Is this where i'm losing my mph/rpm? RAVE discussion - 96' XP

[1983]

-Whats up guys? Finally got the carbs dialed in and ski runs and starts great :thumbsup:

-Current issue is I could get 55 mph out of it a couple months back, now only able to get ~52mph. This is on GPS. Its not a huge concern but would like to be back to at least the 55mph.

-I have a tiny tach on order so I do not know the current max rpm.

-151 psi mag and 153 pto compression numbers and 1 turn out low speed needle , and 0 turns out high speed settings on carb. Everything has been gone through on this ski and is up to par. Fuel system, filters, carb rebuilds complete with needles and seats, all fuel hoses etc. Another note, the carbs butterfly's are opening fully at WOT. I have checked that many times as I recently installed a finger throttle.

-Take a look at these RAVE valve pics. They are spitting oil, and leaking it down side of engine block. The bellows are blown I know. They do have some side to side movement so I know they are worn out. I have already pulled a good set of non-leaking complete RAVE valves from my 96' GSX 787 parts ski. I will be cleaning those valves and installing them in my XP. Both sets do have the green bellows but of course the XP ones are shot.

-Is there anything else I can look at to get my top end MPH up?

-Rob

 

[Strizzo]

fixing the RAVEs would be a good start i'd say. since the exhaust RAVEs wore out, i'd check the waterbox valve and bellows to be sure as well.

what rpm are you turning at 52mph compared to when you could hit 55?

 

[Spimothy Leary]

I don't think he can check rpm yet.

maybe i'm wrong, (an my experience is limited) but I've never seen raves take only 3mph off, usually its more !

I'd also check the water bellows.

 

[1983]

I will check the water bellows. I literally just got the Tiny Tach in the mail, cool little tach. Going to install sometime this week after work.

What should my RPMs be once I get it installed on a stock 96' XP? 6900? 7000?

My other main question about these RAVEs is how many turns on the RED screws? Ive seen so many different answers but none to confirm where I really want them at. Im not concerned with take off/acceleration...only top end...so if cranking them one way or the other makes a difference then let me know. I am guessing turned in is best for top end, and turned out is best for low end??

Rob

 

[blackNyellow787]

I have some of my skis set at 1 complete turn below being flush with the top of the cap and some of my skis even/flush with the top of the cap.. its sometimes tough to tell a difference between the 2 settings. Though you should feel the RAVE valves open sooner or later depending on where they are set and you will be able to watch your Tiny Tach now too see the RPM they open at.

Oh and the top end wont be affected by the red adjustment caps. They just control the RPM the raves open up. The more you turn that red adjuster in the later the rave valves will open up, and the more you turn it out the sooner the raves will open.

 

[Strizzo]

the RAVEs don't have any effect on top end speed as long as they're working properly. with the new bellows you won't have to turn them in quite as far though. turned further in will shift the meat of the powerband higher in the rev range, turned out shifts it lower. the factory recommended settings are iirc two turns in on the water box valve and flush on the exhaust valves. running two turns in on the exhaust valves gets me a nice hard pull on the last 1/4 of throttle, where with them flush it still topped out the same but felt softer on the top end.

a lot depends on personal preference and how you ride. i like to cruise around 35-40 and then hammer on it now and then, so i like the harder pull on the top end, with a bit more efficiency while running "off the raves" and with the pipe dry.

 

[1983]

-Ok, I will play with red cap screws at lake and see if I like it one way better or the other.

-Where should my stock RPMs be at WOT?

-Rob

 

[eddie708]

my 96 xp pushes 6950rpm, so some where around there

 

[suke]

Woah that looks gnarly. We should hit up the lake this Sat! You know my raves are flush and my ski is pretty close to 55mph.

 

[Krispy]

I have a steep impeller and tight wear ring. I push 6760 at 58.6 mph. Stock engine, pipe, filter, jetting etc. Just Solas X0 and R&D Nozzles/Trim Tabs/ Worx Grate

 

[1983]

Well rave rebuild gained absolutely nothing lol.
I guess it's good that they aren't leaking oil down sides of block anymore but curious why my mph is still stuck at 53

Got out on lake and rode it yesterday. Tested new tiny tach, got Max of 6710 rpm.

Anything else I can look for? It has stock prop stock everything.

