New PWC owner

[SabotageR1]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this whole PWC life. Money is tight so I ended up buying a used 1999 GTI. The owner claimed that it ran fine last year. I'm very mechanically inclined when it comes to motorcycles so I bought the ski for $850, certain I can get it going, even if it needed more than just a battery, like the seller claimed. When I got home and began taking it apart, I was disappointed to see how someone could own something and treat it like complete garbage. There was dirty water in the hull, metal parts looked like trash with dry salt, there was oil everywhere, the plugs looked rusty. I started out by just cleaning everything. I cleaned it to a very respectable level and sprayed fluid film to stop any further corrosion inside the hull. Then I changed the plugs. I purchased a new battery and got it started but I have some questions.

1) It was reluctant to crank at first. I took the plugs off and it cranked fine, nothing blew out the engine. I put the plugs back in and as it was trying to crank (like a low battery situation), water was coming out of the back. The more water that came out, the stronger the crank got. All of a sudden, it started (with a little help from starter fluid) and what appeared to be grey oil mixed with water spat out the rear. I revved it a bit and it spat more water with grey oil and my yard was filled with smoke. I turned it off and added the water hose (set it up properly with the proper procedure). After water was added, I let it run longer and revved the engine to clear it up. After all that, now the engine starts fine. My question is, where did this oil mixed with water come from. Why was it hard to crank at first but once that crap was clear, it ran fine. How do I prevent thus from happening again?

I sill have a lot of work to get her going and for me to trust her. Another question, can I pull the battery vent hose? what's it for? It's not connected to anything. It's just dangling next to the battery.

Thanks in advance for any insight on this matter.

 

[SabotageR1]

Also, I forgot to ask.The PTO on the bike is rusty as heck. I mean completely rusted. I really do not want to take the engine out to change it this year. Will I be fine running it that way until the fall when I dive into engine needs?

 

[Stevie96xp]

Nice welcome to the PWC world.can be frustrating but a hole lot of fun. That sky you got there has Seadoo most reliably engine in it the 720cc motor I believe. That oily water substance is pretty normal it comes from 2 stroke gases and water sitting for a bit the previous owner probably did not rev the motor out of the water when he was done with it it helps to get the water out that is sitting in the exhaust. Now on the pto coupler I would grease it and run it but if it breaks you could damage your drive shaft but it’s up to you. Have fun there great skis I got a 1996 Seadoo xp and 1997 Seadoo gs. The gs has the 720 motor it make great power and good on fuel.

 

[SabotageR1]

Nice welcome to the PWC world.can be frustrating but a hole lot of fun. That sky you got there has Seadoo most reliably engine in it the 720cc motor I believe. That oily water substance is pretty normal it comes from 2 stroke gases and water sitting for a bit the previous owner probably did not rev the motor out of the water when he was done with it it helps to get the water out that is sitting in the exhaust. Now on the pto coupler I would grease it and run it but if it breaks you could damage your drive shaft but it’s up to you. Have fun there great skis I got a 1996 Seadoo xp and 1997 Seadoo gs. The gs has the 720 motor it make great power and good on fuel.

Thank you, I appreciate the response. I just have a few little things to do and off to a lake I go. This morning my driveway was filled with salt. The po rode it in salt water and didn't flush it after the ride, smh. I was also trying to inspect the wear ring and discovered the axle rod is also rusty as fudge. The wear ring looks decent and I do not see major concern to change it right now. I'm going to run her as is this season and at the end of the season, around September, start stage 2 of getting her into top shape by changing the whole propulsion system and check on the health of the engine and maybe change the starter (i used to ride 2 stroke dirt bikes and the engine feels strong right with a lot of compression like how my high compression bikes would feel). Some things may not need changing but for another $1000, it'll give me a little piece of mind because of the lack of maintenance the po did on it

 

[SabotageR1]

Picture of the pto and axle.

 

[Stevie96xp]

O yeah go run that sucker. Make sure you put grease in the grease fitting on the pto. Have fun with thing.

 

[tobytd]

Be careful greasing the PTO, I don’t see any hose clamps.

 

[SabotageR1]

Be careful greasing the PTO, I don’t see any hose clamps.

Thanks, it has zip ties. I bought proper clamps to replace them.

O yeah go run that sucker. Make sure you put grease in the grease fitting on the pto. Have fun with thing.

Will do, I appreciate the advice

 

[SabotageR1]

Does anyone have any pictures of how the front air vents are supposed to be routed? The one in the front middle left is missing and the one under the hood is just laying on the of the gas tank.

 

[2strokeboy]

the one on the gas tank should bend up into the hole but they come out a lot unless you ziptie it to the correct place. there should be some mounts that you can ziptie it too near the hole.

 

[SabotageR1]

the one on the gas tank should bend up into the hole but they come out a lot unless you ziptie it to the correct place. there should be some mounts that you can ziptie it too near the hole.

The one on the gas tank is already connected to the front, it's routed back, just laying on top of the tank. The hole, you stated to bent it into to connect, that vent is missing so I bought one online which is in route.