Good evening community,
I encountered an unexpected issue with my 2013 RXPX 260 while out on the lake today, and I would greatly appreciate your help. Here’s a detailed description of what went down:
After feeling confident in the ski's performance, I spontaneously decided to drive further away from the ramp to explore different areas of the lake. While traveling at approximately 40-45 mph, I attempted to trim the ski down slightly to adapt to some small, choppy waves. The VTR reached approximately a middle position and then unexpectedly and immediately stalled and shut off, including the cluster.
Initially, I thought I had accidentally pulled the key off, so I tried to restart it. However, the starter only engaged for about one second before the cluster shut off completely. It seemed like an electrical issue initially so I tried again. After two failed attempts, I received a high engine temperature warning, with the gauge peaking at 237°F. I suspect this spike was a result of the sudden stall rather than an actual overheating issue.
Despite the initial trouble and running out of options (left my phone by the ramp - I’m an idiot sometimes…), I tried to restart the ski again. This time I tried again after the initial unsuccessful attempt and got it started, and I immediately noticed that the temperatures dropped back to a more normal range of 180-190°F.
However, there was a very loud rattling, whining, and grinding sound originating from the middle-rear section near the pump. While the engine itself appeared to be functioning well, it felt like there was more resistance than usual and the impeller wouldn’t deliver enough power, which initially gave me the impression that the impeller came loose or the shaft splines would have grinded down so that it started to slip. The vibrations were also very pronounced.
Although the boost and overall engine performance felt normal, the grinding noise became higher in pitch, and the vibrations seemed to lessen slightly when I started to accelerate.
Given the overall unpleasant situation, we idled back to the ramp, which took about 15 minutes. This was my only option at this time, as there wasn’t a ramp or boat nearby. Restarting it to get it back on the trailer, the ski started without any issues, but the rattling and vibrations persisted.
Once I got home, I conducted a thorough inspection. The ski started up normally in the driveway, but the same troubling noises and vibrations were present. I checked the wear ring and impeller, and both appeared to be in good condition with no visible damage. The driveshaft also seemed to spin normally. However, the source of the noise continues to appear to be from the pump or drivetrain area, near the backside of the engine.
I strongly suspect an issue related to the VTR, Pump or driveshaft. It honestly felt like something came loose, or like a failed two masses with broken clutch disc in a car.
Questions for the Community:
I encountered an unexpected issue with my 2013 RXPX 260 while out on the lake today, and I would greatly appreciate your help. Here’s a detailed description of what went down:
- Model: RXPX 260 (2013)
- Last Usage: The ski has not been used for the past 5 months.
- Recent Maintenance: I completed a full jet pump rebuild and replaced the wear ring prior to its last usage, where it performed normal without any weirdness.
After feeling confident in the ski's performance, I spontaneously decided to drive further away from the ramp to explore different areas of the lake. While traveling at approximately 40-45 mph, I attempted to trim the ski down slightly to adapt to some small, choppy waves. The VTR reached approximately a middle position and then unexpectedly and immediately stalled and shut off, including the cluster.
Initially, I thought I had accidentally pulled the key off, so I tried to restart it. However, the starter only engaged for about one second before the cluster shut off completely. It seemed like an electrical issue initially so I tried again. After two failed attempts, I received a high engine temperature warning, with the gauge peaking at 237°F. I suspect this spike was a result of the sudden stall rather than an actual overheating issue.
Despite the initial trouble and running out of options (left my phone by the ramp - I’m an idiot sometimes…), I tried to restart the ski again. This time I tried again after the initial unsuccessful attempt and got it started, and I immediately noticed that the temperatures dropped back to a more normal range of 180-190°F.
However, there was a very loud rattling, whining, and grinding sound originating from the middle-rear section near the pump. While the engine itself appeared to be functioning well, it felt like there was more resistance than usual and the impeller wouldn’t deliver enough power, which initially gave me the impression that the impeller came loose or the shaft splines would have grinded down so that it started to slip. The vibrations were also very pronounced.
Although the boost and overall engine performance felt normal, the grinding noise became higher in pitch, and the vibrations seemed to lessen slightly when I started to accelerate.
Given the overall unpleasant situation, we idled back to the ramp, which took about 15 minutes. This was my only option at this time, as there wasn’t a ramp or boat nearby. Restarting it to get it back on the trailer, the ski started without any issues, but the rattling and vibrations persisted.
Once I got home, I conducted a thorough inspection. The ski started up normally in the driveway, but the same troubling noises and vibrations were present. I checked the wear ring and impeller, and both appeared to be in good condition with no visible damage. The driveshaft also seemed to spin normally. However, the source of the noise continues to appear to be from the pump or drivetrain area, near the backside of the engine.
I strongly suspect an issue related to the VTR, Pump or driveshaft. It honestly felt like something came loose, or like a failed two masses with broken clutch disc in a car.
Questions for the Community:
- Has anyone else experienced similar issues with their 4 Tec seadoos?
- What could be the potential causes of the noise and vibrations? Do you have any recommendations for diagnosing or resolving this issue?
