Questions pertaining to 95 (717) and 96 XP

[shattered00]

Hello All,

I have a few questions that run the gamut. I am attempting to prepare my 95 and two 96 XPs while the engines are rebuilt. Pics are at the bottom.

1) In the 95, there is a a strap that holds the exhaust down. I am not sure what happened, but the screw (fully in tact) does not line up with anything. There is a hole (it appears something metal is in it like a part of a broken screw possibly?) where I think the screw on the strap is supposed to go, but it doesn't line up and even if it did, I don't think it is supposed to screw into the pre-existing hole since there is something in it. I could try and screw a new hole in one of the indentions on the strap that is closer in, however, I am not sure how safe it is to then screw it into the hull creating a new hole. Any suggestions or is it not a super big deal if the exhaust is not held down by the strap? I bet it could be a big deal, but just asking.

TLDR: Help with figuring out exhaust strap screw that doesn't line up








2) In the 96s, I opened up the VTS motor box and one is horrendous while the other shows signs of some corrosion. I am going to play it safe and replace both of them as I failed to test either of them before I took everything apart. It appears the gasket for the VTS box is shot on each (bent and overall crammed awkwardly in the boxes). I will be replacing the gaskets. My question is as follows: Can anyone tell me if this VTS boot is the OEM one which I have read is prone to leak and are any of the newer model ones good to go to replace it?

TLDR: Please look at the VTS boot and tell me if it is OEM or if there is something else I need to replace to prevent a future VTS motor leakage incident.






3) The two 96 seats are shot. They have tears and deep gouges in them and the foam has been exposed to years of sun and water based on info I gathered from the previous owner. The foam is not squishy like a soft sponge anymore in the parts that are exposed and there is a mild odor in those areas. Are these seats salvageable in terms of being reupholstered or should I look for seats elsewhere?

TLDR: Can I have these seats fixed for a reasonable price or are they beyond repair?






4) One of the 96s has a few chips in the gelcote and some spider web cracks. Can I just buy a gelcote kit and fill the chips in and run a light coat over the spider web cracks followed by a buff job? I am trying to aim for someone not being able to tell that there were ever chips or cracks.




5) I pulled the OEM foot mats up. I failed to use the drill as recommended in some threads and instead used a chisel and hammer method where the chisel is placed under the mat and the head of the rivet is knocked off. This resulted in several rivet holes that had surrounding gelcote damage in the form of chips. I plan to lay down Hydro Turf after buffing everything. My question is as follows: How bad did I screw this up and would it help support the structure if I filled the holes/damaged portions in with marine epoxy? I figure the new mats will seal everything from water, but I am concerned with increased chipping caused by my original damage.

TLDR: Should I use marine epoxy to fill in the damaged rivet holes in the footwell mats area?

This is an example of what I am talking about when I say "damaged rivet hole."




Thank you for all of your advice.

 

[jdanthony]

I got a black tip seat cover for one of mine to cover. West marine sells small gel coat kits with color to fix the small chips n cracks, super easy to use

 

[mikidymac]

On the VTS boots you have the new clamps but I would replace the boots. The boots are the same they just updated the clamps to the ones you have.

On the seat covers is you get a good padded cover like the JetTrim which I recommend you can put it over what you have and probably won't be able to tell the difference.

For the holes in the foot area just mask them with painters tape and get some BondoGlass from Walmart and pull the tape once it starts to harden and there will be no sanding or mess then install the HydroTurf.

You can try a gelcoat patch kit on the chips but you will never fix the spider cracks so just take them for what they are.

 

[racerxxx]

Hello All,

I have a few questions that run the gamut. I am attempting to prepare my 95 and two 96 XPs while the engines are rebuilt. Pics are at the bottom.

1) In the 95, there is a a strap that holds the exhaust down. I am not sure what happened, but the screw (fully in tact) does not line up with anything. There is a hole (it appears something metal is in it like a part of a broken screw possibly?) where I think the screw on the strap is supposed to go, but it doesn't line up and even if it did, I don't think it is supposed to screw into the pre-existing hole since there is something in it. I could try and screw a new hole in one of the indentions on the strap that is closer in, however, I am not sure how safe it is to then screw it into the hull creating a new hole. Any suggestions or is it not a super big deal if the exhaust is not held down by the strap? I bet it could be a big deal, but just asking.

