Priming a jet boat?
My husband & I purchased a little Sea Ray Searayder a couple
of years ago. We only get to use it for a couple of lake trips a year. Although this is late July, the boat hasn't been started yet this year and we (he) can't get it started. Last year, we took it to a dealer, who told us "it just needed to be primed". According to him, this is common when starting a jet boat (any boat?) for the first time each year. The problem is, we have no idea how to do this. We're not complete dummies, and have made sure the battery, plugs, etc. are all ready. So, can anyone give us basic instruction for "priming" this boat? It's a little 90hp Merc inboard. I've done a 'google' search on the subject to no avail, and welcome any help, pointers, or links to websites that may be of help Thanks in advance, Rags |
Priming a jet boat?
"Ragdoll" wrote in message ... My husband & I purchased a little Sea Ray Searayder a couple of years ago. We only get to use it for a couple of lake trips a year. Although this is late July, the boat hasn't been started yet this year and we (he) can't get it started. Last year, we took it to a dealer, who told us "it just needed to be primed". According to him, this is common when starting a jet boat (any boat?) for the first time each year. The problem is, we have no idea how to do this. We're not complete dummies, and have made sure the battery, plugs, etc. are all ready. So, can anyone give us basic instruction for "priming" this boat? It's a little 90hp Merc inboard. I've done a 'google' search on the subject to no avail, and welcome any help, pointers, or links to websites that may be of help Thanks in advance, Rags Your little 90hp Merc inboard is really an outboard motor, mounted inboard. And since it is an outboard motor, that means I know next to nothing about it. However, I do know that many outboard motors of that size often have a sqeezeable primer bulb in the fuel line between the tank and the motor. Not sure if your Sea Rayder has one, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did. I suspect your dealer is telling you to squeeze the primer bulb to prime the motor with fuel. Look for a black egg-shaped rubbery bulb, probably close to the fuel pump. Squeeze the bulb multiple times until you start to feel pressure building in the bulb. Then try and start the motor. |
Priming a jet boat?
My husband & I purchased a little Sea Ray Searayder a couple of years ago. We only get to use it for a couple of lake trips a year. Although this is late July, the boat hasn't been started yet this year and we (he) can't get it started. Last year, we took it to a dealer, who told us "it just needed to be primed". According to him, this is common when starting a jet boat (any boat?) for the first time each year. The problem is, we have no idea how to do this. We're not complete dummies, and have made sure the battery, plugs, etc. are all ready. So, can anyone give us basic instruction for "priming" this boat? It's a little 90hp Merc inboard. I've done a 'google' search on the subject to no avail, and welcome any help, pointers, or links to websites that may be of help You can get an electric prime system installed. See you dealer/mechanic. The Sportjet in considered an inboard and primer bulbs are not C.G. approved and cannot be used. You have to be careful with fuel/fumes! I suggest opening the engine hatch during initial start for max ventilation. Some folks prime them by cranking 10 secs or so at a time using the choke, letting the starter rest a minute and repeating. BR |
Priming a jet boat?
"RG" wrote in message news:W2jUa.18913$Bp2.11778@fed1read07... Your little 90hp Merc inboard is really an outboard motor, mounted inboard. And since it is an outboard motor, that means I know next to nothing about it. However, I do know that many outboard motors of that size often have a sqeezeable primer bulb in the fuel line between the tank and the motor. Not sure if your Sea Rayder has one, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did. I suspect your dealer is telling you to squeeze the primer bulb to prime the motor with fuel. Look for a black egg-shaped rubbery bulb, probably close to the fuel pump. Squeeze the bulb multiple times until you start to feel pressure building in the bulb. Then try and start the motor. Although Boatriger's post seems to suggest that there is no 'bulb', we'll certainly look for one, anyway. I've read about the 'pumping' on some info for outboards. My darling husband pointed out that this is a 120hp, not a 90hp, but I seriously doubt that's relevant. This little boat is basically a big, fat waverunner. ;-) Thanks so much for your time. We really appreciate the response! Rags |
Priming a jet boat?
