175 Sport Jet owners - New Weedless Intake Grate!!
Larry KN4IM
new SeaDoo jetboat line, a definate improvement in reliability and
economy (gas), I found an article any XR2 Sport Jet owner will want to
know about. They have developed a new intake grate that eliminates
going under the boat to drag out weeds! It's standard equipment on
the '99 models, but the article, as you will see, tells us we can
easily replace our solid cast grates with this new grate that allows
trapped weeds to simply be CONSUMED by the big pump.....well, you read
what it says below! Call your dealer for price/availability for a
retrofit. I'm going to get one!
From Merc's web site pages.....
'99 SPORT JET FEATURES EXCLUSIVE WEED CLEANOUT, 120 GETS XR2 PUMP
Largest jet pump available means best acceleration
Fond du Lac, WI, July 1, 1998 - The most popular jet power for small
boats continues to lead the industry for 1999 with features that give
it the most power and acceleration available, improved ease of
operation, and the durability and reliability that only comes from a
product bearing the Mercury name.
Sport Jet by Mercury continues to be the easiest marine power to
operate and maintain with the addition of exclusive features like the
new Hydro-Surge water intake grate, the industry's first
fully-automatic weed shedding device. No longer will boaters need to
stop the boat, get in the water or manipulate levers and cables to
clear weeds from the water intake. Hydro-Surge uses naturally
occurring pump and hydro-dynamic forces to clear weed build up.
Hydro-Surge is a spring-loaded intake grate. As weeds accumulate on
the grate, reducing water flow, the increased suction forces of the
Sport Jet XR2 pump lifts the grate, allowing the weeds to be pulled
free. Others are pushed off by the forward motion of the boat once on
plane. Weeds that don't clear the grate are sucked through the pump
and mulched by the impeller. The Hydro-Surge intake grate is sized so
that any debris that can pass through the grate will also pass through
the pump, dramatically reducing the potential for clogs or damage to
internal parts. And for boaters already enjoying Sport Jet power,
Hydro-Surge can be easily retrofitted to their boat.
All in the family Skiers, tubers, and those who party by the boat load
will welcome the news that the new 1999 Sport Jet 120XR2 will enjoy
the same benefits of its 175 horsepower sibling, with the addition of
the XR2 pump; the best acceleration in its class. The XR2 pump shines
under heavy loads like pulling a wake boarder. The key to the XR2 pump
is really rather simple: it moves more water in less time.
The XR2 pump consists of a three-blade, variable pitch, stainless
steel impeller 7.25-inches in diameter. A larger discharge nozzle
measuring 3.8 inches completes the package. When coupled to the 175XR2
, it spins at a mere 4200 rpm through a gear reduction ratio of
1.25:1, and flows 3500 gallons per minute at wide open throttle. The
gear reduction and low impeller speed minimize the chance for
cavitation and provide better performance.
While going forward is what it's all about, the XR2 pump features a
high-thrust, dual outlet reverse gate for unequaled reversing
capability. With the Sport Jet's unique operating characteristics,
improved component durability, and increased backward thrust, the XR2
pump can actually be used as a braking system -- a real advantage in
an emergency situation. The XR2 pump and nozzle offer the performance
advantages and additional safety of a full 60? of steering.
Both the 1999 120XR2 and the 175XR2 feature a new water bypass line
for improved powerhead cooling. This new system keeps engine
temperature consistent from idle to wide open throttle -- just another
Sport Jet performance advantage.
Also new this year, the 120XR2 benefits from the same electric fuel
primer system used on the 175 model, assuring the elimination of
dry-start cranking delays. A change in the internal porting increases
top-end torque, and allows the 120XR2 to hold that power, even in
extreme heat and humidity. Finally, for additional ease of service and
improved durability, a new shift cable with an easy to adjust cable
attachment has been added.