TLDR: Help with figuring out exhaust strap screw that doesn't line up

That black piece is a "Christmas tree" it's a one way retainer to hold the rubber to the bracket---no repair needed. The lower part of the bracket has 2 holes-----it gets riveted to the hull. Yes, it needs to be fixed.


2) In the 96s, I opened up the VTS motor box and one is horrendous while the other shows signs of some corrosion. I am going to play it safe and replace both of them as I failed to test either of them before I took everything apart. It appears the gasket for the VTS box is shot on each (bent and overall crammed awkwardly in the boxes). I will be replacing the gaskets. My question is as follows: Can anyone tell me if this VTS boot is the OEM one which I have read is prone to leak and are any of the newer model ones good to go to replace it?

TLDR: Please look at the VTS boot and tell me if it is OEM or if there is something else I need to replace to prevent a future VTS motor leakage incident.

You can test the motor with a 12 volt battery. Just disconnect the 2 leads on the motor and hook them up to a battery. Switch the wires and the motor will spin the other way. Remove the motor first from the assembly, then bench test it. Check in the rear e-box there are 2 fuses one should be a 7.5 amp fuse. If it's blown there is a good chance the VTS box is shot, but the motor might be good.

Yes that is the correct vts boot. Regardless.......you need to replace it since you don't know the age. It it splits on the first trip out you risk getting water in the VTS "box"

3) The two 96 seats are shot. They have tears and deep gouges in them and the foam has been exposed to years of sun and water based on info I gathered from the previous owner. The foam is not squishy like a soft sponge anymore in the parts that are exposed and there is a mild odor in those areas. Are these seats salvageable in terms of being reupholstered or should I look for seats elsewhere?

TLDR: Can I have these seats fixed for a reasonable price or are they beyond repair?

I'd find new foam, they junk. Just buy the foam and reuse your seat pan, much cheaper on the shipping. No matter how good you repair the damage to the foam you will see it once you recover it. You can just warp it in some nice vinyl, 4 way stretch is what you're looking for.

4) One of the 96s has a few chips in the gelcote and some spider web cracks. Can I just buy a gelcote kit and fill the chips in and run a light coat over the spider web cracks followed by a buff job? I am trying to aim for someone not being able to tell that there were ever chips or cracks.

Too much work to fix those spiders, Buff the hull and place a sticker over it if it bother you that much. I'd much rather see the spiders than a yellow repair job that is 10 shades off.



5) I pulled the OEM foot mats up. I failed to use the drill as recommended in some threads and instead used a chisel and hammer method where the chisel is placed under the mat and the head of the rivet is knocked off. This resulted in several rivet holes that had surrounding gelcote damage in the form of chips. I plan to lay down Hydro Turf after buffing everything. My question is as follows: How bad did I screw this up and would it help support the structure if I filled the holes/damaged portions in with marine epoxy? I figure the new mats will seal everything from water, but I am concerned with increased chipping caused by my original damage.

TLDR: Should I use marine epoxy to fill in the damaged rivet holes in the footwell mats area?

This is an example of what I am talking about when I say "damaged rivet hole."

I use Bondo glass to fill the holes in the foot wells. Like $14 at Walmart.


Thank you for all of your advice.

Feel free to check out any of the resto links in my sig line. If you look at the 95xp800 half way thru you'll see how I do the bondo glass on the foot wells.

 

[racerxxx]

On the VTS boots you have the new clamps but I would replace the boots. The boots are the same they just updated the clamps to the ones you have.

On the seat covers is you get a good padded cover like the JetTrim which I recommend you can put it over what you have and probably won't be able to tell the difference.

For the holes in the foot area just mask them with painters tape and get some BondoGlass from Walmart and pull the tape once it starts to harden and there will be no sanding or mess then install the HydroTurf.

