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

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5200 is an actual engineered marine sealant and is a urethane not a silicone. THe bond strength it has is pretty amazing.
 
I only use 5200 to adhere something structurally that I never want to see come apart. Think hull joints or a wood/fibreglass backing/mounting pad. If you ever need to disassemble, whatever you're sticking together is likely to part before the cured 5200 does.

Otherwise, I'd use 4200, especially for adhesive sealing duties.
 
I have used 5200 for years as a sealant and it is more difficult to remove than silicone but a sharp razor blade takes it off pretty easy. I have found the multi-tools with the scraper blades go through it like butter.

For fittings above the waterline I still use silicone but anything below for me I like 5200. I'll have to look into the 4200 for my next project, thanks.
 
Just a quick question, have you looked in the ebox to check out if you have the single mpem? Most of the early boats get sold cheap due to one side of the mpem failing. I did a write up a few years ago when I had my boat on how to convert it to two separate ski mpems.
 
I don’t know how much some people use but I have been using 5200 for 25 years to seal bilge pump fittings, cooling lines on stand-ups and exhaust fittings and it is easy to remove with a single edge razor blade. This isn’t a bonding adhesive like they used for the decks. It’s not that scary of a sealant.

If it’s s rigid part to the hull like a driveshaft housing you want something tough like 5200 or G-Flex epoxy.

Use whatever you want, I know what works for me.
 
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It's a great adhesive, that property isn't needed in all cases. You wouldn't use it to mount a carburetor or cylinder head, would you? Why not use a sealant to match the application?
 
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It's a great adhesive, that property isn't needed in all cases. You wouldn't use it to mount a carburetor or cylinder head, would you? Why not use a sealant to match the application?

What are you talking about, never said use it on engines? I am done arguing on this. Through hull fittings that the OP asked about is right on the application list for 5200.
 
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Oh I see, 5200 isn't an adhesive. Thanks! Sorta sounded like you brush your teeth with it.

Next time I spend all day remove something bedded in 5200 I'll be thinking of your advice.

"My thru hulls were put on with 5200 from prev owner and it was a %$# to get them off. The outer side of the thru hulls had to be ground off because the 5200 was pulling off the gelcoat when trying to pry them off. used 4200 on the new ones. I did not want the next owner to go through the same thing I did. "
 
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I'd go with one large cranking battery and an auxillary deep cycle for the audio. Be careful jumping it off a running vehicle. I would shut the truck off before jumping off of it. That can fry the delicate computer. Very pricey for boats with dual engines. If it were my boat, I'd put some shop air through the cooling lines that attach to the rear of the cylinders. I had a shell once stuck in my muffler. Caused that engine to run slightly hotter, ending it prematurely.

As for the steering, sounds like your cable is shot. Remove it from the rear where it attaches to the steering nozzle and see if you can't pull/push on it. You should be able to turn the wheel from back there. If it's rusted, you MIGHT be able to resurrect it by removing it and soaking it in something. See if you can coil it into an oil drain tub and fill it with enough used motor oil or whatever to soak it. It might free up, but a used cable wouldn't be too much on ebay or one of the used parts guys on this forum. You oil tank is probably going to leak no matter what you do to it. If it's the kind where you insert the feed tubed through a rubber grommet into the tank those are notorious leakers. I'd clean that up with acetone and use 5200 on it (didn't know about that stuff when my challenger still had the 2stroke engine). I used to always see synthetic 2stroke oil in the bottom of my bilge (after I wasted all that effort cleaning it out last time.
 
okay, thanks for the advice on the sealant.

thats funny that a cylinder is referred to as a box. i knew the exhaust used water to muffle the sound, i thought it looked like the baffles of a muffler inside, so from the way its plumbed i figured that was its purpose. funny thats what he was talking about, i was expecting something much more difficult. turns out its the starboard water box leaking and the port motor is leaking at the connection between the manifold and pipe. im not worried about either of those, thats small beans,

much appreciated gents.
 
ill do something about the batteries later, for now i have two brand new guys that work great. one of the first things i read and first replys to this thread was to not jump off a running vehicle or jump box. as far as i can tell, everything is fine with my MPEM. i pulled the cover off when i first got it and everything looks okay physically but i obviously havent gone through the boards with a fine tooth comb.

my local PWC guy was alarmed when i told him about 5200, and he also said id never get it off. the old stuff was pretty difficult, but like miki said i can get almost anything off with a fresh razor blade and the scraper attachment on my fein mulitool. still, i think ill go with a silicone with slightly less bonding power as i suspect that cable will bind up again over next winter and ill have to replace it for serious.
 
