My First Jet Boat

[GM KILLER 5.0]

Hello, I'm new on here, and I just picked up my first Jet Boat. Here is a little info:
Early 70's Tahiti Jet Boat, 18', 455 Olds BB power, Berkley jet, left side drive with throttle pedal, etc.
Here is my first question, I took it out on my lake over the weekend, and it has I guess what is an adjustable trim unit, with a shifter next to my seat with like 6-8 different settings, I thought maybe this would allow me to raise the jet up and create a roost?? Near the pump the piece that moves up and down is called Jet-Ovater, and I was told that was good? Maybe I'm just dumb, but any help would be greatly appreciated.
Also with the 455 olds, 2 people, and a full tank of gas, I was only able to GPS like 44.8 MPH, is that normal, or am I down on power or thrust?
Thanks,
Ron :confused:

[502 JET]

Welcome to Hot Boat!
You should be able to throw a roost with no problem. Make sure the nozzle is going all the way up when you set the control to full up.
How many rpms are you turning at your top speed? Check that your throttle plates are opening all the way at wide open throttle.

[El Prosecutor]

RPM at speed is one of your most important performance indicators. Find that out first and go from there. Another quick check is to examine the last 4feet of the bottom with a straight edge and see if it is "hooked" at the end, which is a common speed robber.
Unless you are already aware of the oiling issues witht the Olds I highly recommend you read up on it before doing wide open throttle runs longer than one minute or so at a time. There are many tragic stories of spun bearings on first time out trips.
Post your RPM/GPS numbers and what you find out about the bottom, and you will get a lot of good input here.

[BrendellaJet]

If you want to go fast, save your money. Remove the olds & insert a big block chevy or Ford. Jetboats need lots of HP to go fast.

[centerhill condor]

If you want to go fast, save your money. Remove the olds & insert a big block chevy or Ford. Jetboats need lots of HP to go fast.
that didn't take long...:D
dude enjoy your boat but watch the oil pressure. You can check the nozzle adjuster or diverter movement on the trailer.

[BrendellaJet]

that didn't take long...:D
dude enjoy your boat but watch the oil pressure. You can check the nozzle adjuster or diverter movement on the trailer.
Sorry, maybe I was being a bit presumptiouos. :D I assumed that with a name like GM killer 5.0 that he was a mustang fan. Most of those guys spend money fixin them up to make them faster. If you like to go fast on the street, you like to go fast on the water.
The olds motors are good, just not at going fast. So if you decide you want to haul ass, save yourself some $$$ and do the swap now.:D

[Sleeper CP]

I would have to agree with BrendellaJet. If you just want to cruise around and enjoy the boat the Olds is fine. But if you think you want to go fast, I don't think I would put one $ into trying to make that Olds go fast. Just enjoy it for the cruiser that it is.
Sleeper CP

[gqchris]

When I got my last Southwind, the theory I went by was once she blew up, I would trade her in for the Chevy:D So yea, enjoy the boat for what it is, cruise the heck out of it, have fun, learn the hobby. a few seasons from now, you will have caught the bug and move on to the next boat:)

[GM KILLER 5.0]

Thanks for the quick responses.
The BBC swap maybe in the future, as we have quite a few 427's around. I will indeed just have a little fun with the olds for a while, and I will keep my eye on the oil pressure. Thanks for the heads up.
I will get the RPM vs. Speed etc. next time out for more help.
I guess I don't understand why it wouldn't create a roost?? I trimmed it all the way up, and just shot a little spray maybe like 2-3 feet, nothing to get excited about.
What upward angle should I be looking to obtain, I know it all depends, but maybe you guys could give me an approximate angle to try and achieve.
In regards to my screen name, I have owned and raced my 92 mustang GT for almost 10 years now. The funniest part is, that for the last 4 seasons, it has been powered by a BBC!!!! I keep the name, because I have come to be known by it.
Thanks,
Ron

[502 JET]

Adjust the shifter to the full up and remove the bolt holding the hiem joint on the nozzle. See if your nozzle goes up any higher. You can adjust the cable to get more up nozzle if the nozle is not bottomed out in the up position.

