Hummm...I was about to start a new thread...POPPS comment about electrical makes me pause...so, I took the ski out yesterday expected all my problems to be solved. So, again, with a full tank of gas the ski ran great. At about 1/2 tank (maybe about 1/3 left) I started having problems again. The lean condition at idle was gone (yea!). Probably fixed by the new check valve and/or a new fuel filter assembly that is functioning correctly now. However, on top end (1/2 throttle and beyond) I still have a big problem. At first it suddenly loses drive (as if I completely closed the throttle) then it surges with power, then loses power, then surges (feels like it is not getting a steady supply of fuel)...then as the fuel level gets lower it won't get past half throttle with any power. This time pulling the choke makes it worse not better. It will idle and run just fast enough to stay on plane so I was able to get back to the dock without idling with the choke on this time. I am going to pull the fuel baffle like mikidymac suggested. I hope I will find cracked pick ups.
But...I have had another (electrical) problem I need to address as well...this has been an ongoing issue but now it is worse...I will begin with the battery has 12.5 volts and I believe is in good order and fully charged. I have used the battery on my XP without any issues (I am going to buy a second battery once I get this HX sorted!). So, on this HX originally I thought I the starter switch or solenoid may be going bad...I would push the starter and usually it would take a second or two then the starter would engage and spin the motor...I would get a loud "thump" then a slight hesitation...then it would turn over...but it would always spin the motor after a couple of tries...yesterday when I was at the dock I pushed the starter button several times and each time I could hear a click and then nothing...after several pushes the starter finally engaged the motor and turned it over and it started...it seemed funny though, like the starter was just barely turning it over fast enough to get it to fire up...but it did fire up....then I rode the ski for a while and it ran great...then I stopped and turned the ski off...when I pushed the starter button and the same thing happened, I would push the starter button and only get the click from the solenoid...in fact I was worried I would be stranded because I pushed the starter button for maybe 20 or more times but it did eventually turn over and crank. It isn't the starter button because I always hear the solenoid click. Once it started I didn't turn it off again until I was back at the dock. So today I jumped the starter straight from the battery. The starter seems to always turn over the motor, sometimes it will give me the "thud" then hesitate then turn over the motor. Sometimes it will turn the motor over slowly at first then after about 1 second or so of slow spinning it will spin up normal. As background, this ski sat for years without being used. I opened the electrical box and it looks like it just came out of the factory in 1997! Like brand new. I was really amazed at how this box has been sealed. I know the solenoid can still be bad though. Do you think I need a new solenoid? New starter? New both? I don't think this issue is related to my power loss that only seems to occur when the fuel level gets low...or could there be some ground issue somewhere that could possible be linked to someway to the loss of power at half to full throttle and the starter issue? I haven't taken the ski back to the water after having a problem with power loss (at low fuel level) so I guess I could try taking it out again without filling it back up with gas to see if it will run fine for awhile at the low fuel level which would mean it is not the fuel level but something electrical. Maybe something is heating up after running for awhile and causing my problem. I am a little (lot) perplexed at this point. BTW, some more closing of the eyes and contorting to get a clip on the + terminal of the starter...is there anything on a pwc easy to work on????
Thanks for everyone's help! This forum is keeping older skis in the water because without your help these skies would be dead (not) in the water.
But...I have had another (electrical) problem I need to address as well...this has been an ongoing issue but now it is worse...I will begin with the battery has 12.5 volts and I believe is in good order and fully charged. I have used the battery on my XP without any issues (I am going to buy a second battery once I get this HX sorted!). So, on this HX originally I thought I the starter switch or solenoid may be going bad...I would push the starter and usually it would take a second or two then the starter would engage and spin the motor...I would get a loud "thump" then a slight hesitation...then it would turn over...but it would always spin the motor after a couple of tries...yesterday when I was at the dock I pushed the starter button several times and each time I could hear a click and then nothing...after several pushes the starter finally engaged the motor and turned it over and it started...it seemed funny though, like the starter was just barely turning it over fast enough to get it to fire up...but it did fire up....then I rode the ski for a while and it ran great...then I stopped and turned the ski off...when I pushed the starter button and the same thing happened, I would push the starter button and only get the click from the solenoid...in fact I was worried I would be stranded because I pushed the starter button for maybe 20 or more times but it did eventually turn over and crank. It isn't the starter button because I always hear the solenoid click. Once it started I didn't turn it off again until I was back at the dock. So today I jumped the starter straight from the battery. The starter seems to always turn over the motor, sometimes it will give me the "thud" then hesitate then turn over the motor. Sometimes it will turn the motor over slowly at first then after about 1 second or so of slow spinning it will spin up normal. As background, this ski sat for years without being used. I opened the electrical box and it looks like it just came out of the factory in 1997! Like brand new. I was really amazed at how this box has been sealed. I know the solenoid can still be bad though. Do you think I need a new solenoid? New starter? New both? I don't think this issue is related to my power loss that only seems to occur when the fuel level gets low...or could there be some ground issue somewhere that could possible be linked to someway to the loss of power at half to full throttle and the starter issue? I haven't taken the ski back to the water after having a problem with power loss (at low fuel level) so I guess I could try taking it out again without filling it back up with gas to see if it will run fine for awhile at the low fuel level which would mean it is not the fuel level but something electrical. Maybe something is heating up after running for awhile and causing my problem. I am a little (lot) perplexed at this point. BTW, some more closing of the eyes and contorting to get a clip on the + terminal of the starter...is there anything on a pwc easy to work on????
Thanks for everyone's help! This forum is keeping older skis in the water because without your help these skies would be dead (not) in the water.
