SX230 issue while I'm on vacation at the lake, need help!

[HockeyDave13]

I'm new at boats, had plenty of motorcycles and cars, just new to boats. Was out for about 2 hours, pulled a tube, and everything was fine. I slowed way down as we were near another 2 boats in a narrow area and when I went to take off and the starboard motor sounded louder, rumbly. When I hit the gas, it revved, but just made a little more noise and didn't move, like if it was a car, the clutch was slipping. I stopped and checked both cleanouts, and they were both clean. Fired it back up and the starboard motor kept on making noise, no power. I tried reverse to clean it out and no luck. Any thoughts? I'd do more searches and research, but on vacation for just 2 more days and hope to get something figured out quick.

Thanks in advance!

 

[F.M.]

I can't help. But use @HELP to get a faster response.

 

[mark_m]

I'm new at boats, had plenty of motorcycles and cars, just new to boats. Was out for about 2 hours, pulled a tube, and everything was fine. I slowed way down as we were near another 2 boats in a narrow area and when I went to take off and the starboard motor sounded louder, rumbly. When I hit the gas, it revved, but just made a little more noise and didn't move, like if it was a car, the clutch was slipping. I stopped and checked both cleanouts, and they were both clean. Fired it back up and the starboard motor kept on making noise, no power. I tried reverse to clean it out and no luck. Any thoughts? I'd do more searches and research, but on vacation for just 2 more days and hope to get something figured out quick.

Thanks in advance!

Can you capture a video?

Are you sure you have your cleanout plugs fully seated?

If you do, I bet you have something stuck in your impeller. Pull the starboard pump, betcha got something wedged in there.

 

[Scottintexas]

I didn't get the help notification again
@tdonoughue ??

Can you put it on the trailer? This is normally an easy fix when you figure it out,
If you don't feel anything else pull the impeller/shaft and reinstall

Sometimes stuff is so small it falls out without you even knowing it

 

[HockeyDave13]

Yes, it is in a slip right now, but I can pull it out tomorrow on the trailer. I'm guessing I can youtube how to pull the impeller easily enough and check it out. Appreciate the insight. We scheduled some stuff tomorrow, but might be able to work on it tomorrow afternoon or early Saturday am and still get out Saturday.

 

[Scottintexas]

Where are you

 

[mark_m]

Yes, it is in a slip right now, but I can pull it out tomorrow on the trailer. I'm guessing I can youtube how to pull the impeller easily enough and check it out. Appreciate the insight. We scheduled some stuff tomorrow, but might be able to work on it tomorrow afternoon or early Saturday am and still get out Saturday.

You can find instructions here, don’t go YouTube unless you want to see the guy pull a single pump off of a seadoo.

Search pull pump on this site

 

[HockeyDave13]

Where are you

Lake Hamilton, AR

 

[mark_m]

You can find instructions here, don’t go YouTube unless you want to see the guy pull a single pump off of a seadoo.

Search pull pump on this site

https://jetboaters.net/faq/#faq-26

 

[tdonoughue]

@Scottintexas , nope, no alert...

I have had the same situation, when it seemed like there was nothing in the cleanout port and then when I took it out and looked from the bottom through the grate, I found a piece of wood as big as day (ok, really as big as my thumb...).

 

[Bruce]

@HockeyDave13, is there vibration along with the noise and lack of power?

It sounds like cavitation. Lake Hamilton is full of debris. I typically have to remove something from the pumps when I boat on Hamilton. Often it is after coming off of plane for a bridge.

With today being a rain day it is a good time to get her on the trailer and figure out what is in there. I will find and tag you in the pump removal video. You will need a socket set and a printed bar or large flathead screwdriver.

Once you have the pump cleaned out I suggest that you spend your last day(s) on Lake Ouachita.

 

[YamahaziPilot]

Sounds like you need to get it up out of the water and have a good look in the impellers. Loss of power like that is gonna be caused by a damaged impeller or something stuck in it which a lot of people have already said. Good luck.

 

[HockeyDave13]

Thanks for all the insight! I waited till I got home and pulled it apart tonight. Yes, I’m guessing I should have felt this from the clean out. After seeing how it all works, I have a better understanding and will be more prepared next time. I appreciate the quick responses trying to get me going!!

 

[tdonoughue]

Don't feel bad. I have had similar junk experiences where I could swear from the cleanout side there was nothing there. Pulled the pump and found two large hunks of wood. I, too, had no idea how I could have missed that from the topside. Sometimes it is just too far back on the impeller, I guess.