Water Regulator??

Rob

 

[blackNyellow787]

Water regulator would be another good place to look.

Check for any holes in the bellow, replace metal clip that rusts out with a zip tie. May have to dremel down the head of the zip tie so it doesn't interfere with the bellow as it is moving up and down.

Also at 6710rpms I would think there are some slight carb adjustments that may yield you some extra rpms closer to 6850-6950


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[spx800]

What's your trim set at? I found with the trim all the way up I could only pull 6750, but with it set slightly above middle it revs to almost 7000. That was with vts, I now use the red top cable trim.

 

[1983]

My trim is set straight out.

What's odd is I did 55 mph a month ago. If be happy to get back to that.

My VTS is inop. So I set it manually at straight out.

My ski is stock so really what carb adjustments can I make. Low side is 1 out and highs are closed.

This sounds crazy but I did the 55mph with the stock air box on.

I've been running it lately with just the square metal flame arrestor mesh in and no air box.
I'm going to lake today with airbox back on.

If WR is leaking I will see water all over the purple muffler correct?

Rob

 

[spx800]

My trim is set straight out.

What's odd is I did 55 mph a month ago. If be happy to get back to that.

My VTS is inop. So I set it manually at straight out.

My ski is stock so really what carb adjustments can I make. Low side is 1 out and highs are closed.

This sounds crazy but I did the 55mph with the stock air box on.

I've been running it lately with just the square metal flame arrestor mesh in and no air box.
I'm going to lake today with airbox back on.

If WR is leaking I will see water all over the purple muffler correct?

Rob

I've been running my air box like that for the last two years without problems. I put some outwear material over it to prevent lots of water ingestion.

 

[spx800]

How's the jet pump? Maybe the bearings aren't spinning as smoothly causing more friction.

 

[1983]

I didn't have a problem running it either like that. Just brainstorming and thinking maybe it's running lean and by putting the airbox on it may slightly decrease airflow, and richen the mixture up.

It's worth a shot haha.

Rob

 

[blackNyellow787]

Ya I guess I really never considered it was all stock so carb settings are probably out of the question...


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[1983]

Well I guessed it right! Got my 55 mph back plus 1. Maxed out at 56mph! Finally what is should do stock haha.

It is running richer now with airbox on, and the WR had a hole in bellow so I dried it off and applied high temp rtv for now. It already had a tie wrap but they didn't trim it correctly so it was making a sharp line in bellow. I trimmed it, filed it down, and put some more rtv there as protection. Took it out to lake and it ran perfect. Got some nasty air today as well haha. Better throttle response, and 300 more rpm. Oh and I took the WR off of my parts 96' GSX and layed everything side by side. The xp spring was bent in middle ,and shorter overall. I think it was a RAVE spring someone stupidly put in there. I put the GSX spring in there and put it all back together. I would have used GSX bellow but it still had stock metal ring, and it rusted and put a hole in bellow.

Pics coming soon.



Rob

 

[Krispy]

Awesome man! Thanks for reporting back!


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[blackNyellow787]

Good too hear she's back where you wanted her!


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[1983]

For sure! I love reading threads with a final resolution.

Now to start another thread this stupid tiny tach tt2a model is a tiny freaking headache.
It works great for about 15 mins then goes crazy reading rpms into the teens.
I've tried all the settings ( I know 180 deg. is the correct ) and number of wraps around the spark plug wire but still it goes crazy. What gives?!!

Rob

 

[blackNyellow787]

What's the difference in the TT2A or TT2B??


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[1983]

Not 100% sure on that part number difference.

I just got off phone with them. I left a voice mail yesterday evening and they called this am. Advised me to begin my red signal wire wrap at beginning of the wire, and wrap it 1 wrap around both of the spark plug wires not just 1 spark plug wire, then to wrap the excess back around its own heat shrink tubing and trim off the excess red signal wire. Going to try that this week. Before fixing the water regulator I only got 6710 rpms. After on Sunday when I got my speed up I was maxed at 6940. Sounds a bit high to me but who knows if tach was even accurate because it was still in acting up mode lol

Rob

What's the difference in the TT2A or TT2B??


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[1983]

Pics of WR and springs difference. I put the longer spring in as the one that was in the XP was bent and too short.

Rob