Sport jet usage

Supergrit · #1 08-08-2016, 07:09 PM

Wondering what kind of hours people get on there sport jet. My interest is in river boats saw one for sale with 250 hours from what I read sounds like could need some major work.

ROA · #2 08-08-2016, 07:41 PM

Which motor did it have? All of them have a few problems and being in jet boats doesn't normally help thier life span, even if you look at how many good old reliable small block Chevys blow up in jets it becomes obvious it's a hard life.

I have a 200 which is the 250 optimax power head and mine has been good so far (only 60ish hours on it ). I know a guy that blew his 200 up at 300 hours and another guy with over 500 and only changed out a fuel lift pump or two (common failure cheap easy fix) Guys with the 240 don't normally have many problems. The old 175 are prone to oil pump failure which takes out the entire engine.

Like all merc 2 strokes it is hit and miss how much life you can get out of them 50 hours or 5000 who knows.

Dale S · #3 08-08-2016, 08:58 PM

I have the 175 sj. There was just over 300 hrs. on it when it failed because of a bad mechanic. $7000 later, the reman. engine runs great. It's in a 16' Outlaw lynx. With the dry weight of 1800lbs the 175sj and a new 4 blade impelled, plains in seconds. And top speed of around 40 mph. I can carry 2 guys camping equipment for a long weekend. The bigger the motor the more you can haul.

neilsledder · #4 08-08-2016, 10:03 PM

One of the reasons the 175 oil pump fails is when guys run it on the garden hose it heats up the bottom of the engine, and that makes the plastic gear for the oil pump brittle. If the engine has been taken care of they can last into the thousands of hours. Make sure the previous owners used a good oil not a gas station special. And didn't mix oils that's never a good idea. Take a good look at the wear ring and impeller make sure they are in good shape if not that can get pricey.

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angler1 · #5 08-09-2016, 10:32 AM

Hi Super, I have to agree with Neil. I have an 18 ft Outlaw Bobcat being pushed with a 240 fuel injected sport jet. I have owned since new and the only thing I have done to this rig is go with a stainless slieve and and 4 blade impellor. If you can find one I highly recommend it, they are in demand and getting harder to get.

neilsledder · #6 08-09-2016, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angler1

Hi Super, I have to agree with Neil. I have an 18 ft Outlaw Bobcat being pushed with a 240 fuel injected sport jet. I have owned since new and the only thing I have done to this rig is go with a stainless slieve and and 4 blade impellor. If you can find one I highly recommend it, they are in demand and getting harder to get.

My neighbour has a 240 and that thing flat out goes!

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catnthehat · #7 08-09-2016, 12:48 PM

My boat mechanic had over 1,700 hours on his 175 before he had to rebuild it
My 120 four cylinder had run strong for 16 hard years , I have just recently developed s crank beating on it ,
I replaced s stair a few years back, pretty much it,
I put Boysen reeds in it right off the bat in case if s failure - composite is a lot easier than metal when it gets sucked into the engine!

Have 't looked at my hour better but it is over 1,000 hours

I was never a Mercury fan until I went to a Sportjet

Cat

ricky8fish · #8 08-09-2016, 03:31 PM

Hi I have found if you remove the oil injection pump and mix your gas at 44 to 1 your problems will disapear. It also removes a tank at the back of the boat and on the motor. You may also want to change the fuel lines. Make sure they are ethenol resistant. The only down side is it is smokey at cold start up. Cheers Rick

Safety D · #9 08-09-2016, 03:58 PM

I run a 2005 with a 175 Sj in it. Awesome motor super reliable and I've done 40 mph with 7 adults in the boat with that upgraded 4 blade. She blows outa the hole awesome awesome boat. I hear you can get 1500 to 2000 hours on them and I'm probably about 4 to 500 and going strong !!!

angler1 · #10 08-09-2016, 04:29 PM

Hi Safety D, curious as to what type of boat this 175 is pushing.

Stubb · #11 08-09-2016, 05:10 PM

if my main concern was long engine life i'd go with a small block just because its more common and proven. In my case I wanted a shallow running boat that didn't need a winch if I got hung up on a gravel bar. So for me, SJ takes up less room in the boat, 200 hp and weighs half of a 350 with pump... is what sold me on the SJ. I'm no mechanic and i'm crossing my fingers the SJ will last as long as I want the boat, that being said I know a few other people with them (mostly 200's) and they're all happy.

I have a 18' boat and top speed is 40 mph tops. If you want a real powerful boat don't go with a SJ.

Safety D must be going downstream on a very fast river to be hittin 40 with that much weight and a 175 I'm thinkin.

angler1 · #12 08-09-2016, 07:12 PM

I didn't want to call him on it, but ya I agree. 7 adults? Must be a big boat.

neilsledder · #13 08-09-2016, 09:20 PM

I not saying anything but speed more depends on haul design opposed to horse power.

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Safety D · #14 08-09-2016, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angler1

Hi Safety D, curious as to what type of boat this 175 is pushing.

A big green one.

Safety D · #15 08-09-2016, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stubb

if my main concern was long engine life i'd go with a small block just because its more common and proven. In my case I wanted a shallow running boat that didn't need a winch if I got hung up on a gravel bar. So for me, SJ takes up less room in the boat, 200 hp and weighs half of a 350 with pump... is what sold me on the SJ. I'm no mechanic and i'm crossing my fingers the SJ will last as long as I want the boat, that being said I know a few other people with them (mostly 200's) and they're all happy.

