97 SPX waterbox identification

[elprup]

Hi. How can a 97 waterbox be distinguished from a 98 or 99? I allegedly bought a 97, but how am I able to tell for sure?

 

[2strokeboy]

check the hin on the back the last 2 number should be year

 

[elprup]

No, no...I bought the waterbox only, not the whole ski.

 

[2strokeboy]

Ohhh not to sure you could try to find a part number and match it not to sure

 

[elprup]

Unfortunately, it's the same part number across different years.

 

[WhiskeyD]

The 97 box is white vs purple in 96 if it has not been painted.

 

[elprup]

Guys, there's more to it than this: Tdr powerspray waterbox 96xp

The X4 Thread

 

[burtshaver2021]

Hi. How can a 97 waterbox be distinguished from a 98 or 99? I allegedly bought a 97, but how am I able to tell for sure?

So you allegedly bought a white water box from a 97 SPX, and you want to know how to know if you in fact got one from a 97 and not a 98 or 99 SPX? Correct? To hot to work outside today, so I’m on it

 

[elprup]

Bingo!

 

[burtshaver2021]

From what I can see, there’s no definitive way to tell a water box from a 97 spx from a 98 or 99 SPX, they all have the same part numbers as you mentioned, slightly less restrictive on the 97 but next to no performance gains, only a little louder,

 

[elprup]

Unfortunately, that's what I expected to hear back, but thank you very much for the confirmation. Yeah, from my readings I've gathered that it's slightly louder and good for an extra 80-150rpm. Very minor, but something. Once I get my XP going again I'll just have to see if I get an RPM increase or not.
It has FPP spec 2 and water injection. I have the carbs off to rebuild them. To my horror, I found that they still have the stock jets! Grr.

 

[WhiskeyD]

The 97+ baffle is supposed to not break as easy as the 96 and prior. I haven’t cut either open to know the difference though. Never heard of an RPM gain. That would come from different water metering.