Sea Scooter flooding problems

I have a no name version of the SeaDoo Sea Scooter, also sold by X-treme called the x-treme 151. I have gone through 4 of these units. I have had problems with the units flooding. I have only taken them to 50 feet when they failed. Each time I have disassembled them to find water in the motor and control board areas. I have also found that the flooding was caused by bad assembly from the factory. The screws where to tight damaging the plastic.
In 2 cases the unit would not turn off. We keep the units tied to us. My son (age 15) was using one of the scooters when if first failed, on at full speed. He was smart enough to hold the unit to his side and go around in a circle until he was able to get it to stop. I was right next to him ready to cut it loose if needed. This was smart of him to hold it to his side. It allowed me to stay with him and not have to chase him around. It also keep him at the same depth preventing any injury. Please keep this in mind should anyone have one fail in the on position.
I am going to try and use silicone grease called CHEMPLEX 710. This will protect the electronics from the water. I will also use silicone between the motor housing and the electronics housing. This is where I have found the leaking.
What problems have you seen and how did you fix them ?
Thank You
David

Be careful, the scooter you own is not a Sea-Doo Seascooter but a knock off that looks like a Sea Doo-it is not the same scooter. Check this out: Water Scooter Recall

I'd advise you to contact your dealer as they should offer solutions regarding their product.

I have the same scooter except it's white and red and was bought from the same company selling the other scooters off of ebay mydigitaldiscounts.com. The first one I bought flooded and stopped working. I paid $24 to mail it back received the second unit and it promptly flooded on the first dive as well but this time it stayed on. It still works the only catch it as soon as I connect the battery cable the unit turns on and stays on. I amazed that this works when it's underwater and flooded like that. The unit came out to about 120 with shipping. I suppose in this case I got what I paid for quality wise. I'd have tried to return this one but that's another $24 and odds are the next unit is going to do the same thing.

I got the yellow one off ebay for 72$, used it 8 times then it quit. I took it apart and it was flooded. Get what you pay for.

I had two of these scooters. On the second time we used them they flooded. I called the seller and he gave me a how to dissassemble guide. (see link below) He wanted to know where the water was. It was in the motor compatments on both of them. They told me they would send out 2 more and a rma for the others. Well the other 2 flooded right away in the motor compartment also. A friend of mine had a cheaper single speed scooter and he was having no problems. In fact 5 scooter of frinds of mine had the single speed scooters and none flooded. Just mine (2 speed).
To me the fact the water was always coming in the motor compartment made think it was coming in the rear shaft seal. So I pulled the rear shaft seal and it's nothing but a plastic type bushing seal. I mean the seal is junk. So I figure out the shaft seal numbers and did a seach on oil seals and came up with SFK 3036 (8x14x4). So I ordered 4 for them. Still waiting for the rma from the company. I let the sooters dry out real well after flooding and oiled the motors to help keep rust out.
I could only get 3 of the 4 running since the motor went up in one. I took them out all three at one time for a couple dives in 40 degree water and they worked great.
So the problem with the scooters is in the rear shaft seal. But at the time of waiting for the rma and tell them the second set of scooters flooded I ordered 2 x-scooters from dive-extras. It's night and day between the scooters. The manufacture called to give me the rma for the first 2 and I told him he can have all four back and refund my money. He said he would get back with me. I never heard from them since and it was a lessoned learned.
Here is the how to take apart how to take apart, Let them dry out good, oil the motor, test to be sure they work and order a rear seal. The stock seal is so cheap you can pick it out with the motor shaft in place. Order a real seal "rubber with spring" SKF 3036. I got mine from Applied industrial. I did it online and had them in about a week.
If you want a real fix pony up and buy an x-scooter. You will alway have a hard time getting the smile off your face every time you use it. Plus they are great to take on dive vacations.

Hi aHeavyD can you re-post the "how to take apart" guide? That link didn't work. I am thinking about over-pressuring the case to 1 BAR. Do you think this might help the seals a whole bunch?

Seems the dealer is not around anymore. I checked and there web site is gone.

It's easy to open them up. Under the battery area floor you will see 4, 1/4" circles that look like injection tabs. they are really rubber. take a steel awl (pick) and pull them up and out. Might be able to do it with a very small screw driver also. Under the rubber fillers are 4 phillips screws. Take them out and the unit will open to the electronic area. You might need to take the fan guard off first , but will need to remove it to get to the motor area. You should be able to see 4 more screws at the bottom that bolts up the motor compartment. remove them and you are the motor. be sure to get the water out and soak the motor with WD so it doesn't rust.I let it set a couple day open to be sure it dried out. To remove the shaft seal you need to do that from the prop side. remove prop and you should be at the rear seal. Check the oil seal measurements I supplies above and if it look the same buy one. Just do a search on the internet. You can get them from Motion or Applied. To remove the seal just use the awl (steel pick) and pull it out. I lubed the new on on the seal and pressed the new on in. I think I used an extended socket the same diamter as the seal to tap it in all the way.

I took mine appart this weekend and everything is dry and clean so my problem is the controller. Any clue where I can buy one? I am thinking about substituting a land-scooter controller from allelectronics.com ($30) but would rather not if I can find a sea-scooter one. I did find an x-treme website x-tremescooters.com/sea_scooters/x160/parts.html but it doesn't seem like that really have parts to sell?

I know mine is a cheap knock-off but have found a lot of the Seadoo docs are pretty close.

Anyone have a good repair manual for these? Mine is beeping once about every 4 seconds. I am thinking about buy a speed-controller from Seadoo $38.00 but I'm not ver cetain that is what is wrong with it?

aHeavyD:

Seems the dealer is not around anymore. I checked and there web site is gone.

It's easy to open them up. Under the battery area floor you will see 4, 1/4" circles that look like injection tabs. they are really rubber. take a steel awl (pick) and pull them up and out. Might be able to do it with a very small screw driver also. Under the rubber fillers are 4 phillips screws. Take them out and the unit will open to the electronic area. You might need to take the fan guard off first , but will need to remove it to get to the motor area. You should be able to see 4 more screws at the bottom that bolts up the motor compartment. remove them and you are the motor. be sure to get the water out and soak the motor with WD so it doesn't rust.I let it set a couple day open to be sure it dried out. To remove the shaft seal you need to do that from the prop side. remove prop and you should be at the rear seal. Check the oil seal measurements I supplies above and if it look the same buy one. Just do a search on the internet. You can get them from Motion or Applied. To remove the seal just use the awl (steel pick) and pull it out. I lubed the new on on the seal and pressed the new on in. I think I used an extended socket the same diamter as the seal to tap it in all the way.

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aHeavyD - Can you post the exact bearing part number that you used from Applied? The part number that you posted "SKF 3036" is coming up with a 14 pound bearing that is $747.