My husband & I purchased a little Sea Ray Searayder a couple
of years ago. We only get to use it for a couple of lake trips a
year. Although this is late July, the boat hasn't been started yet
this year and we (he) can't get it started. Last year, we took it
to a dealer, who told us "it just needed to be primed". According
to him, this is common when starting a jet boat (any boat?) for the
first time each year. The problem is, we have no idea how to do
this. We're not complete dummies, and have made sure the battery,
plugs, etc. are all ready. So, can anyone give us basic instruction
for "priming" this boat? It's a little 90hp Merc inboard. I've done
a 'google' search on the subject to no avail, and welcome any help,
pointers, or links to websites that may be of help

Thanks in advance,

Rags

"Ragdoll" wrote in message
...
My husband & I purchased a little Sea Ray Searayder a couple
of years ago. We only get to use it for a couple of lake trips a
year. Although this is late July, the boat hasn't been started yet
this year and we (he) can't get it started. Last year, we took it
to a dealer, who told us "it just needed to be primed". According
to him, this is common when starting a jet boat (any boat?) for the
first time each year. The problem is, we have no idea how to do
this. We're not complete dummies, and have made sure the battery,
plugs, etc. are all ready. So, can anyone give us basic instruction
for "priming" this boat? It's a little 90hp Merc inboard. I've done
a 'google' search on the subject to no avail, and welcome any help,
pointers, or links to websites that may be of help

Thanks in advance,

Rags


Your little 90hp Merc inboard is really an outboard motor, mounted inboard.
And since it is an outboard motor, that means I know next to nothing about
it. However, I do know that many outboard motors of that size often have a
sqeezeable primer bulb in the fuel line between the tank and the motor. Not
sure if your Sea Rayder has one, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did. I
suspect your dealer is telling you to squeeze the primer bulb to prime the
motor with fuel. Look for a black egg-shaped rubbery bulb, probably close
to the fuel pump. Squeeze the bulb multiple times until you start to feel
pressure building in the bulb. Then try and start the motor.

My husband & I purchased a little Sea Ray Searayder a couple
of years ago. We only get to use it for a couple of lake trips a
year. Although this is late July, the boat hasn't been started yet
this year and we (he) can't get it started. Last year, we took it
to a dealer, who told us "it just needed to be primed". According
to him, this is common when starting a jet boat (any boat?) for the
first time each year. The problem is, we have no idea how to do
this. We're not complete dummies, and have made sure the battery,
plugs, etc. are all ready. So, can anyone give us basic instruction
for "priming" this boat? It's a little 90hp Merc inboard. I've done
a 'google' search on the subject to no avail, and welcome any help,
pointers, or links to websites that may be of help


You can get an electric prime system installed. See you dealer/mechanic.
The Sportjet in considered an inboard and primer bulbs are not C.G. approved
and cannot be used.
You have to be careful with fuel/fumes!
I suggest opening the engine hatch during initial start for max ventilation.
Some folks prime them by cranking 10 secs or so at a time using the choke,
letting the starter rest a minute and repeating.

BR

"RG" wrote in message
news:W2jUa.18913$Bp2.11778@fed1read07...

Your little 90hp Merc inboard is really an outboard motor, mounted
inboard.
And since it is an outboard motor, that means I know next to nothing about
it. However, I do know that many outboard motors of that size often have
a
sqeezeable primer bulb in the fuel line between the tank and the motor.
Not
sure if your Sea Rayder has one, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did. I
suspect your dealer is telling you to squeeze the primer bulb to prime the
motor with fuel. Look for a black egg-shaped rubbery bulb, probably close
to the fuel pump. Squeeze the bulb multiple times until you start to feel
pressure building in the bulb. Then try and start the motor.



Although Boatriger's post seems to suggest that there is no 'bulb', we'll
certainly look for one, anyway. I've read about the 'pumping' on some
info for outboards. My darling husband pointed out that this is a 120hp,
not a 90hp, but I seriously doubt that's relevant. This little boat is
basically a big, fat waverunner. ;-) Thanks so much for your time.
We really appreciate the response!

Rags

Although Boatriger's post seems to suggest that there is no 'bulb', we'll
certainly look for one, anyway. I've read about the 'pumping' on some
info for outboards. My darling husband pointed out that this is a 120hp,
not a 90hp, but I seriously doubt that's relevant. This little boat is
basically a big, fat waverunner. ;-) Thanks so much for your time.
We really appreciate the response!


Boatriggr's response regarding the inappropriateness of a primer bulb in an
inboard installation even though the motor is outboard technology makes
sense to me. Any inboard installation would have much tighter regs as to
the fuel delivery system, over an outboard installation. Suggest you
contact the person at the dealership who told you all it needed was priming,
and ask him for an explanation of the procedure since he appears to have
been successful with it.

