Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

Banditz

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
168
Hey guys, working on a sugar sands jet boat and from the best I can tell the impeller is actually fine. It's not all chewed up or anything. The wear ring however is toast I think..I Epoxy'ed the thing and made her really nice and smooth. She worked great for awhile..then the impeller chewed that up like it wasnt even there! She has a bit of side to side play so figuring she has a bearing going bad????? Any help on that part would be awesome!

Next, she BARELY turns over. I have changed the starter with a rebuilt unit that seems to function properly. But she STILL does the exact same thing! I have gone through the grounds, they are fine. I even grounded the ground straight to the starter mounting bolts themselves! Didnt help at all! The hot or positive wire I sent straight to the starter itself. Still no faster on turnover speed. To tell you how far I have gone I even used a set of jumper cables..not cheap one's but 4 awg NICE one's and Added those in line with the stock lines running from the battery in hops that maybe she was just not getting the amperage she needed out of the stock wires. NOPE! Didnt do a thing.
Now, i have pulled EVERY plug, and while they are out she will spin free as a bird. Put ONE plug back in just one...and she locks up again. I can very easily turn her over with just a simple rope on the fly wheel not all that hard to turn at all to be honest with ya. She run's great after a carb rebuild and now I am just stuck with this starting issue. Any help on this would be awesome as well...

Thanks guys!
 

Banditz

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
168
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

And btw, I have TWO brand new batteries and they BOTH do not help the starting issue. BOTH are fully charged as well.
 

Banditz

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Apr 21, 2010
Messages
168
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

No one wants to give this a shot? LOL


BTW, I have been reading OLD threads on here..seems like I may have a problem with my ride plate as well, the front of it does NOT sit flush or anywhere near it. She is down at least a 1/2" from flush on the bottom. Wondering if that is causing some of my issues too..I did notice that while at a good speed if I turned anywhere near sharply she would lose speed FAST and then take a minute to plane off again. I have never ran her out of water, but do not know for sure teh history of the boat so...It could have that ride plate issue you guys have spoken so much about.
 

emoney

Commander
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
2,551
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

When you say the "front" of the ride plate, towards the bow or towards the stern? I ask because there's actual tabs built into the plate for "bending" that helps act like a trim tab on an outboard. As for the starting issue, the sticky that's at the top of this thread talks a lot about the two different types of Stator. The red one is the good one, the black, not so good. That might be the issue with it starting??
 

Banditz

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
168
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

Towards the bow..it hangs down about a half inch below the bottom of the boat and does not even remotely sit flush.

As for the starting my problem revolves around it turning over VERY slowly..why would the stater cause that? With a full battery she will BARELY turn over. Drawing a butt load of amps trying to do that! But she's easy to turn over with a rope...make's no sense to me at all!
 

Banditz

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
168
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

Oh...and teh trim tabs? I have NO trim tabs at ALL. Just a single black plastic kinda plate on the bottom. The inlet plate it attached to that of course..
 

Banditz

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Apr 21, 2010
Messages
168
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

Well, I was wrong! That plate is metal. Not plastic. just painted black...lol. It was bent down. So i removed it, bent it back with a dead blow hammer, and will be sticking it back on later. as for now, i believe I have found my issue....The houseing you remove to get to the wear ring, well the "bearings" in it were worn out completely...I am going to go down to a merc dealer tomorrow and see if they hve them or cn order them for me. Being worn out they let the imeller wobble. thus eating the compound I put in there up and losing pressure yet again and again. hopefully the new bearings or seals whatever they are called will have a tight enough seal as to stop this from happeneing ever again. that along with theride plate being bent down i would suspect causing most of my issue's there.

Now all I have to do is repace the starter and HOPE that a NEW one fixes those issues as well!
 

calledinsick

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 13, 2010
Messages
160
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

I'll take a stab...how about the solenoid? Make sure the connections are clean and have 'boots' over them...
 

Banditz

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
168
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

I took a line straight from the battery to the dang starter nd NO luck at all! I am just gonna replace the starter with a NEW unit...NOT rebuilt. Seems to me like the best thing to do. As for the impeller...There are two seals, and two bushings in the stator..i believe they wore out and that when I finally get them from here, that they will solve my other issue. Then with some epoxy she should be just fine and no more wobble! Now...i believe the ride plate was blown out as it was about a half inch below flush. So I took her off and bent her back...Hoping she will be great now! What kinda top speed should i be looking for here?
 

kend301

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 4, 2009
Messages
1,005
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

Before you replace it with a new unit take it off , "bench" test it and see if it spins . I agree it is bad . Also be sure you are using a sport jet starter and not a 120 merc outboard starter . I know on the 90's it makes a differance. You should be able to find a good quality reman that will work fine .
 

moonbuggy

Cadet
Joined
Feb 25, 2011
Messages
16
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

I'm thinking that, if your impeller is rubbing on your wear ring;) thats probably your Starter issue. since the impeller turns constantly (even in neutral and while starting) the friction created is transfered directly to the starter:rolleyes:.
I burned up the worm gear's centrifical clutch due to gouging the wear ring and continuing to start the boat.
I took a rock thru the intake and it wedged in the impeller so I poped it out started up and took off. Should'a went straight to the trailer, pulled the nozzle and gave it a good look:facepalm:.
 

Banditz

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
168
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

Nah that wasnt it at all. i understand what yoru saying..but that was not the issue at all. The wear ring was repaired with Compound making a nice tight fit. Solved the cavitaiting issue. The starter was replaced with a new starter, not rebuilt..no more problem there, and last but not least, the ride plate was pulled and bent back flat. Now she goes right at about 40mph and starts just fine. The whole issue with teh impeller wobble...it was teh bushings and seals in the rear. Got those for $22 shipped and now she is golden.
 

alansh

Recruit
Joined
Aug 22, 2011
Messages
1
Re: Banditz, sugar sands 120 merc. jet boat. Starting issues AND impeller issues..

Where did you order the parts for the Sugar Sand jet boat - I heard they are out of business or under new management - do you have a contact.

My boat has carb issues - can fix - but when we give it gas it barely takes off - just begining to figure this out - any ideas???

Thanks
 
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