Not Rebuilding Superchargers?!?

[rayski]

My nearby dealer just told me that they no longer rebuild superchargers (4-tec 250 CAT), they just replace them! They said if I put the new one in, it removes the 200 hr/2 year requirement. That doesn’t sound right to me unless they are installing a completely different unit (which would require more than just a supercharger replacement). Has anyone else heard this from their shop? Smells fishy to me (like just a way to make more money).

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

The new superchargers that come with the 300HP are maintenance free. I know you can apparently retrofit them to older engines. But I'm unsure how easy/costly this is. But yes, then you don't have to do any maintenance on it. But I don't think it's as simple as just swapping it out.

 

[gRobi]

Also Superchargers (I think) mid 2017 and up are maintainancefree from factory (not limited to the 300hp version) there's a little detail on the centerbold on witch you can tell if it is the new version. Try searching, someone postet a detailed document from brp regarding this issue witch has all the info.



But I would think a revision of the "old" one would still be less expansive...

 

[gRobi]

Found it

https://jetboaters.net/threads/new-maintenance-free-supercharger.20492/

Regarding the document it's mid 2016 not 2017...

 

[rayski]

Found it

https://jetboaters.net/threads/new-maintenance-free-supercharger.20492/

Regarding the document it's mid 2016 not 2017...

Back to the dealer tomorrow with my serial number. I definitely have the old supercharger, but they indicated that it may still be a direct replacement if I could bring in my serial number.

 

[Sidarousmg]

i'm confused...are they saying that the new superchargers are run until they go bad, and then are replaced; or are they saying that they are replacing the superchargers INSTEAD of maintaining/rebuilding them??

 

[rayski]

What they initially told me is that they simply don't rebuild them anymore, they just replace. I suggested that if that was the case, and a boater stuck to the 2 yr./200 hr. requirement, they would be spending $2,000+ every 2 years replacing the supercharger. That's when the technician said, "oh, no, the new supercharger removes the rebuild requirement, install it and be done with it".
I'm still confused.... if you look at the link from gRobi (thank you), it talks about newer motors and the "no maintenance" supercharger. My 2014 motor is a AAA, not an AFA or later.

The parts person at my local dealer is out until Monday, so I don't yet have a definitive answer about interchangeability of the "no maintenance" supercharger onto my engine.

Here's the link from gRobi https://jetboaters.net/threads/new-maintenance-free-supercharger.20492/

 

[Miitch]

My two cents: NOTHING is maintenance free. ESPECIALLY a metal on metal turbine spinning at speeds over 50,000 RPM. i don't care if it was designed on another planet. It will not be maintenance free. any supercharger (especially those exposed to salt water air) should be inspected every year. Regardless. I think BRP saying they're maintenance free just means that the 200 hour/2 year gasket replacement and rebuild is gone. Which means, they've probably designed a supercharger that will last LONGER.

Lets look at it this way. IF a study was done and found the average "life" of a BRP watercraft was 600 hours, and Sea-Doo developed a supercharger that went for 600 hours without failure, that would mean that for the entire average life of a BRP watercraft, the supercharger (or the one tested in particular) did not require maintenance. I think its just a really big play on words to get people who quiver at the thought of a 200hr required maintenance to feel safer.

I do believe they improved their superchargers to maybe last longer. But that being said, If you brought in a 5 year old BRP watercraft with high hours that you picked up off Craigs List with a "maintenance free" supercharger to a BRP dealer, they'd probably replace the SC without question. Maintenance free does not mean it wont fail. replacing the SC is still "maintenance free" - because you're not doing any sort of maintenance on the original SC.

Bottom line: Superchargers require frequent inspection - and whether its a rebuild or a replacement - a supercharger WILL end up costing you something in the future.

 

[rayski]

Mitch, I am well aware that nothing is maintenance free, especially something spinning at 50,000 rpm's. If you’ll recheck my post, you’ll notice that I put the words maintenance free in quotes because those are BRP’s words, not mine.

I fly and am licensed to maintain jets. We have parts spinning at high speeds, under high temperature, and in wildly changing environment (quite common to see the temperature of the air change 100 degrees from takeoff to level off at altitude), yet I can’t think of anything that requires a rebuild every 2 years. Simple inspection, yes, but typically 6-8 years between major inspection/overhaul.

Having said all of that, I’m just trying to get away from spending over a grand every 2 years on a single component. No problem inspecting and even doing a slippage test annually, I just don’t want to have to pull and send for rebuild semi-annually.

 

[Miitch]

@rayski That's awesome! I am also siding with you on the fact that BRPs words of "maintenance free" should be taken with a grain of salt. I actually develop chemical products (potting compounds, conformal coatings etc.) for electronics and other components sometimes subjected to dramatically changing environments, predominantly the aviation and aerospace industry! So i am familiar with how a components surrounding environment can cause immense stress.

I dont think their claim is accurate, but i also don't think replacing or rebuilding a single supercharger will cost over $2000. Even if its a rebuild, thats only every 200 hours (or two years). I have been quoted $500-$600 for a rebuild by multiple dealers in my area.