Re: SeaDoo Gas Milage & Maintenance
The older and smaller seadoo jetboats are nothing but a Glorified Jetski... really.
I don't have experience with the 4 stroke seadoos, but the 2-strokes are WAY more maintenance than an I/O. The gas mileage is pretty good though. Especially when you consider that you are riding around at 6000-7200 rpms most of the time.
I found that there was MORE maintenance on a jet pump than there is on an I/O. If you use it roughly. Sandy water, or the occasional rock, ski rope, stick, etc will get into the pump and tear holes into the wear ring, which will SIGNIFICANTLY reduce your propulsion and increase cavitation. Even one small rock can make a mess out of the wear ring, and most likely the impeller. It is mostly plastic and much easier to take out than the entire outdrive on a I/O, but the parts are expensive, and unless you live near a good seadoo shop, you are looking at 2 weeks turn around for any repairs you do yourself. Sunday afternoon tear down, order parts on Monday. Wait til the following monday or tuesday to get the parts, and maybe, if you have time, put it together during the week and back on the water the following weekend, but most of us work all day and need to use the weekend to get it back together, so there is a SECOND weekend out of the water. Because of a rock or ski rope.
My other complaint with the 2-strokes is that they are hypertuned...running at full capacity right on the verge of self-destructing. So any small adjustment out can destroy the engine. Broken or leaking 99 cent oil line? Blow the engine. Running a little lean on one carb? Blow the engine. Accidentally put the wrong oil in mixing two brands? Blow the engine.
I sold my 97 Challenger, and gave away my 96 XP. There was a reason I did that and went with an I/O. I spent too many weekends fixing stuff and not on the water riding.
Keep in mind this is all in relation to a 2-stroke, so if you have a 4-stroke, I have no idea how much of this is still true (the jet pumps are still similar).
The superchargers are notorious for failing at around 100 hours, and when they do, they usually take the engine with it. They used to use (maybe still do?) ceramic washers in them, and when they failed, they shattered and little chunks of ceramic go through the intake making a mess.
But overall, if you don't mind paying for maintenance, or can do it yourself, and the jetboats are running fine, they are a blast to ride around on. Mine was single engine 110 hp 787 model, and it pulled me up on wakeboard (after i put in a lower pitch Swirl impeller and new wear ring). But we ran out of room after 3 people, and it wouldn't plane with 4 without a 1/2 mile long runway!
. although a 30 year old Mercury Tower isnt exactly efficient :facepalm: . To each his own smokingcrater 