Although Boatriger's post seems to suggest that there is no 'bulb', we'll certainly look for one, anyway. I've read about the 'pumping' on some info for outboards. My darling husband pointed out that this is a 120hp, not a 90hp, but I seriously doubt that's relevant. This little boat is basically a big, fat waverunner. ;-) Thanks so much for your time. We really appreciate the response! Boatriggr's response regarding the inappropriateness of a primer bulb in an inboard installation even though the motor is outboard technology makes sense to me. Any inboard installation would have much tighter regs as to the fuel delivery system, over an outboard installation. Suggest you contact the person at the dealership who told you all it needed was priming, and ask him for an explanation of the procedure since he appears to have been successful with it. |
Priming a jet boat?
"Boatriggr" wrote in message You can get an electric prime system installed. See you dealer/mechanic. The Sportjet in considered an inboard and primer bulbs are not C.G. approved and cannot be used. You have to be careful with fuel/fumes! I suggest opening the engine hatch during initial start for max ventilation. Some folks prime them by cranking 10 secs or so at a time using the choke, letting the starter rest a minute and repeating. BR Thanks for your response. We really appreciate it. I showed this post to hubby, who pointed out that this is 120hp, not 90hp (probably completely irrelevant, but you know how you guys are about your power, no matter how small the difference. :-)) Anyway, he says we don't have a 'choke'. Is that possible, or are we just unaware of it? The manual says we have an 'automatic enrichener', for starting a cold engine, and mentions nothing about a choke. We'll definitely try opening the hatch, however. If there is some way to choke it, and you can tell us how, that would be great! Regardless, we appreciate the time you took to respond to our question. Rags |
Priming a jet boat?
----- Original Message -----
From: "RG" Newsgroups: rec.boats Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 10:31 PM Subject: Priming a jet boat? Boatriggr's response regarding the inappropriateness of a primer bulb in an inboard installation even though the motor is outboard technology makes sense to me. Any inboard installation would have much tighter regs as to the fuel delivery system, over an outboard installation. Suggest you contact the person at the dealership who told you all it needed was priming, and ask him for an explanation of the procedure since he appears to have been successful with it. And we will probably try that. We'll even try to see if we can squeeze it into the shop before we leave (next Friday, YARK!), if necessary. They are just a very busy shop and the only Sea Ray place in our area. They've been a little snooty to us, in the past, when we've called to ask a couple of simple questions, as if our little 'stepchild' boat is hardly worth their time. That may have just been a fluke, though, and we'll pursue that avenue, if necessary. Thanks, Rags |
Priming a jet boat?
Jet Ski's are gravity feed so no fuel bubble is required to prime. Yours
(not really a jet ski) would either have a fuel pump (mechanical or electrical) or be gravity feed. If you turn the key on and can hear a pump running, then it is electric. If the fuel line is routed such that the lowest point is the input to the engine, then it is gravity feed. Otherwise it has a mechanical fuel pump that runs off the engine. I would get a fuel bubble for an outboard and install a fitting on the intake side that will allow me to insert the assembly into the system. Prime and crank at home. Then remove the bubble assembly. This should get you going. Other option would be to have the dealer install an electric fuel pump. This will be costly and probably not worth the effort. You might actually have a choke on the system. Can the key/ignition assembly be pushed in any. If so, this is the choke. I also assume you are using the cold start to increase throttle while trying to crank. Increase throttle to wide open and then be ready to pull back once it cranks. Tony My boats and autos - http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com "Ragdoll" wrote in message ... "RG" wrote in message news:W2jUa.18913$Bp2.11778@fed1read07... Your little 90hp Merc inboard is really an outboard motor, mounted inboard. And since it is an outboard motor, that means I know next to nothing about it. However, I do know that many outboard motors of that size often have a sqeezeable primer bulb in the fuel line between the tank and the motor. Not sure if your Sea Rayder has one, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did. I suspect your dealer is telling you to squeeze the primer bulb to prime the motor with fuel. Look for a black egg-shaped rubbery bulb, probably close to the fuel pump. Squeeze the bulb multiple times until you start to feel pressure building in the bulb. Then try and start the motor. Although Boatriger's post seems to suggest that there is no 'bulb', we'll certainly look for one, anyway. I've read about the 'pumping' on some info for outboards. My darling husband pointed out that this is a 120hp, not a 90hp, but I seriously doubt that's relevant. This little boat is basically a big, fat waverunner. ;-) Thanks so much for your time. We really appreciate the response! Rags |
Priming a jet boat?
