17 replies to this topic

[kwhite]

we have a 2003 challenger 2000 with about 19 hours on it. we can drive around for a few minutes up to several minutes and out of nowhere the engine quits. we took it to lake cumberland marine in ky and they checked elec. system, fuel system and all they could come up with was a relay which in turn cost us $1,400.00 worth of labor for a $20.00 relay. we took the boat out again and wouldn't you know it, the same thing keeps happening. i thought it could be the battery shut off knob, but it happened once at night when we had all of the lights on and they didn't blink. i've checked out the kill switch and it seems fine, and it will start back up after we put it in nutural and turn the key without resetting the kill switch. anybody have this problem too? all of the dealers say "oh that's a mercury problem" or "thats a sea-doo problem" and nobody wants to fix it.

[Kevin Leclair]

How do your spark plugs look?

[no1stumper]

If they said it was your relay, it might well be that relay. Have you considered replacing it your self?

[WAJetboating]

Sounds electrical to me. Try this experiment: While the engine is running normally, pull off the lanyard on the kill switch. Does the engine die exactly the same way as it does when you have the problem? If so, I would check the kill switch and the wiring to it... it may be flaky and cutting out intermittently.

Report back!

[Jim the new guy.]

Wish I had a suggestion, instead I have what sounds to be the same issue. (2001 Challenger 1800, 240HP M2 EFI).

My problem only happens at near to wide open throttle, below 40MPH I can run all day.

I'll also try what WAJetboating suggested when I get the boat back in the lake later this week. From my expierence it's like someone turned off the key - RPMs drop right to zero, starts right back up.

What/where is this relay you talked about?

Since this post was starting in June - what happened? Did you find the problem? share please if you did.

[keviseeb]

Wish I had a suggestion, instead I have what sounds to be the same issue. (2001 Challenger 1800, 240HP M2 EFI).

My problem only happens at near to wide open throttle, below 40MPH I can run all day.

I'll also try what WAJetboating suggested when I get the boat back in the lake later this week. From my expierence it's like someone turned off the key - RPMs drop right to zero, starts right back up.

What/where is this relay you talked about?

Since this post was starting in June - what happened? Did you find the problem? share please if you did.

At the risk of long distance diagnostics these symptoms sometimes occur because the ground from the engine to the battery is corroded. The engine gets hot and causes the ground to break, after it cools it miraculously fixes itself. Check the ground where it attaches to the engine from the battery. Even if it isn't loose clean it up anyway. Also make sure the battery posts are not loose on the battery. Did you have the throttle recall done?

Kevin Seeber
Kingsland Marine

[Jim the new guy.]

At the risk of long distance diagnostics these symptoms sometimes occur because the ground from the engine to the battery is corroded. The engine gets hot and causes the ground to break, after it cools it miraculously fixes itself. Check the ground where it attaches to the engine from the battery. Even if it isn't loose clean it up anyway. Also make sure the battery posts are not loose on the battery. Did you have the throttle recall done?

Kevin Seeber
Kingsland Marine

Thanks for the suggestion - another thing to check. I understand the 'long distance diagnotics' part it's my issue to solve, just looking for ideas like your - thanks.

It's wierd that it starts right up again after it dies, no sputtering just turns off by itself. I think it has to be electrical. It may be some type of 'relay' (as mentioned earlier in the thread) that at high speed (and high RPMs) trips from an overload of some sort.

Had it out today and had it up to 50+ for a short time 20 seconds without a problem, crusied at 40+ for several minutes...

RIght now I'm living with it and checking ideas as they come up.

Send more ideas if you have any

Jim

[keviseeb]

Thanks for the suggestion - another thing to check. I understand the 'long distance diagnotics' part it's my issue to solve, just looking for ideas like your - thanks.

It's wierd that it starts right up again after it dies, no sputtering just turns off by itself. I think it has to be electrical. It may be some type of 'relay' (as mentioned earlier in the thread) that at high speed (and high RPMs) trips from an overload of some sort.

Had it out today and had it up to 50+ for a short time 20 seconds without a problem, crusied at 40+ for several minutes...

RIght now I'm living with it and checking ideas as they come up.

Send more ideas if you have any

Jim

Jim, one other thing to check is the primary fuel pump on the engine. Trace the fuel inlet hose to the first pump it comes to. Carefully see if there is fuel flow through it.

Kevin Seeber
Kingsland Marine

[Utpoia Bill]

This is the same problem I'm having. The 2004 Utopia I have had been running fine and suddenly started cutting out while cruising. First, the mobile boat mechanic I hired changed out the fuel filter mounted to the side of the engine and changed the plugs. Back on the water, with the mechanic it still happened. He spent the next two hours at the dock trouble shooting everything. He ultimately found that the low volume fuel pump, also attached to the side of the engine was cutting out. When it cut out it lost the ground connection. We ultimately proved the diagnosis by running the engine with the pump grounded directly to the battery. The boat then ran fine. Tracing the wiring back, we found the ground was controlled by the ECM. Since he could not analyze the ECM, I ended up at a "stealer." Though I explained all this to the dealer's service manager, he spent weeks chasing issues within the gas tank. Six weeks later he suggested replacing the ECM at a cost of $2,000, though he wasn't certain it would solve the problem. When I asked for them to send it to Mercury or somewhere it could be tested, he ultimately found a business in Alabama that for $500 claims to be able repair them.

I've now missed the best time of the summer to use the boat. It's now been out of commission for nearly eight weeks. After this repair, the boat will probably go up for sale. I bought the boat last June. According to the mechanic at that time it was in excellent condition. After the first weekend of use, I spend over $2,000 repairing the jet-drive after a tine off the intake grate sucked through the jet. Now this. I'll never buy another Mercury product and wouldn't recommend one to anyone.

