I have a new Vortex 243 VR that continues to overheat.

[Vortex1]

I have a new Vortex 243 VR. The first time I took the boat out it overheated and shut down. Apparently, the factory did not connect a hose or it became loose during delivery. Since then the boat ran well for a few times. Yesterday the boat was running well. We stopped out on the lake for about 30 minutes. When I restarted the boat in ran well for another half hour and then the boat overheated and I could not drive it over 8 miles per hour. I was able to make it back to the slip very slowly. I am now wondering what caused the problem, if there is any damage to the boat and if this will be an ongoing problem. Does anyone have any thoughts about this problem?

 

[Bruce]

Are both engines overheating or just one?

 

[Vortex1]

I believe both engines.

 

[Bruce]

That has me wondering what could fail and cause both engines to overheat?

 

[Vortex1]

It appears to be both engines based on the steam that occurs. If it was only one engine what would that lead you to think the diagnosis might be? Do you think seaweed obstruction might be the problem or is this unlikely if both engines are involved? Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Bruce]

Unfortunately I lack experience with BRP engines.

I would hope that the cooling systems for the engines are separate.

Seaweed causing cavitation in the jets can cause overheating for Yamahas. So if you are sucking up seaweed that seems like a likely explanation.

@DieselCamel, @veedubtek, do you guys have any thoughts?

 

[elcue]

I was thinking sea weed as well, but I believe those engines use coolant and not water. Check your coolant level.

 

[Englewoodcowboy]

The engines use coolant and it circulates through the ride plate which functions as a keel cooler. If both engines are experiencing the issue is it alarms going off or do you have physical evidence? It is highly unlikely to have both engines experiencing cooling failures simultaneously however it is probable. Check your coolant level, I would suggest getting the system checked as being relatively new the most likely cause would be an air bubble causing the system to hydrolock and not function. Another possibility could be internal pump failure. I do not know if the pumps are mechanically driven or electric so you would need to figure that out.

I asked on the alarms or physical for a few reasons, the twins are tied together which also leads me to think that it could be a computer glitch as well. You will have to do some investigating to narrow it down but I would check the coolant level first and start from there.

I know I also read somewhere on here recently that someone had a ride plate failure and the coolant leaked out. It is possible you are experiencing the same or if you had an underwater strike you could have ruptured your ride plate coolers as well.... one of the reasons I am not a fan of the BRP design, it has its pros with closed loop cooling but they also have some serious weak spots in the event of a strike or grounding....

 

[john94si]

If it overheated too much the first time you may have warped heads or cracked now.

 

[Glassman]

Maybe when one overheats the whole system goes into limp mode?
The water pump impeller could be shot - at least it sounds like it.

 

[Vortex1]

Thank s for all of your help. I have both physical signs as well as the alarm sounding.

 

[ptwb]

I remember some of these new jetboats at the boat show had shutoff valves for the cooling water to the exhaust. Even though you are closed loop cooling for the engine, the exhaust is still cooled by open water and you should still flush if you boat in salt water and you can still flood your engines if you are towed too fast through the water.

If you have cooling shutoff valves, make sure they haven't been closed this whole time. Maybe that first time out your exhaust was overheating and didn't realize it and then 30mins wasn't enough for it to cool down.

I assume the steam is coming from the pee holes? Maybe if the exhausts are overheating somehow the engines are overheating too?

I assume you've checked that you have plenty of coolant? Then again, I've heard of people getting oil change for their car and getting the car back with no oil!

 

[BobJohnson]

Yes, first thing to check are the exhaust shut valves. On the chaps they are the white ball valves above and behind each engine. There is a label/sticker right where the valves are to show the open positions. If those are open, the coolant reserve containers are in front of both engines. Do they have coolant at the proper level?

 

[Julian]

Did you ever run really shallow and perhaps suck up sand/mud? If so, perhaps your "external" cooling loop is clogged and preventing good heat exchange?

 

[Vortex1]

Diagnosis: seaweed
Now I have to learn how to avoid this problem. The slip is loaded with seaweed. This problem concerns me. What would happen if I was out on the lake and the engine cut out? Ugh Is there a safe way to turn off the engine and remove the seaweed if I can't get back to shore?

 

[elcue]

Not sure if Chappy has any clean out like the Yamaha, but you can pull the lanyard out and jump in and get under there and clean them out if you can. Could be a little dangerous if its rough and you cant reach. You can always try the reverse trick. Put the boat in reverse and build up some speed, then kill the engines and put the boat in forward lifting to the gates to have some water flow in.

 

[DBamaC]

Diagnosis: seaweed
Now I have to learn how to avoid this problem. The slip is loaded with seaweed. This problem concerns me. What would happen if I was out on the lake and the engine cut out? Ugh Is there a safe way to turn off the engine and remove the seaweed if I can't get back to shore?

It didn't occur to me that it could cause overheating, but the guy I met on the fuel dock last weekend said his only complaint was the design of the intake grates on his Vortex. He made it sound like Chapparal was aware of the issue so maybe a recall will occur. That said, maybe the only answer for now is to get a mask...

 

[Julian]

You can always try the reverse trick. Put the boat in reverse and build up some speed, then kill the engines and put the boat in forward lifting to the gates to have some water flow in.

Knowing this trick is your best approach!

 

[ptwb]

Diagnosis: seaweed
Now I have to learn how to avoid this problem. The slip is loaded with seaweed. This problem concerns me. What would happen if I was out on the lake and the engine cut out? Ugh Is there a safe way to turn off the engine and remove the seaweed if I can't get back to shore?

So it was the exhaust causing the overheating.

I'm curious on the closed loop cooling where the cut off is between open and closed. I would think open water is pumped all the way to the engine and injected into the exhaust as close to the exhaust valves as possible.

Do you have pee holes? I would think there are still pee holes for the exhaust cooling. If so, hopefully they are on the drivers side and you should make it a habit to check them. If not, maybe chaparral should consider adding them.

Whenever my intakes get clogged enough that I start to overheat, I can 'usually' tell, the boat is performing very sluggishly and can't plane at all. Also, I know that with the simplest blip of the throttle, if all is clear, my rear two pee holes will give a nice stream of water.

Your last issue you had mentioned the boat performed well and then you stopped on the lake. Had you just idled to that spot?

If you have that many weeds, maybe you should make it a habit to check that you can plane, just briefly, before heading out for an extended long idle cruise.

 

[SCSTWG]

I am a HUGE fan of Chaparral boats, but if I were regularly boating in an area with seaweed. I would not consider a jetboat that did not have clean-out ports.