I have a 18' boat and top speed is 40 mph tops. If you want a real powerful boat don't go with a SJ.

Safety D must be going downstream on a very fast river to be hittin 40 with that much weight and a 175 I'm thinkin.

Hit 39.6 mph on the gps and she was a big load. I've hauled 2 barrels of fuel and gear hundreds of miles into great bear lake years ago. Power to weight ratio that 290 pound sewing machine can't be beat.

Safety D · #16 08-09-2016, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angler1

I didn't want to call him on it, but ya I agree. 7 adults? Must be a big boat.

18 footer and it was on a calm lake.

Stubb · #17 08-09-2016, 11:09 PM

Ur doing 40 on a lake? What type of boat?

Supergrit · #18 08-09-2016, 11:24 PM

Mixing the gas and taking the oil pump out I thought about doing that to if I had sport jet. I read lots about oil pump failure.

Safety D · #19 08-09-2016, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stubb

Ur doing 40 on a lake? What type of boat?

18 foot cab forward design. 11 degree hull

Stubb · #20 08-09-2016, 11:53 PM

Must be a really light boat. 1/8" hull?

denied access · #21 08-10-2016, 01:36 AM

The trouble with sport jets is where they are being used. In a jon style sled where every ounce is an issue they are the way to go. But in a bigger boat such a Tjet or Hewes or Weldcraft style the companies are using them to lower the price point and the little guys just canno take it. Count on it blowing up after 300 hrs. 500 hrs and you are for sure on borrowed time. Plus you really gain no real advantage in these boats. In a big boat saving a few hundred pounds is silly. You still gotta winch it off a sandbar.

If you are looking for light and super shallow and fast you should be looking for a jon sled like an SJX or something tunneled with an OB jet like a woolrich or whatever.

In a bigger boat a V8 is well worth the extra $. If you are looking for a dual purpose family style boat that can run rivers as well than a V8 is the way to go. If you are looking for dependable V8 is the way to go. What goes more hours, your truck or your 2 stroke snowmobile?

Its all about what the end use is. Rivers only = sjx style with SJ or Jon with OB.
All around = Custom Weld, TJ, Weldcraft with 5.7 (fast AT Pump, Big Loads Ham Pump)

There is also a maker in Edmonton who is building some sweet looking decked out jons with OBs on them. Explorer I think they are called.

I like a V8. Second to that i would take a OB over a SJ cause an OB is easier to work on and simple to replace when it blows up and better reliabilty than a SJ but less efficient.

neilsledder · #22 08-10-2016, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denied access

The trouble with sport jets is where they are being used. In a jon style sled where every ounce is an issue they are the way to go. But in a bigger boat such a Tjet or Hewes or Weldcraft style the companies are using them to lower the price point and the little guys just canno take it. Count on it blowing up after 300 hrs. 500 hrs and you are for sure on borrowed time. Plus you really gain no real advantage in these boats. In a big boat saving a few hundred pounds is silly. You still gotta winch it off a sandbar.

If you are looking for light and super shallow and fast you should be looking for a jon sled like an SJX or something tunneled with an OB jet like a woolrich or whatever.

In a bigger boat a V8 is well worth the extra $. If you are looking for a dual purpose family style boat that can run rivers as well than a V8 is the way to go. If you are looking for dependable V8 is the way to go. What goes more hours, your truck or your 2 stroke snowmobile?

Its all about what the end use is. Rivers only = sjx style with SJ or Jon with OB.

All around = Custom Weld, TJ, Weldcraft with 5.7 (fast AT Pump, Big Loads Ham Pump)

There is also a maker in Edmonton who is building some sweet looking decked out jons with OBs on them. Explorer I think they are called.

I like a V8. Second to that i would take a OB over a SJ cause an OB is easier to work on and simple to replace when it blows up and better reliabilty than a SJ but less efficient.

Yes it's Explorer in Edmonton. They are crazy little boats.

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jim summit · #23 08-10-2016, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denied access

The trouble with sport jets is where they are being used. In a jon style sled where every ounce is an issue they are the way to go. But in a bigger boat such a Tjet or Hewes or Weldcraft style the companies are using them to lower the price point and the little guys just canno take it. Count on it blowing up after 300 hrs. 500 hrs and you are for sure on borrowed time. Plus you really gain no real advantage in these boats. In a big boat saving a few hundred pounds is silly. You still gotta winch it off a sandbar.

If you are looking for light and super shallow and fast you should be looking for a jon sled like an SJX or something tunneled with an OB jet like a woolrich or whatever.

In a bigger boat a V8 is well worth the extra $. If you are looking for a dual purpose family style boat that can run rivers as well than a V8 is the way to go. If you are looking for dependable V8 is the way to go. What goes more hours, your truck or your 2 stroke snowmobile?

Its all about what the end use is. Rivers only = sjx style with SJ or Jon with OB.
All around = Custom Weld, TJ, Weldcraft with 5.7 (fast AT Pump, Big Loads Ham Pump)

There is also a maker in Edmonton who is building some sweet looking decked out jons with OBs on them. Explorer I think they are called.

I like a V8. Second to that i would take a OB over a SJ cause an OB is easier to work on and simple to replace when it blows up and better reliabilty than a SJ but less efficient.

I partial to outboard jets as well for light weight small boats.

What would be average hrs on a 5.7 V8 setup in a heavier boat?
1000 hrs? Less if used hard? i had a V8 Ford in an inboard/outdrive.
It developed alot of blow by after hard useage, wish it would have had an hour meter.
Nothing sounds better then a V8 coming up river!