Towing a GTX

[Hvymtlc5]

Going to tow the 2002 GTX to a new home Thursday. Can i just screw a cap on the water intake/flush port? Assuming that is the only inlet (located in rear next to pump)

 

[alekaj]

home depot, plumbing section. Im no professional on plumbing but it looks like a white plastic screw on cap

 

[Tyman2020]

DO NOT TOW THIS SKI UNLESS YOU CLAMP THE PUMP FEED LINE SHUT.....or you ganna have a bad day

 

[Hvymtlc5]

Pump feed the same as flush inlet?

 

[Tyman2020]

No its the feed house from pump to motor

 

[Tyman2020]

You can force water thru and destroy your motor

 

[Tyman2020]

I dont think you have to clamp the flush hose thooo could be wrong

 

[xspook]

Page 63 of the owners manual:

When towing your watercraft in water, pinch the water supply hose from the impeller housing to the exhaust manifold with a large hose pincher (P/N 529 032 500). This will prevent the exhaust cooling system from filling which may lead to water being injected into and filling the exhaust system.

Without the engine running there isn’t any exhaust pressure to carry the water out the exhaust outlet.

CAUTION: Failure to do this may result in damage to the engine. If you must tow a stranded watercraft in water and do not have a hose pincher, be sure to stay well below the maximum towing speed of 24 km/h (15 MPH). To ease access to the hose, the vent tube can be temporarily removed.

 

[Ckrawiec]

This is a common misconception.....the flush port in back allows water to BACKFLUSH through the engine cooling system while on a hose.....WATER is NOT sucked into that port while under way. The engine should be running while on the hose BEFORE the water is turned on, otherwise forcing water into a non-running engine is a bad thing.

Towing a ski too fast will suck water into the engine (as a vacuum effect is created behind the ski being towed) and the water doesn't get expelled by the exhaust system because the engine is not running, so if you have to tow...GO slow (under 15mph, personally I'd go slower, why risk a problem for a few extra minutes).

 

[Tyman2020]

The spinning impeller is actually what forces the water in

 

[Ckrawiec]

The spinning impeller is actually what forces the water in

I don't think that's right.....the impeller pushes water though the jet pump. The water inlet faces AWAY from the impeller, so how can the impeller FORCE water in?.

Water gets sucked into the ski through the magic of venturi action.......same principle as detergent getting sucked into the water stream of a pressure washer. The pressure washer doesn't force the detergent OUT, it sucks it in then expels it out the nozzle end because of the pressure differential created as the fast exiting water pulls the detergent in behind it.

 

[Tyman2020]

Wouldn't pulling the ski spin the impeller and force it through the cooling system tho? for 5 bucks ill clamp both line on the safe side however you theory sound legit...thought ive read that on these gtxs you have to block off the pump output due to the impeller spinning and filling the cooling system as if the ski was running....

 

[Tyman2020]

this is why they recommend low speed tows

 

[Ckrawiec]

Wouldn't pulling the ski spin the impeller and force it through the cooling system tho? for 5 bucks ill clamp both line on the safe side however you theory sound legit...thought ive read that on these gtxs you have to block off the pump output due to the impeller spinning and filling the cooling system as if the ski was running....

Towing a ski at X mph would spin the impeller...but rather slowly (certainly not at 2000+rpm under normal engine running conditions). It's NOT the spinning impeller that's at issue here...it's the venturi action created when the ski is moving forward (especially under a fast tow)....towing a ski fast creates suction (the venturi effect) through the natural design of the skis hull under and behind it and thus water gets PULLED into the engine.

Again...the impeller does NOT force water into the engine. The impeller PUSHES water under and behind the ski.

ACTUALLY, now giving it a little more thought....NO, a towed ski would not move the impeller....the impellor does not free float on the drive shaft (there is no gearing attached to the impeller), so if the driveshaft is not moving (spinning) the impeller shouldn't be spinning either. I highly doubt that a ski under tow would be able to spin the drive shaft by way of the impeller.