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

"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.

"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

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.

----- 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

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

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!"

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

"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

Try getting it to start with a couple of shots of starting fluid (ether) in
the air intake...