Update on engine sync problem

[Jet16]

Just to remind you of my situation. My Brand new, bought as a left over 2014 215 HO impulse ran perfectly all last season. Had the dealer winterize and service boat, then when I take it out for the very first time this season, my engines will not sync much at all. And only when running at low rpms. Never when giving it any throttle at all. The left engine was running like 2000 to 2500 rpms lower than the right one.

Well I just got the boat back from the dealer and I must say I am not impressed at all with Scarab customer service. My dealer had to file a claim to get Scarab to look in to the matter and with Scarabs help my dealer said they were able to get both engines within about 500 rpms of each other. Apparently this is acceptable to Scarab, even though all last season my engines were completely in sync 100 percent of the time. This is beyond frustrating. Am I wrong to expect a fix that has the engines syncing 100 percent of the time like the boat is advertised to run?!!

I don't know what else to do. My dealer is 3 1/2 hours away and they are saying that this is all they can do right now and I guess I'm supposed to be satisfied with this kinda sorta fix. I think it is unacceptable to be running a 500 rpm difference in engines when they are supposed to be 100'percent in sync. ScarabMike any thoughts on the topic??

That's the update for now, haven't really had much time on the boat at all since the so called fix. Hopefully will log more hours this weekend. Thanks for listening!

 

[Slugger55]

Ditto!! Unacceptable!! @ScarabMike and I have talked at length about this issue. Another example of a dealership and a Technician who doesn't know what they are doing. Dude if you can find another dealership who has a savvy BRP technician have them fix your boat... I just got mine back with a carbon seal issue and come to find out the dealer who worked on my boat didn't align the drive shaft properly, nor did they tighten the motor mounts correctly. They found the starboard aft mount was loose. Don't take this crap. Get on the phone with BRP and start taking names. Write down date, time, jist of the discussion and make sure you get their name...

 

[ScarabMike]

I have said this time and time again. With the Rotax engine, you DO NOT winterize it unless its going to be sitting for more than 12 months. I keep seeing this on this forum, and the end results are mostly the same. Your sync issue it almost surely attributed to this.

Also when you do winterize a rotax, all you do is run coolant/water mix through the flushing system, and two quick shots of BRP fogging oil. That's it, you're done.

 

[ScarabMike]

@Jet16 the issue is probably related to a sensor that has been affected by either the wrong type of fogging oil, or another chemical that was used. Ill do some research to see what sensor or module that might be. @JetTech72 might know as well.

 

[JetTech72]

Is the 500 rpm spread the maximum you are seeing along the load line or at WOT top speed?
Do you know if the dealer changed the spark plugs, because they could get easily fouled by fogging oil during winterization?
Is the synch function enabled in your cluster settings?

 

[Jet16]

ok I spent some actual time on the boat today for the first time since getting it back from the dealership. Overall the boat ran pretty good.... that being said the engines are still not syncing 100 percent of the time. I found that most of the time when they are out of sync is when I begin to accelerate or when I decelerate. When I am at a constant speed the engines seem to pretty much sync up all the time, and the green sync light goes on. The spread I am experiencing is still about 5oo rpms or so give or take for the most part. Like I said the boat ran fine, besides this issue. So I guess the question is... Do I just accept this and not do anything else, or do I pursue this further to get someone to fix the boat so that they are in sync 100 percent of the time as they should be?? One comment that I found interesting, and maybe someone who owns a Chaparral Vortex can chime in... but the dealer said that the Chaparral's have a button that can be pressed where you can sync the engines right up... but the Scarab does not have this which makes it more difficult...

ScarabMike, I guess I foolishly trusted my dealer to winterize the boat correctly when I took it to them at the end of the season. Lesson learned, but it's just frustrating because even if the dealer messed it up somehow, they will never ever admit it...and I think it is almost impossible to prove that the dealer was at fault... thoughts?

 

[Slugger55]

@Jet16 @ScarabMike will see your post if you put the @ in front of his name. You will also see a screen come up to select the name.

I personally think that you need to hold the dealer accountable. Make them come to you or compensate you for all of your travel..

 

[JetTech72]

Is the Synch light turning OFF/ON while you are driving?
If so when it's ON (steady state), do you still experience 500rpm at that condition?
That seems to be a big spread for having Synch mode active, they should normally be within +/- 50rpm.
During acceleration & deceleration it's normal that synch would not be engaged, the synch function was created for steady speed operation.

There is no difference between Chaparral & Scarab in regards of the Synch function, but rather between the TouchScreen and standard gauge.
With the Standard gauge you have to stop the engine to enter Settings menu from where you can enable/disable Synch function, while with the TouchScreen it can be done on the fly with engines running.
Therefore a Scarab equipped with a ViperII touchscreen set-up will be able to do it, just like a Chaparral is able to do it when equipped with similar gauge.

 

[Jet16]

Well last season the sync light would come on even under acceleration. Now it never comes on when accelerating and as I accelerate there is a good 500 to 800'rpm difference between the right engine and left engine. Even when I am cruising at a steady speed the sync light will come on but there is still usually a difference of 100 or 200 rpms between engines. Usually but not 100 percent of the time. So frustrating. Especially when the dealers don't know how to fix and when scarab says that this is acceptable!