Try getting it to start with a couple of shots of starting fluid (ether) in
the air intake... |
Priming a jet boat?
Grumman-581 wrote:
"Tony Thomas" wrote ... I really don't recommend this for an outboard type engine. Alluminum pistons don't like it as they tend to meld down from the excessive heat generated. Plus, once you burn the either, the engine still dies because there is no fuel. I have a problem with my cylinders getting flooded with 2-cycle oil when I leave the engine sitting up for any period of time, so a couple of shots of ether allow me to burn off the oil and get gas into the engine... I wonder if an atomized spray of gasoline would work just as well... Perhaps one of the Misty Cool type of nozzles connected to a small container of gasoline that could be pressurized... If this would work, it sure would solve the problem of possibly being offshore and running out of ether... And it would make a great anti-smoker device, too. -- * * * email sent to will *never* get to me. |
Priming a jet boat?
"Harry Krause" wrote ...
And it would make a great anti-smoker device, too. Quite possibly... But then again, so would the typical spray can of ether, right? |
Priming a jet boat?
My husband & I purchased a little Sea Ray Searayder a couple
of years ago A friend of mine has one and he had trouble starting because the choke linage was messed up. Check it out....Larry Hill |
Priming a jet boat?
Makes no sense. Oil and gas are mixed prior to the carbs so any oil that
gets to the cylinders has the right amount of gas in them. Hard to crank would mean the fuel in the carbs is running out and you need to reprime prior to starting. Only way to get too much oil is to run the fuel tank dry or disconnect the fuel line and run. This will pump oil into the system w/out any gas. -- Tony My boats and autos - http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com "Grumman-581" wrote in message ... "Tony Thomas" wrote ... I really don't recommend this for an outboard type engine. Alluminum pistons don't like it as they tend to meld down from the excessive heat generated. Plus, once you burn the either, the engine still dies because there is no fuel. I have a problem with my cylinders getting flooded with 2-cycle oil when I leave the engine sitting up for any period of time, so a couple of shots of ether allow me to burn off the oil and get gas into the engine... I wonder if an atomized spray of gasoline would work just as well... Perhaps one of the Misty Cool type of nozzles connected to a small container of gasoline that could be pressurized... If this would work, it sure would solve the problem of possibly being offshore and running out of ether... |
Priming a jet boat?
"Tony Thomas" wrote ...
It is the pressure in the tank - not the battery. Does your tank not have a vent? From what I've been able to figure out of the system, pressure is introduced into the tank to force (pump) the oil into the small gravity feed header tank that sits above the engine... I don't know what is supposed to release this pressure after the engine is turned off... Since I wasn't sure if there was some sort of electrical pump involved, I also removed the positive lead from the battery... The boat is a 1998 Sugar Sand Mirage with a Mercury 175 hp SportJet engine in it... |
Priming a jet boat?
Since I wasn't sure if there
was some sort of electrical pump involved, I also removed the positive lead from the battery... The boat is a 1998 Sugar Sand Mirage with a Mercury 175 hp SportJet engine in it... Call Mercury tech support...They are very helpfull. Larry Hill |
Priming a jet boat?
