maintaining your ski

[insaneta]

whats everyones ideas on general maintenance. what do you do besides tha general yearly stuff like changing plugs and fluids.
with mine i'm always in the bay so i always flush the exhaust out with the hose and then i always wash the outside with car soap. after she dries i spray all the metal/moving parts down with wd40 to keep them from rusting and to keep them lubed up.
besides that what else can be done. i heard something about cleaning out the pump/impeller. how would you go about doing that? also if i take my seat off and open the front i've wondered if it would hurt it if i spray the intire engine compartment down along with the front where the gas tank is. obviously trying to keep the water away from anything electrical and of course doing it when the engines cool. after riding and doing donuts and stuff i've noticed some water gets into which i guess would be the bilge?!?! i'd like to just let the hose run to wash out the dirty water that has some salt in it. is that ok?

 

[seadoosnipe]

water spray...

Don't worry about spraying water in the impellor....it won't hurt though. But I don't think it's very healthy for the engine to spray water into your exhaust system. Just hook up your garden hose to flush it out. There will be a small amount of fresh water go into the exhaust to flush it out, that will be plenty!

 

[insaneta]

yeah thats what i usually do. just like the manual says. turn the ski on and then turn the hose on and let ir run for about 30 secs. i think thats the order your suupose to do it in i dont really remember. either way i just spray the impellor off and dont try squirting water up it or anything.

 

[All Things Custom]

It is recomended to do what you are asking, especially if you run in salt water... open everything up and tilt the trailer so the rear of the ski is down, open your drain plugs and let fresh water run through the hull. I do this after every salt water ride.

One thing I like to do is start the ski on ocasion. I live in a warm climate so I dont have to winterize my skis but I will walk by and start all my skis once a week. Just start it up blip the throttle a few times and shut it down.

The worst thing in the world for these skis is sitting unused. They are in the toughest inviornment known to man and the only thing to protect them is the fluids inside etc.... If they sit for long periods, the fluids dry out and run off the cylinders and rust can form. keep things moving to coat and lube the internals and keep the exterior clean.

 

[kustomkarl]

:agree: Yes, I agree with All Things Custom, no I don't work there...lol
I also spray water up and into my impeller area as well, because it is stainless steel as is the exhaust and it needs to be rinsed the same as on a hose for 30 sec. running. (I don't squirt the impeller area with it running)Fresh water won't hurt anything just don't get any into the intake area, and use caution around the electrical, even if they are sealed.

Karl

 

[insaneta]

thanks for all the info. i figured that would be ok i'm glad to know that you guys do it to. i try to start mine from time to time and i always spray out the impellor and now i'll do the hull to. after i let it dry i spray down everything with wd40

 

[seadoosnipe]

Winterize...

I don't winterize either, but this is the time of year I pull everything down to inspect and repair as needed. Go through the carbs and oil pump. Since it really doesn't get below freezing but a few times a year, I don't do anything special. I do keep a heater in the engine compartment to keep the dew point in place so as to keep the engine from sweating. With the head cap off, exposing the cylinders and the carbs off, it's easy to spray Cosmoline (WD-40) on the cylinder walls, pistons and inside the crankshaft area, going through the rotary valve. And I'm always spinning the shaft over by hand. I also keep every covered with shop rags.......

 

[insaneta]

yeah that sounds good. thats what i was looking for. i'll def have to get some full detailed instructions to help me rip her apart and spray it down like that. i have no idea how to do that now. it will be a lot easier when i can go out and look at it though

 

[seadoosnipe]

No....4-TECs....

I don't think I'd be doing that to the 4-TEC....It's a 4 stroke. Just to make sure it has anti-freeze in it and started from time to time, like when you walk by it.....but I surely wouldn't take any thing apart on that motor!...
Mine is a 97 model 787cc.......it's OLD....

 

[insaneta]

yeah i guess your right she is basically brand new

 

[kustomkarl]

The 4-tec's are built to keep repairs and maintenance to a bare minimum. It requires less than the older seadoo's. That's one reason I bought my speedster.

 

[GTX-WAKE]

storage oil?

I dont have the problem of having to winterize being in australia but the dealer did tell me i should spray the seadoo storage oil into the little point provided on top of the engine if i wasnt going to use the ski for a while. Im guessing this is a new thing?

 

[kustomkarl]

What little point was the dealer talking about?

 

[insaneta]

when i got mine i wasnt told anything bout that so i have noidea what your talking about either. if you figure it out or if its in a manual somewhere be sure to let me know

 

[GTX-WAKE]

The yellow cap on the left in the first image is the cover of the point i was told to spray the storage oil in.
The second photo is the oil itself that i was given. I read on the label that you can also remove the spark plug and spray onto the cylinder for the same affect.

 

[seadoosnipe]

Anti Water displacement....

On my 1997 Challenger, there is a little plug on the flame arrestor, air induction box, with a little plug that is suppose to be removed and the spray put if from that point. So that it's sucked into the crank area.
All this type of spray is for, is to provide a moisture barrier on the steel parts and bearings of the inside of the motor, if it sits for any period of time. Those of you who live in climates where there is practically no humidity, you'll need it less.
Some may have noticed, when you go out and open the engine compartment, there are little water droplets all over the engine. That's because the "dew point" is just right for moisture from the ambient air to condense on the cooler metals of the engine. Those same water droplets can form in your engines block also.
Although I don't recommend it, I use a small ceramic fan, sitting on a flat piece of stone, used for walkways, in my engine compartment to keep the moisture off my engine. And I have my hands in the engine way to much to ever worry about rust. But if you are going to keep the boat/ski out of the water for several weeks or months at a time, I would highly recommend the spray, water displacing lubricant, or kept in a climate controlled garage with the engine cover open.

 

[insaneta]

yeah i didnt do that. its not very humid during the winter so hopefully it will be fine. i did leave the seat on but not connected so theres a gap for air and then i put the cover over it. i guess i'll see when i get home.

 

[kustomkarl]

Mine doesn't have it .

The yellow cap on the left in the first image is the cover of the point i was told to spray the storage oil in.
The second photo is the oil itself that i was given. I read on the label that you can also remove the spark plug and spray onto the cylinder for the same affect.

In my 200 speedster on my 4-tec engines there is not a yellow plug like that at all.

 

[insaneta]

are yours supercharged? i cant remember what you told me about that. i think you sai dthey werent?