to turn the wheel, it feels completely locked up, maybe 1/8" of play. i cant move the jets side to side at all either. im hoping someone has a magic trick, like a relatively easily accessible spot i can drop some lube on the cable and itll slide down in, but thats proabably wishful thinking. i also just realized i havent heard one beep from the boat. not once. maybe the speaker/buzzer is blown.

im very confident ill have both motors fired up this week (also they both have spark), but i know this is too good to be true, so im preparing for a jet pump issue. if i can get this thing in the water for the cost of spark plugs, oil, and gas, itd be like hitting the lottery for me, which would never happen because i just dont win like that aha.

thanks so very much everyone for your help and suggestions, its greatly appreciated,

Kyle

 

[mikidymac]

Wait, are you saying the engines were locked up and water and oil cam out of them?

 

[shrug]

the starboard engine wasnt necessarily locked up, just needed some lubrication after sitting so long and is now cranking fine.

the port engine was completely filled with 2-stroke oil. the oil tank mustve slowly filled the cylinders while it sat for over a decade. i shouldnt have said water, it was definitely straight oil. six large amazon boxes soaked in oil later (holding them over the heads while cranking) it was pretty much empty. i was thinking about the mixture of oil and water sitting in the bottom of the engine compartment that i need to bilge into a trashcan or something.

both motors are spinning freely now and dont sound like theyre struggling at all. going to try to fire it up in the next couple days. it draws cooling water through the impeller right? so is there a line i can disconnect and hook up to a hose for when i fire them up so i can run them for more than a few seconds? i have the shop manual so ill consult that.

 

[jts32]

There are two flushing connectors under the swim platform, and two capped connectors under the engine compartment hatch. Even on the hose, I wouldn't run it for more than 30 sec. The carbon rings aren't being cooled when it's running on the trailer. Start engine, turn water on. Turn water off, stop engine. Do not jump start or boost batteries connected, it can fry your mpem.

 

[shrug]

okays thanks for everything guys. ive been reading the shop manual from beginning to end. waiting for a friend to bring over a second charged battery and a charger for my dead one to see if we can get one or both engines to fire up.

i dont have any grey fuel lines. all black (most with a red line) and say USCG rated. this thing definitely looks like someones done work to it so maybe they swapped them out.

figured out the buzzer issue, and disconnected the steering push/pull lines one at a time. the wheel will turn right (turning the starboard jet left) but will not turn left, nor can i turn the jet by hand, so that line must be seized up pretty well.

 

[jts32]

I don't think any of the jet boats had the grey tempo lines. Every boat I've had, has had thicker black fuel lines. Probably so they meet burn ratings like other inboard boats

 

[JeremyD615]

I have a 95 Speedster that started out in similar mechanical shape, and I did in fact have a few pieces of tempo line that I had to swap out. You may get lucky with the correct oil stopping your oil leak, but I had to buy a motor. If you can get it running and it’s a slow leak, you may be able to buy some time by installing a ball valve on that oil line so that you can shit off flow when it’s not being used. If you go that route, I would leave my lanyard wrapped around that valve when it’s shut off. That way you can’t forget to restart the flow.

 

[JeremyD615]

Also, you can do a single large battery in place of the two smaller ones. That’s the way mine is set up now. The only downside of doing it that way is that a standard group 24 or group 27 battery will not fit between the exhaust and the hull without removing either the pipe or the oil tank. I cut out a flap to facilitate battery removal, but it’s a pain if you’re afraid to cut into the fiberglass. Good luck with the restoration, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions specific to the 95. There are plenty of guys around here with more experience than I have, but I’ve got a fairly well-sorted example if you need something to reference...

 

[shrug]

hey guys, i was going to have a local shop do my carbs/fuel system and left steering cable but hes so busy its been months and i havent even been able to get a quote from him. he rarely answers his phone, and i understand my job (probably around 1500-2000) is a small bill for him.

anyway, me and a friend decided to take the time and do it ourselves. were car/motorcycle racing dudes like ive said so im confident we can do the work, just trying to be positive i order the correct parts.

i have four carb rebuild kits in my basket, im just trying to figure out needle size because this chart is confusing. do the 657x in the 95 speedsters use the 1.2, 1.5, or 2 size needles? ordering them from amazon, and the steering cable and exhaust/carb to manifold gaskets from SBT unless anyone has a better idea.

ALSO: are the needles on SBTs site genuine mikuni? theyre $5 cheaper than amazon but dont look the same as the genuine mikunis on amazon.

 

[JeremyD615]

The needles are 1.5’s on the 95. Stock carb settings are 1-1/4 turn out on the low speed screw and closed on the high speed. As far as I know, the SBT needles and seats are not OEM. They do offer them, but the SBT branded ones are aftermarket. As far as the carb kits go, be absolutely sure you are buying Mikuni kits from Amazon. If there is any question about it, buy them from a forum sponsor or OSD. They have a dual carb kit with the needles and seats. I believe it is carb kit #3 on their website.

 

[shrug]

yep im positive i have legit mikuni carb kits and needles in my amazon shopping cart, just have to swap the needles for 1.5mm. (nvm, already had the 1.5s in there cause thats the best i could understand from the carb chart)

thanks so much for the quick reply jeremy. trying to get this stuff ordered asap.