The need for speed It's one thing to talk about improved acceleration
and top-end speed, but with the Sport Jet 120XR2 and 175XR2 , numbers
speak louder than words. Adding the XR2 pump to the Sport Jet 120 (in
a 14' 6" boat), top speed increased from 42.1 mph to 44.5 mph. And
while top-end is exciting, the real thrill with the XR2 pump is
acceleration. In zero to 30 mph acceleration tests using the same
power and same boat, the 120XR2 clocked in at 4.3 seconds cutting a
full second-and-a-half off of the original 120 time.
In a test using 16-foot boats, the Sport Jet 175XR2 -- the most
powerful two-stroke, single engine marine jet power available -- hit a
top speed of 53.5 mph and accelerated from zero to 30 mph in 3 seconds
flat. Is it any wonder that the Sport Jet 175XR2 has the highest
customer satisfaction rating of any marine jet power?
Nice package The Sport Jet 175XR2 is based on Mercury's proven 2.5
litre V-6 block. The 153 cubic inches of displacement literally pushes
a boat on plane, and provides the power to hold the tightest turns.
Dual below-water exhaust outlets and a special carburetor sound
attenuator help minimize noise.
A 12 amp charging system gives the Sport Jet 175XR2 enough juice to
power any electronics, from navigation or fish finding accessories to
a jammin' sound system.
The 120XR2 is a 2-stroke, 4 cylinder in-line engine with a
displacement of 102.9 cubic inches, featuring Mercury's CDM ignition
for reliable starting and a 9 amp charging system. The ?-keystone
piston rings improve sealing and durability by increasing resistance
to ring sticking from poor quality fuels and oils.
"Top-Guided" internal engine components -- crankshaft, connecting
rods, pistons, larger piston pins, and needle bearings -- switch the
normal thrust that occurs in the cylinders from the lower connecting
rod bearings to the pistons, reducing internal temperatures, improving
component life, and making the engines quieter with reduced vibration.
Both Sport Jet power packages can be freshwater-flushed without having
to start the engine, an advantage the competition can't match. The
exclusive Sport Jet bilge siphon system helps keep the bilge dry, even
when the bilge pumps aren't operating. Combined with the compact
packaging of both Sport Jets, this creates additional stowage space in
the engine compartments of most boats.
For added safety and ease of operation, Sport Jet power is operated
with one shift/throttle control compared to the three needed by
competitive products of similar horsepower.
A single lever control is particularly desirable in situations like
docking and reversing.
Sport Jet also offers options for boaters to better match their style
of boating. If weeds aren't a concern, like in rocky, shallow-water
rivers, the new Hydro-Surge intake grate can be replaced with a rock
grate. It features stainless steel construction with narrower spacing,
further reducing the chance of ingesting debris. Boaters looking to
increase their top-end speed can choose the performance grate.
Both Sport Jet models operate on standard 87 octane unleaded fuel, and
feature Sport Jet's exclusive automatic enrichment system for turn-key
starting, variable rate oil injection, over-speed protection, overheat
warning, low oil level warning, and an innovative, self-draining
design to eliminate the worry from unexpected freezing.
End of article....
This last line is important for you PWC powered jetboat owners getting
ready to winterize......The new SeaDoo jetboats with Sport Jet power
don't HAVE to be "winterized"....they drain themselves...(c;
Larry....headed for my dealer to order the new wondergrate.
VinBeanie
the 1999 Tango's it was an optional feature but i believe in the 2000 models it
is standard. Once the intake grate is at least 20% clogged with weeds the
grate opens and the weeds get chewed up by the impeller and spit out. My Tango
4+2 has the Hydro-Surge installed and it's awesome. If I go over some weeds my
speed slows down to about 30-35 and the engine feels like it's pulling
something large THEN all of a sudden the jetboat jolts forward and i'm back up
to 50-53mph again!! You can hear the weeds being chewed up and spit out... If
it was my old SeaDoo Speedster i would have been towed and at the motorcycle
dealer with an overheated engine.
Vin..
Stingray
What size pump will the Hydro surge fit ? Do you think that it
will be availiable on pwc's ?
Stingray
Larry KN4IM
Jets. I ordered mine today for "ToyBota".
Looks really neat and a LOT better solution than Yamacrap's cleanout
traps.
Larry