price of gas / gas guage

[wildziner]

Interesting thing I noticed yesterday - the manual for our new 08 speedster 150 says that the fuel tank has a 21 gallon capacity. The gauge before fueling showed half a tank. When I filled it up, it took 16 gallons though. We took it out and added 2 hours to the hour meter, and the gauge didnt go down at all. The boat was sold to us with a full tank in it, and in the first 2 hours, it went down half-way. Now, with 2 more hours on the boat, it's still at full. Is this necessarily an indication that the guage is broken, or are there some tricky things about these boats, like in my toyota celica where it stays at the full mark for quite a while, then depletes more quickly when it gets down to the 1/4 full mark?

p.s. - premium gas here in Miami was at $4.01 yesterday - $64 for half a tank!! :ack:

 

[kustomkarl]

I would bring it back to the dealer to check the fuel guage sender in the tank. It sounds like it is defective.

Karl

 

[wildziner]

They told me the float switch may be stuck, and that they'll check it out at the 10 hour inspection. Are the repair manuals on here new enough for the 08 speedster 150? If so, I'll get the premium membership so I can look at where all that stuff is located, and check it out myself.

Thanks

 

[kustomkarl]

The jet boat selection has the 4-tec manual, but there is not a manual for the boat specifics. I use the previous years for info on my 08, 200speedster. All the electrical is the same for the most part, as the color codes haven't change from year to year.
If you mess with it you might not get a warranty part replaced because of tampering with it.

Karl

 

[wildziner]

right - I didnt go with the extended warranty, so I'll pretty much keep to the dealership for the first year I think. It looks pretty hard to get to where the float switch would be anyway. Would you have to take the engine out to get to the fuel tank? Sure looks like it. Maybe tearing out the seats, and replacing all the plastic tabs that snap them in place would be easier . . .

 

[kustomkarl]

On my 08, 200 speedster I have 2 rear seats that have screw fittings to remove to remove the seats to fill the oil on a oil change. Under the seats is the end of the fuel tank. I have 2, 4-tec engines and each has it's own fuel tube, pump, sending unit in the tank. My guage wasn't working either so I unplugged the sending unit...(Pink and Pink/Black wire) and plug in the other sending unit from the other side...it worked. I'm gonna get it replaced soon, but mean time I have an extra sender unit to rely on.I wouldn't touch it, as you have the warranty to fall back on, and it is brand new.

 

[craig1104]

I have a 2005 speedster 200 and when I took it this summer I noticed a few things. 1. one tack would not work, fuel guage stuck on full and speedo not working. I got the tack to work by hitting the side of it. The wheel in the back spins freely. ANy Ideas on the other two? All fuses check out ok.

 

[kustomkarl]

Here is a way to check the fuel sending system;

You need to check the Pink and Pink/Black wire coming out of the baffle tube in the gas tank. The sending unit works off resistance. Pull the plug apart at the tank, and use an ohm meter to check for resistance between the two pink wires. The resistance will be different depending on how much fuel is in the fuel tank. If you get no resistance, remove the clamps off the sender, and pull the sending unit out of the fuel tank. Check the magnets on the float in the sending unit. To get to the float out, pop the bottom off and look for the 4 magnets on the float. If they are missing use a strong magnet to get them out of the tank bottom. If they are dirty clean them and re-insert it back in the baffle tube and check the wires again to check for readings of resistance depending on where the float is in the baffle tube. Check the float to see if it “floats” in a cup of gas. Sometimes the float becomes saturated and won’t float in gas…but it will in water, so use gas to check it. If still no reading of resistance replace the sender. If you get readings, check continuity of wiring to guage. At the baffle you could un plug the guage and using a jumper wire between the 2 wires in the plug on the guage side. Attach the lanyard to power up the gauges. If the guage goes to full the guage is good. If it still doesn’t respond, do a continuity test of the wires to the guage. If all wiring checks out ok, and the guage still doesn’t respond, the guage is bad. Keep me posted on your progress.

I hope this helps out.

Karl

 

[mark younggren]

SPEAKING OF GAS Premimum(89octn) vs Regular(87)

:cheers: SPEAKING of gas I have heard from half the mechanics I have used for my 2001 Chalenger w/ dual 85 hp rotax engines to always use preimun and the other to always use regualr? What do ya all say?

 

[unclejay]

Speedometer

The little paddles on the speedometer pickup will 'rotate freely' even if a small strand of weeds is binding them. Use a flashlight and razor blade until you can see both ends of the paddle shaft are clean.

2 stroke Rotax engines will run OK on 87 but better and cooler on 89. More than that not needed.