Your thoughts please...

[sx240 Newbee]

Hello,
This is my first thread.
I'm planning to purchase a 2011 sx240 with 170 hours next week if all goes well. Boat looks well kept. I can take care of basic maintenance (oil change, spark plugs, starters, etc.) on cars, but that's the extent of my mechanical experience. I took the 240 out for a test yesterday and in choppy water I ran it 40-45mph @ 6000 rpm. Only ran boat at that speed 5-10 minutes. No issues. Seller indicated that clean out plugs were difficult to remove. I didn't pull them out to inspect that area. I did notice the hatch cover support arm was corroded. I also failed to do post inspection after returning the boat to the boat lift, so I cannot confirm if excess water pooled into ski or engine compartments. Yes, I'm a newbie! However, the engines were cold- to- touch when I first fired them up and I did flushed both engines afterwards. They started without hesitation. Any opinions on this possible purchase is welcomed. Thanks!

Any

 

[captras]

If you have done all you said on cars, you can do 90%+ on your boat. Spend $75 and get a service manual... tells you all you need to know!

 

[sx240 Newbee]

Thank you for responding to this thread and for the encouragement. I will look for and buy a service manual. This will be my first jet boat and I'm hoping for a great experience. From all I've read the 1.8s are nearly bullet proof.
Do you think the 10 minutes at 40-45 mph/6000 rpm was enough of a test to reveal engine issues if any?

 

[tdonoughue]

(copied from the other thread)

Welcome!

So, first, I would recommend you update your profile with your location. That will let folks who are closer to you be able to help you more. Also tells us more about your use profile (folks in Chicago don't boat in salt much; those in Florida do...).

A compression test is always a good idea on a potential purchase. It will give an indication of engine problems, but the fact that it started well and ran well (45 at 6k rpm would be normal or a bit fast) is a good sign. 2011's I think are in range for the oil cooler issue, so you should check for cracks in that and for the new bolt replacement. Search here for oil cooler crack... Clean out plugs can be difficult to remove if they are not cared for or if they get old. I put the silicone gel you put on pool seals on mine once or twice a year and it seems to keep them nice and fresh. Others do a silicone spray. But if they are already a mess, then you can buy a rebuild kit relatively cheaply that has a new seal and internal parts.

Did you get pics? We like pics.

 

[sx240 Newbee]

Thanks tdonoughue,
Certainly plan to have engines compression checked and upon final inspection I will visually inspect oil cooler and bolts. I have updated my profile so those viewing and responding to future post can offer advice considering the region in which I live. Finally, I plan to take ownership of the boat Sunday, May 24th. Will post pictures then.
Again I appreciate the information provided by you and Captras.

 

[BigN8]

Oil cooler bolts might be an issue during that production year. It would have been nice if you peaked in the engine bay after running it to see if there was any residual oil in the bilge dripping from the oil cooler.

 

[sx240 Newbee]

Yeah, I totally blew the post inspection. Will have a mechanic to check things out for me.
Hopefully this won't be my last jet boat. I will certainly retain all the advice and gain more experience with the Yamaha boat.
Thank you!

 

[sx240 Newbee]

Many thanks to all who helped inform my decision for this purchased.
First boat owner experience was 1986 Sea Ray 223 Weekender. Took lots of headache meds. Second experience, 1993 Stratos FS264 w/115 OB. Worked well for me alone but not very accommodating to passengers - just a small fish and ski boat. My (new to me) 2011 sx240 is THE TRUTH!
It accommodates well now and into the foreseeable future.

 

[biffdotorg]

Very cool, nice trailer too! When I research our 2011 before purchase, I looked into the oil cooler bolts. It should not be an issue as most of those were in the 2010 production year. I ran our serial numbers and a yamaha tech said we should be in the clear. So unless it was an early build, you should b fine as well.

Enjoy that new ride!

 

[seanmclean]

Yeah, that's a sweet trailer. Nice boat, enjoy!

 

[dan144k]

I have a 2010 Ar240 and it has been very reliable and easy to maintain, I gad the oil coolers replaced under warranty. My boat has 280 hrs and still running great.

When you do final inspection lay under the boat with a flashlight and look for
1. any large fiberglass damage
2. also look into the front of the impellers, look at the front edge of the impellers.
3. Look for loose or damaged silicone in the intake tunnel in front of the impellers.
* none of these things are deal breakers, they just help you plan for future possible repairs, and also can use for leverage to negotiate price.