Any advice would be welcomed!

[Jim the new guy.]

keviseeb: There is fuel in the line. If it was a gas issue would it studder and die not just quit like someone turned off the key?

Utpoia Bill: Man that story stinks. It sounded like you found the issue but your repair place didn;t chase that lead... odd. I need to get an engine manual on this beast. Interesting that there is a low pressure fuel pump.

SO much to learn. I've living with the issue as it only happend when you run over 5500 RPM for a while, so I just crusie about at 40-45mph and avoid the issue. Thanks for the info.

[keviseeb]

keviseeb: There is fuel in the line. If it was a gas issue would it studder and die not just quit like someone turned off the key?

Utpoia Bill: Man that story stinks. It sounded like you found the issue but your repair place didn;t chase that lead... odd. I need to get an engine manual on this beast. Interesting that there is a low pressure fuel pump.

SO much to learn. I've living with the issue as it only happend when you run over 5500 RPM for a while, so I just crusie about at 40-45mph and avoid the issue. Thanks for the info.

This is a good one....here are some possibilities suggested by a Tecnical Rep at Mercury Marine not in order of importance:

1) The alternator is weak and at higher RPM the battery draw is such that the electronics are shutting down.
2) The primary fuel pump is weak and at 5,500 RPM the engine starves and dies, this happens more with Optimax engines but is possible with the 240 EFI since they use the same basic block. It DOES tend to happen suddenly.
3) Back pressure in the exhaust will cause these symptoms as well. We have found the exhaust line collapsed at about that RPM if the earlier recall had not been done or wasn't done right. This is the recall done on all 2004 and earlier Merc engines.

We aren't a big fan of the Mercury either, they seem to work better in a Sugar Sand once you replace the primary fuel pump and fix the exhaust on the Optimax models. They were a necessary stepping stone in the evolution to the current design, we have some customers who bought 2000 models now with 700 hours and have never done anything but routine maintenance! Let us know if any of the things above make sense or work if you try them.

Kevin Seeber
Kingsland Marine

[Jim the new guy.]

This is a good one....here are some possibilities suggested by a Tecnical Rep at Mercury Marine not in order of importance:

1) The alternator is weak and at higher RPM the battery draw is such that the electronics are shutting down.
2) The primary fuel pump is weak and at 5,500 RPM the engine starves and dies, this happens more with Optimax engines but is possible with the 240 EFI since they use the same basic block. It DOES tend to happen suddenly.
3) Back pressure in the exhaust will cause these symptoms as well. We have found the exhaust line collapsed at about that RPM if the earlier recall had not been done or wasn't done right. This is the recall done on all 2004 and earlier Merc engines.

We aren't a big fan of the Mercury either, they seem to work better in a Sugar Sand once you replace the primary fuel pump and fix the exhaust on the Optimax models. They were a necessary stepping stone in the evolution to the current design, we have some customers who bought 2000 models now with 700 hours and have never done anything but routine maintenance! Let us know if any of the things above make sense or work if you try them.

Kevin Seeber
Kingsland Marine

Interesting ideas. Last Monday my son had it out and it quit again (he said not at full speed) and it would no longer start but the starter would not kick in (just a quiet relay click you have to really listen for), they had to be towed off the lake Battery and everything else checks out so - it's in the shop. They are going to look at the 'just quits' issue as well as the starter. I'll give them your ideas as well. That recall item is very interesting, never heard of that ' exhaust line collapsed '. Your ideas all fit the boat's symptoms well.

Thanks for the info and ideas - I'll post what the shop finds.

[Jim the new guy.]

Well the shop say's they found both issues. (I haven't had it out on the lake yet thou).

The starter issue was a ground wire that had vibrated loose. They actaully said it was their fault - no charge. The high speed die problem, they say it was a spark plug boot that was almost off. They said that is the spark monitor system senses an 'Arc' (at high speed , high amp operation) then it would shut down the engine.

They tested the boat on a local lake an ran for 'over 5 minutes' at wide open throttle with no issues.
(I could not get more than a minute out of it before it died)

So - check your plug wires and I'm back to smiling again these days.

Thanks for the ideas and support everyone.

Jim

[Seadoodude]

high speed die problem, they say it was a spark plug boot that was almost off. They said that is the spark monitor system senses an 'Arc' (at high speed , high amp operation) then it would shut down the engine.

excellent, I have same problem. I will check plug boots tomorrow and see if that helps mine.

[Seadoodude]

Nope, it did not. Today lake was very rough and engine cut out every few minutes. In smooth water it can go all day without problems or cut out intermittently. Every time it will start right back up.

Seems to be a problem that is made worse in rough water. Guess I will check all the electrical connections and wiring.

I'm starting a new post as this one has status moved.

http://seadoosportbo...-off-t2342.html

[Bill Boscarino]

Problem is circuit board mounted within the engine the compartment on the wall behind seats, The problem confirmed buy SEA DOO factory. Sold state relays on board malfunctioning.

 

Sea Doo factory sold me the last board they had, installed it and boat runs perfectly. Sea Doo enginerring as well as the dealer recommended I get rid of the boat because there is no repair for the board or other spare parts for the boat anymore.

 

So I sold the boat, it was in absolute mint condition. The Boat sold Immediately.

 

My Sea Doo nightmares are over.

[tzh99h]

Have at it. Let us know as my 2017 season approches

[Boatlover]

Just read this review.  Going to purchase 2001 Utopia, should i reconsider???

Thanks!