bfairweath
New Member
Hello everyone. Bought a 2003 GTI LE RFI a few weeks ago. I'm new to PWC, but know my way around Bombardier products via Ski-Doo snowmobiles.
The problem I'm having is very hard starting in the water. Starts and runs fine on the trailer with or without the hose. I did check the compression before I bought it. Both cylinders were about 130. I know, a bit low but both sides were exactly the same and my compression tester is not top of the line. When I can get it started, it runs great. Runs up to 7200 RPM - about 55 MPH. But, when I shut it off, it won't restart.
Plugs are wet after cranking and no start. However, when I did get it started yesterday and ran around the lake wide open for about 15 minutes, I pulled the plugs and the ground electrode had a white crust on it (brand new plugs). Water in the combustion chamber?
It will occasionally sputter while cranking. When I can get it started after a lot of cranking, seems like it belches out a cloud of white smoke (again, water in combustion chamber?). Engine has 180 hours on it. Seemed quite low to me, but some of the posts here say I might be approaching a top end rebuild. 180 hours would be nothing on a Ski-Doo snowmobile. You'd be at 8000-10,000 miles before thinking about doing a top end. I have a Ski-Doo with 8500 miles on it and has 150# of compression. Apparently, these Sea-Doo's are a different animal.
I've been searching this forum and reading the service manual. I've tried:
- New plugs. Old ones were pretty new but gap was really tight. Way less than 0.020"
- Pulled the fuel rail and injectors and ran the fuel pump (by plugging in the fob). No leakage. I was thinking the wet plugs after cranking was signally flooding from leaking injectors.
- Checked the resistance on all the engine management components per the service manual. All in spec.
- Checked the rotary valve clearance. Good - about 0.010".
- Haven't checked the fuel pressure yet. Built a test apparatus for 5/16" fuel line (this forum and others said that's what it should be). It's actually 3/8" so I have to get some more fittings. Interestingly, there's a Schrader valve in the fuel line. The service manual makes no mention of this. The Schrader valve has a label on it that says something like "This test port should only be accessed by a Bombardier technician..." so it's a Sea Doo part but maybe not stock for this model.
- Pulled one of the RAVE valves to look at the piston skirt. I do see some scoring but not horrible. The piston dome does have some carbon build up so there are not excessive amounts of water entering the combustion chamber. Incidentally, the RAVE valve was covered in oily sludge.
- I have a cheapo borescope that I stuck down the plug holes. I can see some minor scoring on the walls, but I can also see crosshatching. There also looked like there was some rust on the cylinder walls.
Any ideas? Am I looking at a top end? Anything I should try before going down that road? Hard for me to believe that's necessary when it runs so well at WOT when I can get it started. Replace/rebuild injectors?
The problem I'm having is very hard starting in the water. Starts and runs fine on the trailer with or without the hose. I did check the compression before I bought it. Both cylinders were about 130. I know, a bit low but both sides were exactly the same and my compression tester is not top of the line. When I can get it started, it runs great. Runs up to 7200 RPM - about 55 MPH. But, when I shut it off, it won't restart.
Plugs are wet after cranking and no start. However, when I did get it started yesterday and ran around the lake wide open for about 15 minutes, I pulled the plugs and the ground electrode had a white crust on it (brand new plugs). Water in the combustion chamber?
It will occasionally sputter while cranking. When I can get it started after a lot of cranking, seems like it belches out a cloud of white smoke (again, water in combustion chamber?). Engine has 180 hours on it. Seemed quite low to me, but some of the posts here say I might be approaching a top end rebuild. 180 hours would be nothing on a Ski-Doo snowmobile. You'd be at 8000-10,000 miles before thinking about doing a top end. I have a Ski-Doo with 8500 miles on it and has 150# of compression. Apparently, these Sea-Doo's are a different animal.
I've been searching this forum and reading the service manual. I've tried:
- New plugs. Old ones were pretty new but gap was really tight. Way less than 0.020"
- Pulled the fuel rail and injectors and ran the fuel pump (by plugging in the fob). No leakage. I was thinking the wet plugs after cranking was signally flooding from leaking injectors.
- Checked the resistance on all the engine management components per the service manual. All in spec.
- Checked the rotary valve clearance. Good - about 0.010".
- Haven't checked the fuel pressure yet. Built a test apparatus for 5/16" fuel line (this forum and others said that's what it should be). It's actually 3/8" so I have to get some more fittings. Interestingly, there's a Schrader valve in the fuel line. The service manual makes no mention of this. The Schrader valve has a label on it that says something like "This test port should only be accessed by a Bombardier technician..." so it's a Sea Doo part but maybe not stock for this model.
- Pulled one of the RAVE valves to look at the piston skirt. I do see some scoring but not horrible. The piston dome does have some carbon build up so there are not excessive amounts of water entering the combustion chamber. Incidentally, the RAVE valve was covered in oily sludge.
- I have a cheapo borescope that I stuck down the plug holes. I can see some minor scoring on the walls, but I can also see crosshatching. There also looked like there was some rust on the cylinder walls.
Any ideas? Am I looking at a top end? Anything I should try before going down that road? Hard for me to believe that's necessary when it runs so well at WOT when I can get it started. Replace/rebuild injectors?
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