Who has the most hours on their ski or one that they have seen before? Any brand!

[CReynoldsMIZ]

I will start here, my 96 787 has 169 hours and 1 top end rebuild with original crank, my dads 85 JS550 he bought new is 100% stock with perfect compression and he has never even taken apart the carbs or anything besides plugs. Ski runs like new its unbelievable

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

99 GTX LTD, when I sold it: 360 hours. I was the original owner of it, new. One top end.

 

[Dr Honda]

Well.... it's kind of a bad question.

With a marine engine... there are SO MANY things involved. Half of it's life is based on how well the owner takes care of it. Also... the higher the power density... the shorter life. Both of these things are separate from quality.

The JS550 is the perfect example.

1) It's NEVER left in the water since it's not going to float at the dock.
2) it's relatively low HP. (Depending on the version, it's only around 40 hp)
3) Because of the type of hull... it's almost NEVER run at full throttle.

Because of that... those engines can live a long, and healthy life.

Generally speaking... a PWC engine should last 300 to 400 hrs, or... about 15 years if the run time is low. The physical time comes into play because the seals will start to dry out, and leak.

The only exceptions that come to mind are:

1) Rotax 951 engine. (about 200 hrs because of high power density) but if you treat it like a dirt bike, and just change the top-end every 100 hrs... you could make it last a very long time. (The crank and Cyl's would take +400 hrs)

2) Yamaha GP 800, 1200, and 1300 engines. (about 150 to 200 hrs) This is because Yamaha specs crap oil. If you fed them API-TC oils, they would last over 300 hrs.

3) Fuji 650 and 750 engines. (early Polaris) You can get about 200 hrs on them stock. If you do a few fuel system upgtrades... and feed them good oil... they will last longer.



With all that said... I've heard (not seen) of a few of the low power 4-tec skis running up to 700 hrs at rental shops. BUT... I have a hard time beveling that. UNLESS... they are programming a rental key to not give full RPM, and the maintenance is being done. (along with checking the valve clearance every 40 to 60 hrs)


Now... with personal experience...

1) I had a 79 JS440 that was highly modified, and only had one top-end. (I sold it around 2003)

2) I also did a 1990 Seadoo Si Project a couple years ago. It had full compression, and ran great. (after I was done with it) and... it had the factory engine. (actual time unknown)

3) I currently own a 96 XP 800 with the factory engine... but the time is VERY low. (under 100 hrs)

4) My 1991 Yamaha Super jet. Its the factory 650 engine. Runs strong. (never been opened)

 

[Spimothy Leary]

my yamaha xl760 had 242 hours when I sold it, one top end. at 202.

96 xp no idea of hours, but i'm sure its over 200 total, one top end, one snapped driveshaft (last week)(and one lecture from mechanic to quit riding big waves)

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

I have 43 hours on my John Deere X320 series It ski's along in the snow all the time.

 

[Strizzo]

my first ski when i was like 14 was a 91 yamaha vxr 650. we bought it from some neighbors that had 5 or 6 skis, boats, and all kinds of toys. they were out just about every weekend during the summers, and they rode the crap out of their stuff. it was 4 or 5 years old when we got it, and i ran the crap out of it every chance i got too. even ran it out of oil once, which didn't seem to phase it much once the rings seated in again. i would bet that it had 400-500 hours on it by the time we got rid of it (dad traded it in on a polaris virage). the 650 motor never did make much power, but was reliable as gravity.

 

[Minnetonka4me]

I had a GSI with 864 hours on it....bc the MPEM would not shut off. Someone added a battery cut off switch instead of replacing the MPEM.

BTW that machine verified the LCD gauges hold their own hours...b/c I put a different MPEM in and the hours on the LCD were the same.

 

[caliburn]

My RX has 200 hr. its still up for debate as if there was ever a top end rebuild done to it, I would say hell no from working on it, My Yamaha GP1200R has 201 hours on it runs great but now has a slight carb issuebut still has factory top end speed and no new top end on it, still holds good compression, Yamalube was used in its whole life.

 

[CReynoldsMIZ]

I have 43 hours on my John Deere X320 series It ski's along in the snow all the time.

Hah well when your x320 reaches the 1100 on my 1994 Deere 425 then you can talk to me :cheers:

Edit: oops going off track, tractors are boring. I want to see someone with 1000 hours on their ski!

 

[DSchmidt54]

i have a 96 gtx........stock motor had 380 hours on it before it blew........that was due to the owner using TC-W3........raves were clogged to hell...........and the tempo lines killed the motor.

 

[jhjesse]

Hah well when your x320 reaches the 1100 on my 1994 Deere 425 then you can talk to me :cheers:

Edit: oops going off track, tractors are boring. I want to see someone with 1000 hours on their ski!

Tractors are not boring! Got a 84 john deere 750 with an FEL. I love talking tractors.

Sold two 94 SPx's with original engines never been apart earlier this spring.

