2005 AR230HO Refurbishing Build Thread with Questions

[UnorthodoxCreations]

I was able to pick up this 2005 AR230HO on Saturday. I have a 1999 LS2000(that I'll be selling) and wasn't planning on upgrading but the price on this seemed too good to pass up. I really want to wakesurf and now I'll have boat capable of that in the long term.

The boat seems mechanically sounds, runs great but needs cosmetic work. I own a sign and graphics company so the exterior will get a complete wrap after removing the factory decals. I bought ADA Racing pissers and bilge outlet for my LS2000 over the winter but didn't install them yet. They are 3/8" for the pissers which looks like it will fit the front upper pissers on this boat. It looks like there are lower pissers near the bilge outlet. Does anyone know what size they are? Do you have take the cleanout tray out to access that? Same with the bilge what size and how to access? If these won't fit I'll just put them on my LS before I sell it. I need to install new sound dampening under the hood so suggestions on what to use are welcome. All my rocker switches are pretty rough looking so I plan to replace them pieces from Contura II Printed Rocker Switch Covers | Boat Actuators | New Wire Marine. Do the No Wake switches use the same style cover? I haven't tried to take them apart yet. If so I'll order some blanks for those. I'm going to make my own "wake wedge" and I'll need to do something for ballast, probably starting with one of the Fat Sacs made for the swim deck. I may need to add more but I need to keep this total project at a somewhat reasonable budget for now. The boat has what I'm guessing is a fairly old version of @Cobra Jet Steering LLC fins. Not sure I'll really like that they stay down all the time. I was considering add fins to my LS just for low speed steering. I think I'd prefer to have fins mostly out of the water at speed. Previous owner said the same thing yet he never took these off. I'll try them before I take them off but I think they'll either stay off or get replaced with a newer version. The boat already has a dual battery setup with onboard charger but one battery seems to be dead so I'll have to replace that. Most of my gauges have some minor fogging that I imagine may get worse as the weather gets more humid. Is there a known fix for that? The biggest project will be all the upholstery. It's pretty much all shot so I'm hoping to work with @easyliving609 for some new seat skins. After that the boat should be looking pretty sharp.

The trailer also needs work. The brake line between sides is broken but I'm guessing the brakes may need a total replacement. The tires are all dry rotted so I'll replace them and add a spare to the existing mount. Does any one know what brand the original wheels are? I'd like to find a spare wheel that matches.

Further down the road, probably after this season I'll probably tint the windshield and maybe add a subwoofer. I'd like to replace the stereo head unit to something with bluetooth and maybe update the dash and swim deck remotes to something more modern. Previous owner said the swim deck remote didn't work well anyways. I'm open to suggestions there. Let me know your thoughts, if there is anything else I'm missing or something else I should improve.

 

[buckbuck]

Congratulations. Looks like a fun project. Check out @Scottintexas list of potential concerns for the MR-1 boats. Make sure your scupper gets changed and add some EZ-Locks to the cleanouts.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/known-issues-for-boat-years-2003-2009-with-mr1-engines.15464/

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

I pulled the No Wake switch covers off tonight and they are the same style cover is the rest of the swtiches. I order everything I needed from New Wire Marine | Switch Panels | Switches | Rocker Switch Covers | Wire including to blanks for the No Wake switches. I'll make a new decal to replace the faded on below the switches and use that to indicate Port and Stbd since I could find covers with just that text on with being custom made.

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

So I got the YDS software and was able to pull up hours on both engines. Both are super low for a 2005.
Port


Starboard


I got my new switch covers in but somehow I lost the new bilge switch so that sucks. Either one of my young kids got a hold of it or I dropped in the grass between my house and shop out back. I'm hoping it turns up in the next couple weeks before I order another one. I also make a decal for the No Wake Mode switches since the new switch covers don't mark Port and Stbd.



Tires came in Sunday. I powdercoated the original wheels, I'm just waiting on my spare wheel to get here so I can powdercoat that and then I'll get the tires mounted and balanced. A new OEM cover should be in today. Brakes and my spare wheel should be in Friday.

 

[Cambo]

Nice low hours get some new vinyl and it will be like new

Check the scupper they are known to get brittle and break at the very least get a cheap 9v water alarm zip tie it in the engine compartment and if the scupper is white plastic keep a rubber stopper on board that can be plugged from the outside in case it snaps

if you trailer at speed get the Yamaha mooring cover the seat cushions can blow out . It will also protect your new vinyl

How much did it cost ?

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

Nice low hours get some new vinyl and it will be like new

Check the scupper they are known to get brittle and break at the very least get a cheap 9v water alarm zip tie it in the engine compartment and if the scupper is white plastic keep a rubber stopper on board that can be plugged from the outside in case it snaps

if you trailer at speed get the Yamaha mooring cover the seat cushions can blow out . It will also protect your new vinyl

How much did it cost ?

I'm just waiting on some colors samples to come in and then I'll be ordering all new seat vinyl. I have not checked out the scupper but it's on my list to do. The mooring cover is what I have ordered and it should be in today. I paid $13,000.

