I follow what you did and I understand and agree that working on this thing requires effort.
I did as you suggested...swapped port/starboard magneto/plug wires...starboard engine behaved the same; port engine ran just fine using the opposite setup.
This boat was idle for a couple years; previous owner had hip replacement surgery and after awhile decided to sell the boat.
Most of the issues to date are a result of having set idle for so long....many cracked (due to aging) lines; bilge pump exploded; sticky/dirty switches...etc.
My current theory is it's a fuel/carb problem. It appears the starboard carbs were taken apart; I recently bought the service manual on e-bay, and between the manual and comparing port to starboard...it appears that the carbs need attention.
A local guy says he can rebuild them; I've owned several 2 cycle engines powered devices; I have many of the carbs rebuilt; and none of them are the same after the rebuild.
I have him rebuilding the carbs now and am also searching for new ones.
It's not difficult to rebuild the carbs. The hardest part is getting them off the block and on the bench.
GROCERY LIST: (Amazon is our friend)
1. Genuine Mikuni Rebuild Kits. They'll come with all of the gaskets you'll need as well as some additional ones for different carb versions. Just match up the gaskets for what's in the carb as you remove them since some are cut slightly different. DO NOT USE AFTER MARKET REBUILD KITS! The fitting and materials in after market kits could be inferior and degrade more rapidly.
2. Genuine Mikuni Needle Valves. Don't do what I did and do a full rebuild only to get back on the water and not be able to start the engines because the cylinders were flooded due to bad needles. Do the job right the first time.
3. Carb base gaskets: You don't want to reuse the old ones gaskets. If you reuse the old ones you risk running lean due to an air leak. That could result in engine damage. Don't risk it, get new gaskets!
REBUILD:
Don't Rush, take your time. Grab your phone and snap pictures along the way. It's excellent reference material.
Before your rebuild, carefully bottom out the low speed jet taking note of the number of turns. This looks like a T but is not the idle screw. In my case it's 1 full turn out. Gently bottom it out noting the number of turns. This way you can reinstall it the same as it was by carefully screwing it in until it bottoms out, then backing it out the same number of turns. Do the same for the high speed ( you may need to remove the plastic cap from the screw head). Remember some models have the high speed set to 0 turns out. So if it doesn't want to move, DON'T FORCE IT. It's probably already bottomed out. You'll want to remove these to replace the O ring gasket on each as they could dry out and leak. I'd also reference the correct spec for your ski model using the chart listed in the links below. Factory settings are ideal so don't mess with it unless you have to. If you need to deviate from factory setups, there may be other issues to address.
NOTE: There will be 2 O rings in each kit. Both will be slightly different sizes. I believe the smaller of the two is for the high speed and the larger is for the low speed.
Open one side and take note of the parts and gasket placements. Just open the side up and remove the gaskets, noting the locations and gently clean the housings. You'll want to match the gasket removed with what's in the rebuild kit discarding the old gasket. Make sure to remove all parts, and replace all gaskets using the ones from your kits.
When working with the needle and seat, first place a finger over the arm to hold it down, then remove be screw holding the pin in place. You do this so the arm doesn't pop off and you potentially loose the spring under it. Slowly remove your finger. Take each part off. Be careful not to loose the spring. The needle and seat are held in with a small screw and catch. Remove the screw and catch, then pull the seat right up and out. Replace with your new seat and valve set and reassemble. Be sure to install the new O ring on the seat.
NOTE: It may be best not to use a spring from the kits during the rebuild. Instead use the original spring you removed when you reassemble the carb.
After replacing all gaskets and reassembling the carb, do a pop off test. You'll need to do this. Reference the chart below for the pop off PSI appropriate for your carbs. Check out how-tos on;
1. Build a pop off tester.
2. Conduct a pop off test.
(I didn't build mine exactly how the video describes. I'm using a hand pump and not an air compressor. Picture attached.)
Carb Specifications: Sea Doo PWC Carburetor Reference
Build Pop Off Tester: Conduct Pop Off Test: Reference: (Carb setup
)
Bottom line, this all may seem difficult but it really isn't. It's a good opportunity to understand how these systems work and give you greater flexibility to get your machine running perfectly. This community if highly responsive and if you have any questions along the way reach out!