 

[99spxxx]

My 99spx has at least over 800 hrs.. How much I ride. I ride two tanks and least once a week from memorial to labor day sometime two day and two tanks. so If I add 2hrs a tank times 2tanks times 15 weekends we have 60hrs I have owned it for over ten years plus when my brother bought it for me from a rich family that bought it for there daughter that was a baby to it. It never had motor work done to it. Still has stock painted head bolts with out a chip on them. So 10 years equal 600hrs and minus her hours for days I missed riding..Also you could add 4 more hrs for the extra day per week for 15 weeks. So really I am closer to 1200hrs, but I will knock off 400hrs for missed days.. So I would say +800 is a very good number.
List of reasons for good lasting ski:
-Amsoil (interceptor)
-every time I pull of water and rev the motor to blow water out
-keep seat off to let water dry up before putting back on for storage
-Stored in Garage 24/7
-fogged the motor everytime I planned on it sitting for over a month.
-premium gas
-ALWAYS start and keep engine at low RPMs till motor warms up (then beat it to piss LOL)
-most importantly give her a name and tell her you love her!!! LOL

+800hrs my brother will chime in at some point to vouch for me...

Love this ski!!!

 

[Minnetonka4me]

LOL 800 might be a stretch...but I'd go 600 for sure. I absolutely vouch for the motor though!! Never been opened! Bought it for him in 02 I think.

We'll know for sure next week when the Westside Powersports Programmer gets here!

 

[Dr Honda]

OK... my first post was a little backwards. So... here's the best engines......


1) Rotax 720, 657, 587

2) Yamha 701, 650

3) Polaris "Domestic" (700, 900, 1200, if feed good oil)

4) Kawi 440, 550, 650.


Those engines will potentially live the longest. And yes... the only "Big" 2-stroke to make my list was the polaris engine. AND... the reason the 1200 domestic can get there is because it's a low HP (135) low compression (125 psi) 3 cyl engine.

I feel all the above engines can reach 400 hrs with normal use, and proper maintenance.

 

[DSchmidt54]

no 787's huh?

 

[CReynoldsMIZ]

i think that in my opinion the 720's are more reliable because they dont have the raves. Raves in my opinion are a PITA. My dad has a 94 Waverunner Pro VXR that had a 701, and i just really liked the design of it. Super simple. Last year it blew a piston but only because the oil had turned into jello and clogged the filter, not our fault we had just bought it. Didnt realize that until i swapped the 701 for a 650, only because i got a shortblock for $200 and the damn thing runs great. Premix now tho, but at 50:1 not that expensive

 

[DSchmidt54]

hmm........well im running interceptor ............itll be interesting to see how long this block lasts past the warranty lol its my goal to put 200 hours on it before 8-12-13.......thats when the warranty expires. it currently has 0

 

[99spxxx]

I still running stock oil pump too...crazy I know..stock is the way to go. or go big lol

Picture of my race motor not the 99 spx..

 

[Dr Honda]

no 787's huh?

It's a very good engine, and I own a ski with one... but I've seen a lot of them fail with low hours. Nature of the beast. 800cc's putting out 110 HP. That's more than most supper cars. (Ferrari, Porsche, Zonda, Bugatti, etc)

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Supper car

Now this is a supper car:



I couldn't resist

as for power to displacement, the 2 stroke has an advantage of firing every revolution;

4.5L (4,500cc) and 562 HP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_458_Italia#Engine

which gives us 0.1249 HP per cc

the 787cc is 110 HP and is 0.134 HP per cc

951 (947.2? I think) 0.13725

Porsche Carrera GT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_Carrera_GT#Technical_specifications
5733 cc and 612 HP or 0.1067 HP per cc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_Carrera_GT#Technical_specifications

The Veyron sports quad turbo; so this should be interesting:

7993 cc and 987 bhp 0.12348

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti_Veyron#Specifications_and_performance


of all these engines, looking at ONLY cc and HP, it appears the 951 is the winner... now to order 10 of them and strap them to a go-kart!

 

[Seadoobuddy]

Now this is a supper car:

View attachment 14879

I couldn't resist

Maybe even Breakfast or lunch too!!!

 

[DSchmidt54]

now could you imagine, building a 2 stroker that ran 4000 cc's that would be around 550 horse!...........i would be interested to see a v6 2 stroker.........that would be amazing..........enviro killer ? yeah , but honestly ........the power to weight ratio of it would be amazing!

 

[Strizzo]

SAAB built 2-stroke engines for a while in the 70's before emissions regs made them no longer legal.

 

[JJinSC]

My 97 XP ran 442 hours and 15 minutes before engine rebuild. It still had great compression until the bearings let go. I run nothing but XPS full synthetic in it and always warm it up good. I hope I get another 400+ out of the rebuilt engine.

 

[Dr Honda]

...........i would be interested to see a v6 2 stroker.........that would be amazing.........

Ask... and ye' shall receive. The wife was going to kill me after that. I had to cook the block to get a new sleeve in it. (lol)