Sucked in the tube rope

[blackhawkpilot]

BRAND SPANKIN' NEW to the forum. Just got delivery of a 2016 223 VRX and we sucked in the tube rope on day one. That stopped our day of fun. Limped it to the trailer and spent the next few hours trying to unravel it. Got most of it out, however there's still some wrapped around the shaft right at the impeller. I had my kids underneath with their smaller hands trying to cut the rope but those tube ropes are pretty beefy. There are two panels I see that can be removed for better access. Any other tricks that anyone knows of? It's the 4th of July and the we want to get out today.

Thank you everyone! We finally took apart! But was more than the 4 screws because exhaust had to come off first just to get prop off. Either way we finally made it thanks to your help and a tech showing up at advanced auto!

 

[ScarabMike]

@blackhawkpilot Great job!

Make sure all of the threads have blue loctite, and when you reinstall the exhaust that it forms a seal, or you will ingest water. Also, if you loosened that white pass through nut, make sure it is sealed. In the future, you can replace that nut with a metal one. It is a common failure point on the skis as it rots after a few years.

Congrats on the removal!

 

[ScarabMike]

Here is the link for the nut replacement in the far future.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/361481589832?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[Slugger55]

Now he's a Pro!! Glad you got the pump off!

 

[ScarabMike]

I'm going to add this thread to the repository. [USERGROUP=3]@Administrative[/USERGROUP] This is why we need a Rotax specific forum. The pump removal process was already in the Scarab section. At least a sticky link to the Scarab repository on the Chap, and Glastron sections.

 

[fairpilot]

Man after all the preaching chaparral sales and reps did to me about this, i told them no way it would not suck a rope. Thanks for the proof..

Nothing wrong with it sucking rope just dont sit there and feed me the crap about it wont happen

Not that cleanouts would stop the problem, theysure would assist in helping remove stuff.

 

[smashedheadcat]

Man after all the preaching chaparral sales and reps did to me about this, i told them no way it would not suck a rope. Thanks for the proof..

Nothing wrong with it sucking rope just dont sit there and feed me the crap about it wont happen

Not that cleanouts would stop the problem, theysure would assist in helping remove stuff.

Did you ever take a moment and acknowledge that maybe you had more jetboat experience than that chaparral sales rep? Of course it is possible to suck in a rope with a chaparral. Of course having a clean out port makes it easier to get out. We get it, you like Yamaha.

 

[fairpilot]

Actually you got it wrong i like the chaparral , great layout and design and will prob purchase it next, what i meant was that sales reps should not be telling people that the chaparral design will not suck up a rope. All jet boats will suck a rope. I driven a jet boat long enough to understand, but there are lots of new people who never owned one, so telling them it wont suck a rope is wrong.

Did you ever take a moment and acknowledge that maybe you had more jetboat experience than that chaparral sales rep? Of course it is possible to suck in a rope with a chaparral. Of course having a clean out port makes it easier to get out. We get it, you like Yamaha.

 

[Chapvrx]

^^^^^+1
Chapparal is like a mercedes benz on water, really nice boat ,I love my boat ( even without clean out ports), but to bulshit to new owners that you don't have to worry about sucking anything, its not right and misinformation, i dont think those who have expiriance with jet boats will be asking those questions because they allready know what would happen, even if its a prop boat,i think it would be better to warn people, (do not let the rope under your boat) it' should be a sticki in a big red font on a main page on this site, help new people to beawear, so people know what to expect

 

[fairpilot]

When I stand at a boat show and hear sales people tell the most untrue things to people either Yamaha or Chaparral I totally Cringe, I am some of these manufactures be saleman as most of us who have been on the water in one of these boats are, I will pull a couple aside and spend a lot of time talking and giving them the true ins and outs about jet boats, My wife laughs all the time at it, but i feel good knowing a few got some great information, I never bash Yamaha, Chaparral or Scarab, or any jet boat for that matter we are all a group and jet boats are the Safest, enviromental friendly, lowest cost on the water, I owned a prop boat for 15 years and i will definately speak up about my feelings jet vs Prop. Props are dangerous, props cause a lot of damage to our seabeds, props have higher maintenance, I have owned a jet boat for 11 years and will never go back.