I'd still use 5200 on the oil tank. I can attest that grey silicone gasket maker does not stand the test of time. Also, be sure to zip-tie those oil lines every foot or so to something. Maybe my problem was the fact that most of the OEM zip tie anchors peeled away.

Also, once you get this boat on the water, it's going to blow you away! It was such a surprise when I got to drive one for the first time. It was the most fun I've ever had with a steering wheel. You'll have such a huge grin on your face. It's the boat that doesn't slow down in a hard turn. All your passengers better know where the grab handles are, and if they don't, they will quickly learn. I have the same boat with a 185hp 4tec, and it still doesn't quite keep up with the thrust of this baby. On the down-side, it is a thirsty boat. Get ready to shell out some cash for fuel. Those 27gal don't last when you're out there hammering on that throttle. But to me, it's the most fun money can buy, so look at it that way :thumbs-up: Use regular gas and the cheapest API-TC oil you can find. Those 720s don't really need synthetic, though it is better.
 
They are a ton of fun! Be aware that if you corner it hard with someone in the bow seat, they better be hanging on tight or they will wind up in the water. I tossed my girlfriend out of mine last summer, and she was not happy about it... I guess I should have said “brace yourself” rather than “hang on!”
 
If your waterbox is leaking it can fill the engine compartment with exhaust and choke out the engines.

For the sealant if you don't want to use 5200 that's fine then I would suggest 4200. The polyurethane sealants really are better below the waterline than silicone. Atwood also makes a good one that is available at all walmarts in the boat section. If you do use silicone use something like the Permatex Ultra Black RTV, that is wat seadoo used to use on the PWC's.
 
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oh i fully understand miki, its already welded. appreciate the warning though.

IDoSeaDoo, what do you mean use it (5200) on the oil tank? i dont have any leaks or anything, my oil level hasnt dropped a mL without an engine running.

all parts (and JIS bits) are in as of friday so i can hopefully begin the carbs monday. id like to get both pairs done, one right after the other, instead of working on them for an hour each night.
 
Once you get through the first one, the second one will be a breeze... Just make sure you spend the time to really get the carb cleaner in the transition ports and jets. If you replace your check valves, I like to poke a hole in one of the old ones and slide it over the end of the straw on the carb cleaner. It helps create a seal and increase the pressure when you force the cleaner through all of the holes in the carb...
 

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the port carbs are in good shape, as theyre on the newer SBT motor. the starboard carbs are pretty nasty so definitely glad im doing this rebuild. however, of course i stripped out the screw holding in the metering block on one of the starboard carbs. first try, wasnt even applying that much force.
 
the port carbs are in good shape, as theyre on the newer SBT motor. the starboard carbs are pretty nasty so definitely glad im doing this rebuild. however, of course i stripped out the screw holding in the metering block on one of the starboard carbs. first try, wasnt even applying that much force.

Unfortunately that’s where that impact screwdriver is needed... OSD offers replacement screws for the carb internals, so you might spend a couple of bucks on new hardware so that you don’t wind up in the same boat the next time you open them up.
 
finally finished the rebuild, reinstalled carbs, then realized the oil pump arms are upside down so they have no spring tension and i cant see the alignment marks o_O

pretty sure i need to disconnect the cable, spin the arms counter-clockwise about 180 degrees, then ill be able to see the mark and ill have tension.

i MIGHT be able to do the starboard motor without removing the carbs but the port motor will be damn near impossible. motors havent run yet obviously so gaskets should be okay.
 

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Yes, you’ll have to remove the cable and spin the arm. It is possible to do on the port side without removing the carbs, but it’s not fun at all! You may have better luck unbolting them so that you can maneuver them enough to get your hand down there...
 
hey man whatever, im just happy to have my idea confirmed as its a simple fix compared to everything else ive been through trying to get this baby on the water.

not having a plate on my trailer is driving me insane. i have the title and registration for the boat, but the guy i bought it from didnt have either for the trailer even though its factory.
 
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