 

[JeremyD615]

No worries. I know exactly how it feels to be waiting to get one of these in the water... you look to be good to go with the parts you’ve got in the cart. I will make one suggestion though. Pick up an impact screwdriver either from amazon or harbor freight if you have one nearby. Those internal carb screws are really easy to strip the head on...

 

[JeremyD615]

Actually, looking at it again, you might want to check out OSD. Their complete kit with the needles and seats is the same price as just your carb kits...

 

[shrug]

thanks man, that makes me feel much more confident before i drop $500+ on parts.

im a GC/builder by trade, so i have a few 1/4" impact drivers and a 1/2" impact wrench, and access to a friends diesel shop full of snap-on tools.

i read something about using the JIS (japanese industrial standard) screwdrivers, but then someone else contradicted them and said they had better luck with a regular milwaukee brand #2 phillips (which i have plenty of).

also, the local boat dude said i have a leak in my water box, which i can weld from the engine compartment if i move one of the pipes out of the way (i have a welder and know how to use it).

again, really appreciate your prompt responses and even though ive done a ton of research and learned a lot since i bought it and made my first post, theres always more to know so i will take any knowledge you want to give me. its just that there are so many different models that share some parts and exclusively use others where it gets confusing. so grateful for the knowledge on this forum.

i actually looked up the #3 carb kits as soon as you mentioned them and may go with them instead.

thanks again jeremy.

EDIT: should i swap the carb screws for some hex heads or something? is there a special threading or grade or anything?

 

[JeremyD615]

When I said impact screwdriver, I meant a manual one. You hit it with a hammer and it breaks the screw loose. You can swap the screws out for ones that take an Allen key, but if you use the impact driver to break them loose, you shouldn’t have to. If you need them, OSD offers them as an option on their carb kits also...

 

[mikidymac]

Also make sure you follow my carb rebuild thread in the 2-stroke PawC Sticky section and it will walk you through step by step.

 

[shrug]

oh yes mikidymac, your rebuild thread is the only reason im taking this on myself. the extent of my experience with carbs is on small motors (mowers, chainsaws, etc). thank you so very much for taking the time to document the entire process so well with plenty of excellent pics for reference.

you all are great, thank you so much for all the help. ill take all i can get aha.

EDIT: so are the JIS screwdrivers an absolute necessity? i have literally hundreds of different bits, might even have a JIS bit and not know it.

 

[JeremyD615]

The screwdriver is not a necessity, but they are cheap and save a lot of frustration. You’ll be fine without it, but do make sure you are careful with the screws that hold the metering block in. Those are the easiest ones to mess up.

 

[shrug]

hey guys just checking in. got both pairs of carbs off without incident, as in all fasteners released easily and nothing broke. no sign of any green goo anywhere. rebuild kits and needles will be here between weds-fri.

good to know i can get away without the JIS screwdriver. i should be fine, i know how to be delicate and not strip things out.

also, im glad i didnt order a new left steering cable last night, because i somehow managed to get it unstuck and working great again. i squirted lube and tried like the dickens to get it unstuck many times, and of course it started working as it was just about fully disconnected/unsealed and ready to pull out of the hull. oh well, cant be upset about saving $170!

thanks everyone!

 

[shrug]

hey, what do you guys use as a sealant around the drive/steering cables? for both sides of the hull (inside the engine compartment, and where the cables exit the hull under the swim platform). need to re-seal left steering cable.

itd be nice if it was just one sealant for everything but cool either way. boat will only see salt water for maybe one week a year, in case that makes a difference.

also, when i had the local PWC shop guy take a look at it to give me a quote before i decided to just do it all myself, he said something about maybe having a hole in my "water box" (seems like the space between the two impellers/venturis). im not sure how or from what he deduced that. he said id access it from inside the engine compartment and id see it if i removed the purple propane tank looking part of the exhaust for the port motor. he said it would need to be welded, which confused me as its all obviously fiberglass. i removed the exhaust part and i see what looks like was a small hole about the size of a golf ball in the fiberglass that had been patched, but no metal to speak of. i specifically asked him if id have to remove the metal jet/impeller/intake grate plate and work from underneath, but he was adamant it was in the engine compartment. i have a wire welder and can weld whatever, if i could just find what needed to be welded, lol.

as always, thanks so very much everyone. im happy to know im on track for my memorial day deadline.

 

[mikidymac]

For sealant on anything through the hull you want 3M 5200, slow cure is better but takes 7 days to fully cure. The fast cure 5200 is good also.

The waterbox has nothing to do with the jet or hull. The waterbox is the purple propane tank looking thing. It is the muffler. Basically it is a tank with a few metal baffles that force the exhaust gasses through water to reduce the noise.

 

[JeremyD615]

The water box is the big purple can that you removed. They do spring leaks every now and then, but they’re pretty simple to weld up if you have the tools and know-how. It actually acts as the muffler for the boat, and they flow both water and exhaust gasses. I’d inspect it very closely, as you’ve already got it removed and a leak will cause you to take on water and can can fill the bilge with exhaust fumes and actually choke the motors out.

As far as sealant goes, I believe you can use a run of the mill silicone sealant on the steering cable. I think I used a GE waterproof silicone the last time I did a thru hull fitting on mine.

Edit** - Mikidymac is much more of an expert than I am, so use the 5200 to seal it up. Mine has held fine, but if he’s giving you that particular sealant, there’s a reason for it.