simplewon

Installed the battery under the console, with the motor(45lbs) and the battery(heavy), I've increased top speed by 4mph??? sure wouldnt have guessed that. Used to be 54 via gps, now 57 fully loaded full tank of fuel. Guess it needed a bit more weight on the nose. Yes, that's 1/2 inch pvc covering the stainless bolts, holding up well so far. Got the motor from amazon with the ipilot already installed. Paid a bit more for the saltwater riptide sp though I don't have saltwater around here. Just figured it'd hold up better since the gps motor is high.

I fish standing on the swim deck, just drop a 12 pound anchor off the center rear on a 2 foot rope and point the trolling motor and it keeps the boat on coarse while I fish. Eventually I'll pay for the motor with the fuel I've saved lol

Thought I'd store the motor in the boat when not in use but it's too big for the 97 speedster so I'll just have to lock it up in the back of the jeep when I don't take it with me.

Love it.

I bought a rubber freeze plug for an old car engine from auto zone then bought a stainless wingnut from lowes. I used the air lug impact wrench to drive the nut that comes with the freeze plug down tight until the freeze plug just fits snuggly into the drain behind my right heal at the drivers seat. Then I screwed the wingnut on tight to use it as a handle. I just push it in place and pull it out to allow it drain. Manual mode. I don't want water in the boat unless I splash it in the boat. It's working well. cheap fix.

Speedster 5602

14 feet, twin 85hp each

Sounds like water in the fuel. A compression check would check the engine. Stopped up carbs typically idle but run out of fuel under full throttle, bog down and die. I would not think the oil adjustment has changed from it's factory setting. It is the lowest cable on the carb. I would not adjust it to a lower setting.

Simply pumping the tank from the fuel lines won't get all the water out of the tank. You need to either pump with a hose from the three low spots in the tank with the sending unit removed or use an additive that mixes the fuel with the water. I did not want the additive so I used a 12 volt fuel pump on short hose to suck out the water from the bottom of the tank with the sending unit removed.


As for it struggling? It depends on the rpms when you go full throttle. If the rpms are high, 6000 plus you have cavitation, possibly a bad wear ring or carbon seal where the drive shaft goes through the boat. Lets air in, the prop just spins, the boat don't go.
or
if the rpms are low, as if a limiter from the computer is set at 3500rpm, the neutral switch is stuck. The computer will only allow the engines to reach about 3500rpm while in neutral.

I'm no expert, not a boat mechanic but have the same boat. Hope this helps.

As for water in the tank, the vent through hole outside, low and near the drivers seat. It is supposed to have a cap that helps keep water out. My cap was missing, if I spin the boat, water in the tank from the through hole since it was missing the cap. I ordered a replacement vent from amazon for cheap. Turns out it's chrome metal with a black plastic cap. Gave this cap an extra quarter turn with channel lock pliers. When the boat moves and shakes out on the lake, it sucks up some of the water from the bottom of the tank. Pumping the throttle numerous times will help get the water out of the line. Save the starter. Make sure you start it to burn any water the carbs may squirted down the intake. Might have to run it on an alcohol pre mix with oil by spraying it into the carb to keep it running till the carb is clean from water. The accelerator pump, water? Pump the lines clean.

It's in the drivers side vent hole, just behind the gas cap