You can try a gelcoat patch kit on the chips but you will never fix the spider cracks so just take them for what they are.

Ya type faster than me Mik!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mikidymac]

Haha. Thumbs of fury.

 

[shattered00]

[MENTION=57920]racerxxx[/MENTION] and [MENTION=53237]mikidymac[/MENTION]

Thank you both for your help.

I finally got all of the rivet holes patched up with the bondo glass. I think I skipped too far ahead though as I did not buff the footwells first. Mikidymac, will the three products you mentioned (Meguiars) eat through the bondo? If so, should I tape up the holes again with painters tape to protect them?

Also, I used a heat gun to try and remove some of the registration stickers. On the first ski, it went fine. On the second, which had different stickers (blocks), it did not go so well. 10-15 seconds per sticker on low setting did little to remove the adhesive from the stickers and I used a plastic windshield ice scraper to remove the stickers. This in turn removed the gel coat. Upon closer inspection, it appeared that the ski had a major repair during its lifetime. I tracked down the original owner (I am the 5th) and he advised a relative had run into a dock and they had to have the whole front end repaired (which would explain the missing emblem that I cannot find no matter how hard I look).

There is a crack (unsure if spiderweb or stress crack) that goes along the front of the ski where the front bumper is. Also, the front bumper pulled right off (accidentally) and I discovered that one of the rivet holders is missing. How would I fix this as I foresee the front bumper coming off when I hit waves if I get these things running.

The process for buffing seems to be pretty simple as explained by Miki and JetSkiGoodies but I want to make sure I understand it. I need a buffer of some sort with three different covers so the compounds aren't contaminated with one another? I then tape off the graphics with two layers of painters tape and then sand the gelcoat with 2000 grit wet. I then buff using the three compounds starting with the appropriate one first and ending with the last one. Am I missing any crucial steps? Are there any recommendations in regards to what buffer or drill attachment buffer would be sufficient? I have a ryobi orbital buffer but I believe it is too large.

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To recap,

1) Does that crack at the front look major and are there any recommendations on how to replace the missing rivet for the front bumper?

2) Can y'all recommend a buffing device along with what attachments to get for the Meguiars three stage process for reshining my gelcoat?

As always, thank you. I do not foresee my finishing any of these in time for this summer, but I hope to see y'all on the lake as soon as possible whenever the next forum meet-up occurs.

 

[shattered00]

Disregard question 2 about buffing equipment. Not sure how I missed it in JSGs tutorial. I started taping everything with painters tape but the sun was going down.



I do plan to buy new graphics so I will buff better after but I am taping off the graphics loosely (read not as detailed as other restorations) so there will be a few spots surrounding the graphics that aren't buffed.

 

[mikidymac]

Only your last picture shows up.
I only use one layer of tape.

Your buffing steps sound correct.

None of the steps will hurt the BondoGlass.

I can't see the cracks to direct you.

 

[racerxxx]

As far as jumping ahead on your resto, check out the resto section and breeze thru some of them. I post a ton of pics on my builds as well as others. There isn't necessarily a specific order but by looking at the pics you will pick up on the loose order guys do certain things in. I know we all get anxious and want to see instant results but honestly the last thing I do before installing the engine is lay the mats and the only reason I do it then and not wait until the last step is I don't want the tools laying in the footwells, LOL.

I usually strip the hull, clean the inside, then buff and in between buffing I work on mechanicals to break up the buffing process. There is no right or wrong way so don't take this post the wrong way. We're all here to help where we can! I would just tape the textured part of the footwells and start buffing just to keep the wax etc.... off the new bondo glass.

 

[shattered00]

Thanks again. I am not sure why the photos didn't load in previous post.





I have ordered gelcoat from gelcote international for the damaged portion and I am hoping buffing will blend in the repair from the original owner better. I am thinking I may need a rivet gun or something to install a new rivet on the front bumper. I could then maybe use it to fix the exhaust strap for the 1995 that is missing the piece which holds the strap down as well. What y'all think?