 

[sx240 Newbee]

Very cool, nice trailer too! When I research our 2011 before purchase, I looked into the oil cooler bolts. It should not be an issue as most of those were in the 2010 production year. I ran our serial numbers and a yamaha tech said we should be in the clear. So unless it was an early build, you should b fine as well.

Enjoy that new ride!

Thank you! I ran the boat really hard (53 mph) and checked bolts afterwards. No oil cooler leaks or loose/sheared bolts. I am really pleased...

 

[sx240 Newbee]

I have a 2010 Ar240 and it has been very reliable and easy to maintain, I gad the oil coolers replaced under warranty. My boat has 280 hrs and still running great.

When you do final inspection lay under the boat with a flashlight and look for
1. any large fiberglass damage
2. also look into the front of the impellers, look at the front edge of the impellers.
3. Look for loose or damaged silicone in the intake tunnel in front of the impellers.
* none of these things are deal breakers, they just help you plan for future possible repairs, and also can use for leverage to negotiate price.

Thanks for the advice. This forum is priceless

 

[sx240 Newbee]

Yeah, that's a sweet trailer. Nice boat, enjoy!

Thank you!

 

[dan144k]

@sx240 Newbee
look for bubbles in the fiberglass or soft spots on the bottom of the hull also. It is a used boat so don't expect perfection, unless it is a indoor stored never used boat.

 

[sx240 Newbee]

Just an update.

Since purchasing my (new to me) 2011 sx240, I have been pleased with my decision. I must say that this forum was certainly instrumental in helping me quietly work through whatever concerns I grappled with as a first time jet boat owner. Prior to my first run, I rebuilt the cleanout plugs. Before building them it was a tremendous struggle to remove and replace. My first cruise as a jet boat owner was enjoyable, short distance, and about getting acclimated to the boat. All went well. Second run, I encountered difficulty in getting engines to sound as they were running in sync while at the same rpm. I further noticed that the engines sounded synced when starboard engine rpm was 500-600 higher than port. I also burned through nearly 1/3 tank of fuel unusually fast. I decided to order and change spark plugs. Discovered loose plug in #1 starboard cylinder. All other spark plugs were tightened NOT more than 1/16th of a turn beyond finger tight. With new spark plugs in and forty miles of intracoastal waterway boating at varying speeds - I am ecstatic. Everything is working well except the horn. Will fix it next...

I'm open to any advice offered to ensure that I am exercising the one ounce of prevention rule. Furthermore I want to set the boat up to do 50 to 150 miles (one way) intracoastal runs and eventually do the BIMI Run in a few years.

 

[Julian]

Just an update.

Since purchasing my (new to me) 2011 sx240, I have been pleased with my decision. I must say that this forum was certainly instrumental in helping me quietly work through whatever concerns I grappled with as a first time jet boat owner. Prior to my first run, I rebuilt the cleanout plugs. Before building them it was a tremendous struggle to remove and replace. My first cruise as a jet boat owner was enjoyable, short distance, and about getting acclimated to the boat. All went well. Second run, I encountered difficulty in getting engines to sound as they were running in sync while at the same rpm. I further noticed that the engines sounded synced when starboard engine rpm was 500-600 higher than port. I also burned through nearly 1/3 tank of fuel unusually fast. I decided to order and change spark plugs. Discovered loose plug in #1 starboard cylinder. All other spark plugs were tightened NOT more than 1/16th of a turn beyond finger tight. With new spark plugs in and forty miles of intracoastal waterway boating at varying speeds - I am ecstatic. Everything is working well except the horn. Will fix it next...

I'm open to any advice offered to ensure that I am exercising the one ounce of prevention rule. Furthermore I want to set the boat up to do 50 to 150 miles (one way) intracoastal runs and eventually do the BIMI Run in a few years.

Sounds like you have a good boat on your hands. One item many people tend to overlook when doing their annual maintenance is the bilge pump. Ideally you want to make sure it is working, and that the screen is clear. It has clips on each side that allows you to remove it from its base and clear any crap that is inside the base. Then you have a couple of options on testing it. 1) fill the bilge with water (takes a lot), or 2) have a small container of water to drop it in when you unclip it for cleaning.

 

[sx240 Newbee]

Thanks for the suggestion Julian. I know the bilge pump works but I did not think to detach and clean. I will be sure to add that to my routine checks.

 

[tdonoughue]

The stock horn in mine was crap. After replacing 2, I went after market...

 

[sx240 Newbee]

Thanks Tdonoughue! I'd rather do it once/get it right the first time. Question: Did you splice into original horn wires or did the new (after market) horn attached to switch without fabrication?