 

[ScottyOK]

Thank you everyone! We finally took apart! But was more than the 4 screws because exhaust had to come off first just to get prop off. Either way we finally made it thanks to your help and a tech showing up at advanced auto!

OK, like you, I had my new 223 for all of a week before I got my first rope. Just one engine though so we were able to get back to the dock on the other engine and was able to spend a couple hours removing the bits and pieces. A week later I somehow was able to ingest a rope in BOTH intakes and since we were in the middle of a lake we needed to run both at a little above idle to get back to shore.
This time one of of the intakes was so wrapped up that after two solid days of laying under it hacking away from the intake I went after the back end and started dismantling. I got down to just the piece immediately behind the impeller (with the vanes and cone) but it wouldn't slide off. I took off the cone and exposed a 30mm nut and tried to go after that, no luck as the engine just turned when I cranked on it. It looks like from the pictures the impeller just slides off the drive shaft while still attached to the "vane" assembly. Is that the case? I got so aggravated that I went at the rope with a small flame and was finally able to separate the rope from the drive shaft.
Now the serious question that is keeping me awake at night... There was a black plastic looking ring between the impeller and sleeve that was melted into the rope when I made the 15 minute drive back to the ramp. I hacked it to pieces and then destroyed it with the burner (I think some kind of rubber piece as well). After all the rope was removed I reassembled and put her back in the water for a test drive. Everything sounded good, drove well, etc.. However, after sitting anchored for over an hour the bilge pump surprised me and I discovered it was slowly taking on water, not a surprising amount but it never had before. Does anyone know what the plastic/rubber looking sleeve is between the impeller and sleeve and how important it may or may not be?

After this is all finished I've already committed to having a dedicated rope guard person. I won't be cleaning rope a 3rd time!

 

[swatski]

@ScottyOK welcome to the community!
I'm not well versed in Rotax boats, but there are others here with all the answers to your questions.
@ScarabMike would be able to tell exactly what happened and how to fix it.

 

[blackhawkpilot]

It only took us once to figure out that a dedicated rope guard is essential to towing operations. I WILL NOT clean out a rope a 2nd time. I've learned my lesson and feel bad that you've already done it twice within one week of taking ownership.

I agreed with @swatski - @ScarabMike was a big help to us; however, I wasn't willing to go any farther on the dis-assembly without a little help. Fortunately, my "guardian angel" showed up as I was just about to give up. I'm not sure which piece you're talking about. Do you have a picture of it? Maybe use one of the pictures I posted in this thread to point it out?

 

[Scottintexas]

added this to the FAQ under pulling jet pumps under Scarab/Chaparral

 

[blackhawkpilot]

I'm going to add this thread to the repository. @Administrative This is why we need a Rotax specific forum. The pump removal process was already in the Scarab section. At least a sticky link to the Scarab repository on the Chap, and Glastron sections.

[USERGROUP=3]@Administrative[/USERGROUP] - I agree that we need that Rotax specific forum. It sure would help me a lot.

 

[ScarabMike]

There are two rings inside the nose cone. They help keep raw water from entering the bearing pack. You need to get those replaced, and make sure that the grease is good. In the future, the impeller can be removed by using a Rotax impeller tool. You should have this in your emergency tool kit.

 

[ScottyOK]

I'm so happy I found this forum! With the help of @blackhawkpilot and his pictures I was finally able to get the impeller assembly off. I had a mess to clean up because using a torch to remove tightly wound and melted rope from the shaft tends to plastic weld the impeller to the drive shaft. That was the reason for my troubles getting past that point. Using the same torch I loosened the weld and it finally let go.

The part that I was asking about is called an impeller boot. It sells for $17. I'm not sure what it's purpose is but the shop knew exactly what I was talking about and said they keep several on hand at all times as it's the first piece damaged with a rope. It screws into the front of the impeller and slides over the drive shaft.

I've got pictures and when I figure out how to post them I will share them with you all. (and my boat)

Thanks again to everyone on this discussion. You've all saved me $$$ !

@blackhawkpilot if you're ever flying through East TX and happen through GGG approach area, reach out to me, ask for XX.

 

[itsdgm]

Glad that you got it all figured out @ScottyOK and welcome to the site.