Skat Trak boot won’t seat on drive shaft!?

[Ablondechick]

Just upgraded from a remanned SBT impeller and stock nozzle to a Skat-Trak 17/22 Swirl and R&D reduction nozzle. Took the XP out on the lake and took on water! Luckily caught it right at the launch, and saw that the water was coming in from the drive shaft (I tried to upload a photo but it won’t let me)... the guy who sold me the impeller says the boot isn’t seating properly, but I’ve tried everything. Heated the rubber boot up, tried greasing it, nothing works. There’s always a 1/8-1/4 “ gap between the impeller/boot/shaft. Any suggestions? Anyone ever have this difficulty installing a skat-trak? Thanks- Jess

 

[mikidymac]

Did you reinstall the two black rubber bumpers on the ends of the driveshaft? The impeller boot has nothing to do with sealing the driveshaft and carbon ring.

You have a black rubber cone that goes in the front of the impeller that keeps grease on the impeller splines but does not seal anything to do with the hull.
THe driveshaft has a stainless hat that seals against the carbon seal that is held to the hull with an accordion boot. This is what keeps water out of the hull. If you don't install the rubber bumpers on each end of the driveshaft there will not be enough pressure on the carbon seal to keep water out.

 

[Ablondechick]

I never removed the drive shaft and there is a rubber bumper on the end where the impeller/cone connect to the shaft.. The entire ski was rebuilt by a guy from these forums and ran like a champ last year. I just installed a new skat impeller and reduction nozzle, so I had to pull the pump off and when I went to reinstall the pump there is a 1/4 inch gap between the impeller the cone and the shaft. Everything under the flywheel cover looks good. No crack in the bellows but someone said it could be my carbon seal? But I don’t understand how changing my impeller could cause these seals to fail.

 

[mikidymac]

If you download Tapatalk it is super easy to post pictures.
Is the gap at the impeller or where the driveshaft contacts the through hull fitting?

 

[Ablondechick]

If it’s in complete contact with the impeller, there is a gap at the drive shafts end.. and vice versa - if it’s seated properly on the shaft, then there’s a gal between the boot and the impeller.. basically it’s like it’s too small but it’s what skat sent me.

 

[Ablondechick]

What’s the through hull fitting? There’s the bumper on the end of the shaft, the cone and the impeller.. no fitting

 

[mikidymac]

Ok see if this helps.

Driveshaft and pump with no boot.

Driveshaft with boot.

And together.
Is this different than what you have going on?

 

[Ablondechick]

It won’t let me share images from the app so I’ll try from my computer- but yea, driveshaft has the bumper, the impeller has a cone (but only a cone- unlike the oem that has a soft cone and a hard cone that goes over it) and when I attach all of them together there is always a 1/4 “ gap between the either the shaft and the cone or the impeller and the cone, depending which one I seated first. Either way- the guys in the 2 stroke forum are saying neither of hear things wild cause water to spill into my haul and that it has to be the carbon ring or cracked bellows, but they worked right before trying to install the new impeller.. so I’m just perplexed as to how me installing this damn impeller could have done any damage to the driveshaft setup when I didn’t even touch it. Someone suggested doing it like you’re doing it- taking the drive shaft it entirely, getting the cone to seat and then installing in trough engine bay/hull instead of through the rear.

 

[Ablondechick]

Heres it seated in the impeller but not completely in the driveshaft

 

[Ablondechick]

and vice versa-

 

[Ablondechick]

Heres the nose cone that came with the skat impeller- this is ALL that came with it. Its much smaller than the OEM cone which I will attach below too

 

[Ablondechick]

This is the old SBT impeller, cone and additional piece. Its MUCH bigger than the Skat cone and it came with that additional cone piece that goes over the top of it (sorry don't know the technical term)

 

[Ablondechick]

The water, however, was coming in from this part of the driveshaft.

 

[Icantswim]

have you checked inside of the impeller to make sure there isn't a rubber bumper upside down in there? I almost made this mistake before, if there is enough grease sometimes the bumper will get stuck in there. Where you've circled is the through hull fitting, it's not uncommon to get a leak here. Also you might want to check your carbon ring and circlip. When you pulled the pump you may have released the pressure the bellow was providing and/or dislodged you circlip. I'm no pro but those are the things I would check. good luck!

 

[mikidymac]

It looks like your pump might not be completely seated in the hull. It is hard to tell but it looks like there might be a gap where it touches the pump shoe.

THe gap you see at the impeller boot will not hurt anything and will not cause any water to get in the hull.

I would call Glenn as Skat-Trak and make sure they sent the correct boot.

For your leak that is unrelated to the impeller. If it is leaking at the rear where you circled it is either..
1. The boot has a tear.
2. The hose clamp is loose.
3. The through hull fitting the boot clamps to is broken.

Those are the only options for it to leak at that spot.

 

[Ablondechick]

Talked to Glenn this morning actually and he said that cone is the right cone and they’ve always been a little small. When you say the boot has a tear- do you mean that same impeller boot or a different boot?

 

[Icantswim]

I believe he means the (accordian) bellow. Check the underside of it.

 

[Ablondechick]

Also would I be able to see the through hull fitting? Because i think I may be missing it. I looked at the shop manual and can’t identify it on my driveshaft

 

[mikidymac]

With the pump in the ski you have to pull the stainless collar back towards the rear of the ski and remove the o-ring or c-clip depending on what your ski has.
Once you remove the clip you can slide the stainless piece to the front and then pull the pump and driveshaft out the back of the ski. This will allow you to remove and inspect the carbon ring, the stainless hat, the accordion boot and the through hull fitting. The through hull fitting is just the fiberglass tube that it epoxied into the hull that the rear accordion boot cramp clamps to.

 

[Ablondechick]

Gotcha! Thanks. We’re tearing it apart right now. I’ll update if we find anything.

 

[Ablondechick]

So we tightened the clamp and filled the back of the hull with water and it leaked- then we wiggled the drive shaft and it leaked really bad. So I’m thinking the through hull fitting is bad. We pulled back the accordion looking bellows and it leaks like crazy. I don’t see any cracks in the bellows so that leaves me with the through hull fitting, correct?

 

[mikidymac]

Or the stainless hat to the carbon face.

 

[Ablondechick]

Ok thank you!

 

[KevinLamb]

Geez - where do you live in Ohio? Time to take it to a Sea Doo repair shop of some repute. Try going on some of the Facebook Sea Doo Forums and ask the experts who is someone you can trust in your area.

 

[Ablondechick]

So finally got my fiancé to take of the driveshaft completely and sure enough one of those bumpers that are supposed to be on the driveshaft is total obliterated. So that could have definitely caused the leak, BUT we filled the hull up with water just to the edge where the through hull fitting is (without any of the driveshaft pieces in) and it STILL leaked... my fiancé is convinced this means we need both a new through hull fitting and that bumper- my question is, if there isn’t any pressure from the driveshaft assembly pushing on the through hull fitting, will it still be water-tight? Or would it potentially leak.. I just don’t want to spend 70$ if my through hull fitting is fine. Also- when we pulled the driveshaft out, it has some wear- like little grooves. Photos below of where the water was coming through the hull w/o the driveshaft in, & the grooves of the driveshaft. Thanks. - Jess