[GM KILLER 5.0]

I kind of did that, we actually adjusted it back by the jet, it has a threaded deal back there, maybe that was bad?
But the jet itself had a little stopper, that I was told to grind/cut off, so it would go higher, so I did, and then I got it to go almost as high as possible, and still no ROOST??? That's why I was wondering if there was any sort of guideline as far as jet angle upwards.
Thanks A lot,
Ron

[BrendellaJet]

Do you have a pic of the pump? Maybe there is a wedge or 2 stacked in there...???

[502 JET]

Make sure the forward/reverse bucket (over the nozzle) is going all the way up clear of the nozzle in full foward position.

[GM KILLER 5.0]

I don't have any pics yet, I'll try and get some this weekend. If it had "wedges" where would they be stacked at??
Good Idea, I will check the forward/reverse deal, and make sure it doesn't get pushed closed.
Thanks,
Ron

[Unitek]

Ron,
You got 10 and the smackaroo from the HTM. Act like you want trouble :D :)

[GM KILLER 5.0]

Becareful, I have been known to apply the shocker in such situations!!!! :sqeyes:

[Unitek]

the shocker has been known to get things started round here lol

[N/AZZ502]

Congratulations on your first jet! Got rid of my Cougar MTR BBC with a bravo 1 to get back to a more enjoyable time on the river. The sad thing is...my jet is much faster than my MTR ever was and have alot less invested in it. This is my 3rd jet...my first was a BBF second was a Olds 455 and now this run I am running a ZZ502 marinized.

[GM KILLER 5.0]

Thanks everyone except UNITEK!!!
Any more insight about the wedges??
Anyone ever put a digital protractor on thier jet to see the upward angle, when it is trimmed all the way up?
Thanks,
Ron

[Sleeper CP]

Thanks everyone except UNITEK!!!
Any more insight about the wedges??,
Ron
The wedges would be placed between the Droop snoot and the end of the bowl(where the impeller is). If you can't get any up angle on your Jet it sounds like you may have negative wedge set into your droop. The wedge could be made out of Alumi or from plastic. The negative wedge will help lower the thrust line of the jet, but by doing so restricts your ability to raise it high enough for a good Rooster tail.
Sleeper CP

[GM KILLER 5.0]

Sleeper,
I'm pretty new to this stuff, is that visible from the exterior, or do I need to take something apart? Sorry for the dumb questions.
Thanks,
Ron

[BrendellaJet]

here you go, this should help. The wedge would go between the bowl & droop.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/Droop.jpg

[Devilman]

I'm pretty new to this stuff, is that visible from the exterior, or do I need to take something apart? Sorry for the dumb questions.
Thanks,
Ron
GMKiller, can you get any pics of your pump, from an angle similar to the one BrendellaJet posted? Take a pic with the diverter/jet-o-vator in the full up position & a pic with it all the way down. It will be lots easier to figure out what you've got going on if you can.

[Warp Speed]

Thanks for the quick responses.
The funniest part is, that for the last 4 seasons, it has been powered by a BBC!!!! I keep the name, because I have come to be known by it.
Thanks,
Ron
I like this guy already!!!!!!! ;)
Warp Speed

[GM KILLER 5.0]

Thanks for the pics, that helps me. I will do my best to get some pics this weekend!
It's starting to make a little more sense now!!
Ron

[GM KILLER 5.0]

I like this guy already!!!!!!! ;)
Warp Speed
Thanks man, I'm up on a 585 Cu In. Big Chief style headed set up, tunnel ram, etc. Liberty 5 Speed, 10.5W" tires, 3000#, been 7.84@177 ON HORSEPOWER!!!!
This boat stuff, is pretty cool, I'm learning as I go.
Ron

[Warp Speed]

Thanks man, I'm up on a 585 Cu In. Big Chief style headed set up, tunnel ram, etc. Liberty 5 Speed, 10.5W" tires, 3000#, been 7.84@177 ON HORSEPOWER!!!!
This boat stuff, is pretty cool, I'm learning as I go.
Ron
Love that Big Chief stuff!!
I am building a 598 Big Duke for my boat right now. Was shooting for Memorial Day weekend, then maybe 4th of July, now it looks like Labor Day may be a thrash!! :o
The more you learn, the more fun (and addicting) this jet boat stuff becomes. It has been a pretty steep learning curve for me over the past 8 months!! Thanks to all that have taught me just enough about jet boats to be dangerous!!
Warp Speed

[GM KILLER 5.0]

