Hey boaters! I have an unorthodox idea for my 1997 SeaDoo Challenger. I absolutely love this little boat. The jet drive makes it worlds funner than any other boat I've ever driven, and much less prone to damage on our shallow lake. It's equipped with a 787cc 2-stroke 110hp (81fl-lb) engine which works pretty well when it wants to, if you consider burning $80/day on a small 4-seater boat that goes less than 50mph good. Did I mention that it's problematic? Maybe I forgot, it's hard to keep your bearings with a motor this loud. I had to get an 800W amp just to outyell the engine at cruising speed. Oh and it's problematic! It's damn near impossible to get the carbs tuned right, and the power valves keep melting the plastic plunger (that's right, exhaust valves have plastic components!), and it rattles and misfires and hard starts. ANYWAY, this is the wrong motor for this boat!
I recently inherited the ugliest Dodge Neon this side of the Mason Dixon line. The car is in all sorts of disrepair, but the motor starts right up and purrs like a kitten. This little gas sipper has been through hell and back and still performs like a champ. This car is worth only what the scrap yard will give me, so it pains me to see a good engine go like this. I did some crude measurements and believe it could fit in my bilge and replace that tired old jet ski motor. It would probably add 150lbs, but the 130hp and 130ft-lb should add lots of new life to this fantastic boat. (Not to mention quiet things down and up my fuel economy/reliability).
Here are my main concerns, and I hope to hear some thoughts on this:
-Can I get away just wrapping the exhaust system in header-wrap and have it in the same area as a plastic fuel tank?
-I plan on bolting on a sprocket to the crank and adding one to the driveshaft. Would a motorcycle chain hold up with such constant stress/moisture? What about Lubrication?
-How can I mount a fuel injection pump into a plastic tank that has no hole for such a device? Right now it only has a 2" hole for a baffle that houses the level indicator float and pickup tubes?
-Intrinsically safe devices: I don' think they make intrinsically safe devices for neons. Anyone know if a seadoo starter is intrinsically save? Currently it bolts into an air tight magneto housing (which once filled up with fuel and didn't explode) I guess I'll just use an alternator from a boat...
I plan to use the stock 140mm pump, which Seadoo abandoned for the 155mm when they went to the 130hp 951 motors. My boat goes almost 50 with just me in it with the stock prop spinning 6800. I want to see if I can spin it at 8k with this new motor and see how the performance goes. I may upgrade the pump later on if the 140 doesn't do it.
I know some of you will think this is a waste of time and economically unsound, but if this boat had the right engine, it would be perfect for me. I don't like any of the new 4tec boats seadoo has and have grown quite attached to this one. I can't wait to get started!! Has anyone ever heard of something like this? Any constructive suggestions?
I recently inherited the ugliest Dodge Neon this side of the Mason Dixon line. The car is in all sorts of disrepair, but the motor starts right up and purrs like a kitten. This little gas sipper has been through hell and back and still performs like a champ. This car is worth only what the scrap yard will give me, so it pains me to see a good engine go like this. I did some crude measurements and believe it could fit in my bilge and replace that tired old jet ski motor. It would probably add 150lbs, but the 130hp and 130ft-lb should add lots of new life to this fantastic boat. (Not to mention quiet things down and up my fuel economy/reliability).
Here are my main concerns, and I hope to hear some thoughts on this:
-Can I get away just wrapping the exhaust system in header-wrap and have it in the same area as a plastic fuel tank?
-I plan on bolting on a sprocket to the crank and adding one to the driveshaft. Would a motorcycle chain hold up with such constant stress/moisture? What about Lubrication?
-How can I mount a fuel injection pump into a plastic tank that has no hole for such a device? Right now it only has a 2" hole for a baffle that houses the level indicator float and pickup tubes?
-Intrinsically safe devices: I don' think they make intrinsically safe devices for neons. Anyone know if a seadoo starter is intrinsically save? Currently it bolts into an air tight magneto housing (which once filled up with fuel and didn't explode) I guess I'll just use an alternator from a boat...
I plan to use the stock 140mm pump, which Seadoo abandoned for the 155mm when they went to the 130hp 951 motors. My boat goes almost 50 with just me in it with the stock prop spinning 6800. I want to see if I can spin it at 8k with this new motor and see how the performance goes. I may upgrade the pump later on if the 140 doesn't do it.
I know some of you will think this is a waste of time and economically unsound, but if this boat had the right engine, it would be perfect for me. I don't like any of the new 4tec boats seadoo has and have grown quite attached to this one. I can't wait to get started!! Has anyone ever heard of something like this? Any constructive suggestions?