"Boatriggr" wrote in message

You can get an electric prime system installed. See you dealer/mechanic.
The Sportjet in considered an inboard and primer bulbs are not C.G.
approved
and cannot be used.
You have to be careful with fuel/fumes!
I suggest opening the engine hatch during initial start for max
ventilation.
Some folks prime them by cranking 10 secs or so at a time using the choke,
letting the starter rest a minute and repeating.

BR

Thanks for your response. We really appreciate it. I showed this post to
hubby, who pointed out that this is 120hp, not 90hp (probably completely
irrelevant, but you know how you guys are about your power, no matter
how small the difference. :-)) Anyway, he says we don't have a 'choke'. Is
that possible, or are we just unaware of it? The manual says we have an
'automatic enrichener', for starting a cold engine, and mentions nothing
about a choke. We'll definitely try opening the hatch, however. If there
is
some way to choke it, and you can tell us how, that would be great!
Regardless, we appreciate the time you took to respond to our question.

Rags

----- Original Message -----
From: "RG"
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 10:31 PM
Subject: Priming a jet boat?



Boatriggr's response regarding the inappropriateness of a primer bulb in
an
inboard installation even though the motor is outboard technology makes
sense to me. Any inboard installation would have much tighter regs as to
the fuel delivery system, over an outboard installation. Suggest you
contact the person at the dealership who told you all it needed was
priming,
and ask him for an explanation of the procedure since he appears to have
been successful with it.


And we will probably try that. We'll even try to see if we can squeeze it
into
the shop before we leave (next Friday, YARK!), if necessary. They are just
a very busy shop and the only Sea Ray place in our area. They've been a
little
snooty to us, in the past, when we've called to ask a couple of simple
questions,
as if our little 'stepchild' boat is hardly worth their time. That may have
just been
a fluke, though, and we'll pursue that avenue, if necessary.

Thanks,

Rags

Jet Ski's are gravity feed so no fuel bubble is required to prime. Yours
(not really a jet ski) would either have a fuel pump (mechanical or
electrical) or be gravity feed. If you turn the key on and can hear a pump
running, then it is electric. If the fuel line is routed such that the
lowest point is the input to the engine, then it is gravity feed. Otherwise
it has a mechanical fuel pump that runs off the engine.
I would get a fuel bubble for an outboard and install a fitting on the
intake side that will allow me to insert the assembly into the system.
Prime and crank at home. Then remove the bubble assembly. This should get
you going. Other option would be to have the dealer install an electric
fuel pump. This will be costly and probably not worth the effort.
You might actually have a choke on the system. Can the key/ignition
assembly be pushed in any. If so, this is the choke. I also assume you are
using the cold start to increase throttle while trying to crank. Increase
throttle to wide open and then be ready to pull back once it cranks.


Tony
My boats and autos - http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com



"Ragdoll" wrote in message
...

"RG" wrote in message
news:W2jUa.18913$Bp2.11778@fed1read07...

Your little 90hp Merc inboard is really an outboard motor, mounted
inboard.
And since it is an outboard motor, that means I know next to nothing
about
it. However, I do know that many outboard motors of that size often
have
a
sqeezeable primer bulb in the fuel line between the tank and the motor.
Not
sure if your Sea Rayder has one, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did.
I
suspect your dealer is telling you to squeeze the primer bulb to prime
the
motor with fuel. Look for a black egg-shaped rubbery bulb, probably
close
to the fuel pump. Squeeze the bulb multiple times until you start to
feel
pressure building in the bulb. Then try and start the motor.



Although Boatriger's post seems to suggest that there is no 'bulb', we'll
certainly look for one, anyway. I've read about the 'pumping' on some
info for outboards. My darling husband pointed out that this is a 120hp,
not a 90hp, but I seriously doubt that's relevant. This little boat is
basically a big, fat waverunner. ;-) Thanks so much for your time.
We really appreciate the response!

Rags

Try getting it to start with a couple of shots of starting fluid (ether) in
the air intake...

Grumman-581 wrote:
"Tony Thomas" wrote ...
I really don't recommend this for an outboard type engine. Alluminum
pistons
don't like it as they tend to meld down from the excessive heat generated.
Plus, once you burn the either, the engine still dies because there is no
fuel.

I have a problem with my cylinders getting flooded with 2-cycle oil when I
leave the engine sitting up for any period of time, so a couple of shots of
ether allow me to burn off the oil and get gas into the engine... I wonder
if an atomized spray of gasoline would work just as well... Perhaps one of
the Misty Cool type of nozzles connected to a small container of gasoline
that could be pressurized... If this would work, it sure would solve the
problem of possibly being offshore and running out of ether...




And it would make a great anti-smoker device, too.


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