 

[Beachbummer]

That's a pretty good deal. Hours look great, and those are generally very reliable engines. 4 stroke + Fuel injection is AWESOME. no carbs, no smoke, starts every time. (knock on wood)

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

That's a pretty good deal. Hours look great, and those are generally very reliable engines. 4 stroke + Fuel injection is AWESOME. no carbs, no smoke, starts every time. (knock on wood)

Yes, switching to 4-stroke was one of the things I was most excited about. My LS ran great but there are obvious reasons why everything has gone to 4 stroke. Officially sold my LS2000 today.



Last night was day 3 of trying to change spark plugs. One engine went easy so I installed new plugs, with anti seize. On the port engine the 3rd plug from the back, which I assume is the infamous cylinder 3, doesn't want to come out. I've made a lot of progress working it back and forth, letting it soak in PB Blaster but I can't quite get it out. I have to be close but I don't want to push it and make problems worse.

 

[Beachbummer]

Good Strategy. Don't force it. If it's moving you have a fighting chance!

 

[buckbuck]

You're actually on #2. But be patient. It will eventually come out.

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

Graphics removed. It's not as clean as it looks in pictures, more discoloration and ghosting than I would prefer along with some gel coat cracks. For now the wrap will cover it all and when I get bored and want to change up the wrap I can make gel coat repairs and buff the boat.



I got my additional matching wheel in for a spare and powder coated all 5 wheels. Used a prismatic black I had laying around. Looks pretty sharp when the sun(or a flashlight) hit it and should look good with the wrap.





Tomorrow I'll drop off the wheels and tires to get them mounted and balanced.

Still working on that stuck spark plug. I'm up to making 5 revolutions with it from starting at less than 2 revolutions so I'm making progress. It's testing my patience but I just have to keep telling my self that the consequences of rushing could be much worse.

 

[Beachbummer]

Yes, easy does it. You are close!!! Hang tight, gently.

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

I got the spark plug out!! Came out Monday night. I didn't really see much corrosion on the plugs which was consistent with the others. It looked like there was a spot on the plug threads that were messed up and someone either didn't notice or just sent it anyways. I ran a tap coated in antiseize don the threads a couple times. That collect a few small shavings. I then vacuumed the cylinder out the best I could I think minimal shavings, any made it to the cylinder and all should be fine. I put the new plug in and it seemed to snug up fine. Ran the engine for a 20 seconds or so with no issues. This weekend I'll pull it back up to the house where I can put it on a hose and run it longer.

I worked last night replace the trailer tongue. My dad and I replaced the calipers last week only to discover the master cylinder was basically froze. I need to bleed the brakes now and then my wheels and tires can go back on. I picked them up from being mounted yesterday morning.

 

[Beachbummer]

Hose? That boat seems ready for the water. What's keeping you from a splash?

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

Hose? That boat seems ready for the water. What's keeping you from a splash?

The closest place we can use the boat is an hour away so it's not a simple quick run over. It's not a great place to self launch and my wife isn't comfortable with putting the boat on the trailer or backing up the trailer. We have also have a 1 year old and 4 year old so no trips are short and simple. We usually go with my parents or sister and brother in law so someone else can help with the trailer. They are all away until after Memorial Day. Anyways, I'm continuing trying to check cosmetic things off my list. I have things like a new horn to go on along with aluminum pissers and bilge outlet but I don't want to do that till I wrap it. This weekend I'll get the wheels and brakes done, give it a deep cleaning and then I can take it into work next week and get it wrapped. I'm also in the planning, material gathering stages to build my wake wedge. Then we'll soon be ready for the water.

 

[buckbuck]

Glad you got that spark plug out. I had a NGK plug with bad threads give me trouble also.

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

I put a blank over the engine bay so I could remove the rest of the sound deadening without making more of a mess. Still haven't decided what I'm going to reinstall.



New calipers installed along with a new tongue/master cylinder and brakes bled.


I'm going to convert the 5 pin plug to a 7 pin so I don't have to use an adapter to tow.


In the shop for the wrap.


My guys getting started on it.

 

[JOAN ROJAS]

Yes, switching to 4-stroke was one of the things I was most excited about. My LS ran great but there are obvious reasons why everything has gone to 4 stroke. Officially sold my LS2000 today.
View attachment 149966


Last night was day 3 of trying to change spark plugs. One engine went easy so I installed new plugs, with anti seize. On the port engine the 3rd plug from the back, which I assume is the infamous cylinder 3, doesn't want to come out. I've made a lot of progress working it back and forth, letting it soak in PB Blaster but I can't quite get it out. I have to be close but I don't want to push it and make problems worse.

question for you, i'm going to assume you wrapped your LS in your shop, im looking to have a Yamaha logo like the one on the front of your LS, but not as big. is that something you can make smaller?

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

question for you, i'm going to assume you wrapped your LS in your shop, im looking to have a Yamaha logo like the one on the front of your LS, but not as big. is that something you can make smaller?

Yes, I also wrapped that boat. Yes, we can custom make anything and ship. I sent you a private message with my work email address.

 

[UnorthodoxCreations]

Wrap is finished.











Now it's back home to get a new horn installed, ADA fittings installed, 5 pin to 7 pin trailer plug conversion. Interior samples are coming today so I can pick out colors and get that ordered though at this point I'm not sure I will get installed this summer. I'd rather get the boat on the water at this point.