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/7425/jet3gb4.th.jpg (http://img255.imageshack.us/my.php?image=jet3gb4.jpg)
Sorry, it's been so long, but I was finally able to get some pictures of my jet drive. I am still trying to figure out how to get this thing to shoot a rooster tail?? It has the "Jet0Vator" as you can see in the pictures. Maybe I need to have everything gone through? Are there particular seals or something that go wrong??
Thanks,
Ron

[N281PONY]

Thanks man, I'm up on a 585 Cu In. Big Chief style headed set up, tunnel ram, etc. Liberty 5 Speed, 10.5W" tires, 3000#, been 7.84@177 ON HORSEPOWER!!!!
This boat stuff, is pretty cool, I'm learning as I go.
Ron
Is your car green with flames? I rember seeing a car last year at some NMCA racing with a setup like yours.

[BrendellaJet]

it looks like you already tried the grinding trick. Check to see if you are getting full up via the electric motor or lever orwhatever actuates the jetovator.
If you are getting full up, Im afraid there is not much you can do with that bowl. Look for a split bowl (bowl and nozzle adapter are separate pieces)

[GM KILLER 5.0]

Is your car green with flames? I rember seeing a car last year at some NMCA racing with a setup like yours.
I don't have flames. It's factory Deep Emerald Green on the top, silver on the bottom. I have raced some NMCA stuff, NPS is the class. :D

[GM KILLER 5.0]

it looks like you already tried the grinding trick. Check to see if you are getting full up via the electric motor or lever orwhatever actuates the jetovator.
If you are getting full up, Im afraid there is not much you can do with that bowl. Look for a split bowl (bowl and nozzle adapter are separate pieces)
Yeah, I did that in the water, I am going to finish getting that smooth in the garage, and get it all the way up, and I guess if it doesn't work, then I have to get parts, as you say. I don't know what a Split Bowl is, can you tell me where I can buy that (if I need it) and what info I would need to get the correct parts?? and approx. pricing for this stuff?? :confused:
Thanks a lot for your help.
Ron

[BrendellaJet]

The split bowl allows the use od the droop & or wedges also.
If it were me I would look into getting a split bowl, and at minimum a new nozzle adapter and place diverter(the newer version of the jetovator).
All of these things come up for sale from time to time in the spam section. they go quick. You can check ebay also.

[GM KILLER 5.0]

Thanks. I guess my next step is to make sure I am getting her all the way up! It is cable activated, so I will make sure everything is adjusted properly. You would think that if it doesn't go high enough, that I need the parts you said? It wouldn't be a worn seal or anything like that?
Also, do you have any idea what the upward angle to shoot a nice roost would be?? Like if I put a digital protractor on it? Just curious. :confused:
Thank you.

[BrendellaJet]

If the jetovator is not going to full up, that is a cable adjustment. If it is going to full up and you are still not happy, I would move to the split bowl and then add some wedge. Im not sure what the angle is, probably somehwere in the nieghborhood of 15-20 degrees.

[GM KILLER 5.0]

Sounds good. That's what I was guessing 15-25 degrees. I am going to play with the cable next time out, if that doesn't get what I need, I will go back to the drawing board with the split bowl as you say! I appreciate the help.
Thanks,
Ron

[GM Killer]

With a name like yours you are thinking of running a BBC!!!! There must be brain damage somewhere :eek: :eek: :eek:
J/K good luck with the new venture

[GM KILLER 5.0]

Now that's funny. Like I said, my 92 Mustang GT is powered by a 585" Big Block Chevy!!!!!
My License plates for years (and still currently) read: "GM KLR 50" :D :sqeyes:

[GM Killer]

Now that's funny. Like I said, my 92 Mustang GT is powered by a 585" Big Block Chevy!!!!!
My License plates for years (and still currently) read: "GM KLR 50" :D :sqeyes:
Ive been a Ford guy my whole life...til recently. My Hallett has a Ford, but the dually is replaced with a GMC Denali, the mustang turned into a BMW now a Porsche, and the work truck went from a F150 to a 2500HD.... GO FIGURE!
Whatever you go with...ENJOY! :D

[GM KILLER 5.0]

I'm still a Ford guy, but sometimes you can't beat that BBC Power! If/when I ditch the olds power in the boat, I'm surely to go with BBC power. On a side note, my truck is still all FORD, 2008 F450!!!! :D