Because the Rayder is considered by the USCG as an "Inboard" boat, it
is not legal for the manufacturer to install a primer bulb which may split in its old age and leak gas into the hull causing an explosion (and ensuing litigations from any survivors). That said, I own a 1997 Sea Rayder F16XR2 16' jetboat with the Merc V-6 175hp carbureated powerhead on it. Merc's engineers snuck past the beancounters trying to see how cheap they could make the 3-cyl and 4-cyl Sport Jets with the cheap Force engines in them and added an electric fuel pump to the fuel line which IS legal. This pump simply runs off the DC fed to the starter motor so it only runs as you're grinding away with the Lexus-priced starter motor trying to get the carbs to fill up with fuel. So, I modified mine by unwiring it from the starter circuit (the + lead) and ran that lead up to a little red horn button up under the dash out of the salt spray right by the throttle/shift lever. To "prime" (fill the carbs with gas so it will start) the engine, I simply push the button and listen to the little electric pump pulsing away until I hear it slow down, indicating the fuel has filled the carb float bowls and the floats have closed off the fuel valve in them. The engine starts instantly on its automatic enrichment system (no more chokes). No waiting for the pump to fill the carbs while the amazingly expensive starter is grinding away is necessary. The other side of the pushbutton goes to a fused +12V battery lead. This arrangement has another "feature". If the fuel pump ever fails on the motor, I can simply push the button to keep the fuel flowing as we motor home....(c; Now, you COULD go down to your Merc dealer and order this little pump for the 175hp V-6 Sport Jet. It will install on any flat, vertical surface. Just cut the hose to the tank and splice it in. It has 5/16" hose barbs already on it. Use stainless hose clamps. The little red horn button is at any boat dealer that sells horns for a few bucks. An inline blade fuse to make it safe and the in-line holder come from Radio Shack. Use a 3A fuse. Cheaper, but not legal but who cares, you could cut the hose where the fuel is going UPHILL so the ball valves in the primer bulb will seat properly and just go to WalMart's boat department and buy the outboard motor primer bulb and pump the gas in there by hand. I like primer bulbs because they are the most fantastic fuel system troubleshooting aid ever invented. With a primer bulb (I have one on mine, also), you can pump fuel into the carb and FEEL the float valves closing. Once the valves close, you can squeeze the bulb and FEEL that it stays hard without you being able to squeeze it together. That will let you KNOW the fuel pump diaphram ISN'T ripped open and nothing is leaking from the bulb to the carb. If you pump the bulb and it STAYS collapsed and doesn't refill, you know you forgot to open the fuel tank valve, or the fuel filter in the tank is all clogged up not allowing the bulb to suck gas out of the tank. If the boat stalls and you see the bulb is collapsed, you can easily note the fuel between the tank and the bulb is clogged.....see how easy that is? If the fuel pump fails, you can assign a passenger hand-pumping duties on the bulb to act as an emergency fuel pump to get back home without a tow. I like primer bulbs....even on jetboats. Either way, you don't HAVE to grind away on that Lexus-priced starter motor until the battery's dead. It really needed a primer from the first day they built it.....idiots. While you're at WalMart's boat department, do it another great favor and buy the $20 fuel filter/water separator Wally sells for outboard boats with the spin-on replaceable filter. You'll have to stop by a hardware store to get adapters to go from the pipe threads on the filter to hose barbs for the gas hose. Just cut the hose where you want the filter mounted, MAKING SURE THERE'S ROOM UNDER THE FILTER TO CHANGE THE CARTRIDGE and use stainless hose clamps to clamp the gas hose to the hose barbs. Every year at the beginning of the season, change the cartridge before trying to prime the boat for the first time. As your 90 hp Jet has PREMIXED fuel (TC-W3 2-cycle oil mixed in with the gas) make sure you drive it around a while before priming the engine to re-mix the oil with the gas before you start it.... I use 1 quart of Texaco or Exxon TC-W3 for every 10 gallons of gas....40:1 mixture....in mine. After hundreds of hours, this lubrication works so well you can still see the hone marks on the cylinder walls inside the cylinders. The engine MUST smoke a little to indicate oil is getting up into the cylinders having oiled those amazingly-expensive crankcase bearings. No smoke in a 2-stroke engine is suicide! On Fri, 25 Jul 2003 22:19:28 -0400, "Ragdoll" wrote: Although Boatriger's post seems to suggest that there is no 'bulb', we'll certainly look for one, anyway. I've read about the 'pumping' on some info for outboards. My darling husband pointed out that this is a 120hp, not a 90hp, but I seriously doubt that's relevant. This little boat is basically a big, fat waverunner. ;-) Thanks so much for your time. We really appreciate the response! Rags Larry W4CSC "No, NO, Mr Spock! I said beam me down a WRENCH, not a WENCH! KIRK OUT!" |
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 09:59 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2014 BoatBanter.com