5 replies to this topic

[Scarface]

When at a stop or idle, when I push both throttles to full, the boat makes revs very loud vibrate a little then takes off...My co worker said it might be cavitating and there are some rings near the impellers I may need to replace...Is he right about this? If so, will it hurt to drive the boat until I can get that fixed? I have common tools, so I wonder if I could do this myself and what the parts cost...Thanks in advance!

[tiggerman]

Simply put- yes it is. As far as hurting the boat, not immediately. Cavitation can cause damage to the impellers over time, but not likely to happen before you can get it fixed. The rings he refers to are wear rings, and cost $37.47 each from
www.worldofpowersports.com I found it simple to install, though I didn't do mine like they manual says. There is a special tool used to unscrew the impeller from the pump shaft ( found on eBay for around 12.95), but I didn't use it.
I describe how I did mine in this thread: http://seadoosportbo...p?showtopic=110
Not exactly how to do it correctly, but it worked. You may want to invest in the tool and a shop manual and tear the pump down to inspect the bearings and seals. While you're at it, replace them and then you'll have brand-new rebuilt pumps! The only other tool I could think of you may need would be a wood dowel or other suitable tool to drive in new bearings if you chose to replace them.
It is a simple job if you take your time. That website I included first has all the parts you could want for your boat, and cheaper than any local dealer (in Alabama). There are some other things that will cause the pumps to cavitate, such as faulty carbon ring seals on the drive shaft, a leaky ride plate (the part the pumps bolt to), or the pump isn't sealing to the rideplate. Easy fixes on all those.

[TexasA&MSpeedster]

So how exactly do you go about pulling the pumps out? Mine cavitates very slightly at take off... how soon should something like this be fixed? Also, what is a reasonable price that a shop would charge to do this work?

[tiggerman]

View the rear of your boat. When looking at the pumps on your '97, you will see four nuts around each pump (17mm socket fits them). Disconnect the shifter cables, and the steering cable and tie rod (connects both nozzles together). Remove the four nuts from the pump, and pull it toward you. You may have to 'rock' it back and forth a little to get the driveshaft loose from the impeller. When it comes loose, the pump will be in your hand.
You can then inspect the impeller front and back, look at the wear ring, or change the pump oil. Further disassembly will make this easier. Look in the end of the impeller where the driveshaft was- make sure it still had some grease in it, and the rubber nose cone is in good shape.
This repair should be taken care of as soon as you notice a decrease in performance, or increased cavitation. I guess that would be up to you and how the boat feels when you accelerate. If you go WOT from idle and the engines 'bounce' off the rev limiters, it's time to take care of it. Mine cavitated severely when taking off from idle, making it difficult to pull up a kneeboarder and impossible to pull up a skier. It was hardly noticeable with just my wife and I in the boat. Doing the repair myself, I have no idea how much a dealer would charge. I can tell you that there was a dramatic performance increase after I did it. I know everyone is not mechanically inclined, but with a shop manual in front of you, the procedure should be a breeze. ( I'm gonna buy one of those one day).....
Call around and check labor prices at local shops, and compare.

[TexasA&MSpeedster]

View the rear of your boat. When looking at the pumps on your '97, you will see four nuts around each pump (17mm socket fits them). Disconnect the shifter cables, and the steering cable and tie rod (connects both nozzles together). Remove the four nuts from the pump, and pull it toward you. You may have to 'rock' it back and forth a little to get the driveshaft loose from the impeller. When it comes loose, the pump will be in your hand.
You can then inspect the impeller front and back, look at the wear ring, or change the pump oil. Further disassembly will make this easier. Look in the end of the impeller where the driveshaft was- make sure it still had some grease in it, and the rubber nose cone is in good shape.
This repair should be taken care of as soon as you notice a decrease in performance, or increased cavitation. I guess that would be up to you and how the boat feels when you accelerate. If you go WOT from idle and the engines 'bounce' off the rev limiters, it's time to take care of it. Mine cavitated severely when taking off from idle, making it difficult to pull up a kneeboarder and impossible to pull up a skier. It was hardly noticeable with just my wife and I in the boat. Doing the repair myself, I have no idea how much a dealer would charge. I can tell you that there was a dramatic performance increase after I did it. I know everyone is not mechanically inclined, but with a shop manual in front of you, the procedure should be a breeze. ( I'm gonna buy one of those one day).....
Call around and check labor prices at local shops, and compare.

Hmm... Mind doesn't bounce off of the limiters on take off, and I don't have a problem pulling up a skier (except for the carb hesitation), so I don't think that mine is nearly as bad as yours was...

Did you notice any increase in top speed? My boat will hit 60 with just me and a full tank of gas... I would love to go faster though!

[tiggerman]

Likely your speedo says 60, but not realistic... the paddlewheel speedos aren't known for accuracy- but I'm not gonna split hairs. Fast is fast!
I didn't notice any increase in top speed, there may have been- what I did notice though was the ability to reach top speed quicker than before the repair. Less time to get on plane was an added benefit. Up and out of the hole in no time flat.