01 gtx taking on water?

[Kevincuster6]

I have a 2001 gtx that seems to be taking on water. When I idle in the lake or switch and gas I can see no water spraying or leaking anywhere. But when i go out for a minute or two it takes on some water. Any ideas?

 

[mikidymac]

These skis are not watertight, they do take on water and that is normal to have a little in the bottom.
Common places for actual leaks are the drive shaft carbon seal, drain plug o-rings and bailers that are not working.

 

[GGuillot]

I have a 2001 gtx that seems to be taking on water. When I idle in the lake or switch and gas I can see no water spraying or leaking anywhere. But when i go out for a minute or two it takes on some water. Any ideas?

I chased this problem all last season on the GTX. Go through the list of everything, check the water valve on top the muffler, carbon seal, pipe welch plugs, bailers, sponsons, and drains. If you've looked at everything it's possible the driveshaft is bent. This was my problem, a bent driveshaft, it would take on water as it revved up causing the carbon seal to vibrate around allowing water past.

The carbon seal/ss hat may appear to be good doing the job keeping water out...but...a way to check and why I investigated further, take the PTO cover off and rev it on the hose and watch the carbon seal.

 

[AKnarrowback]

I had water build up in my 97 GTX and could not find the problem. After checking and rechecking anywhere water might come in while running it on the trailer. Only when I ran the engine past 5k on the trailer was I able to observe one of my exhaust gaskets between the header and pipe start to "sweat". Not a shooting leak and not one that showed up at lower rpm's. I swapped the gasket and the problem was solved. Weirdest thing I ever saw since everything was tight, the gasket looked perfect and was compressed too the point I have no idea how water worked it's way out. The entire outter of the edge of the gasket just had water forming on it and running off.

If it's a little water in the hull I wouldn't worry, all my DOOs have a little water sloshing after each ride. Just like Mikidymac said.

If you can run it on a trailer rev it up high without over reving and look things over really quick.

 

[Ckrawiec]

FWIW....I swapped a hull on a 2017 Spark2 Up and was VERY careful to put everything back together really well, using liberal doses of sealant or new gaskets, rubber washers, etc, wherever ANYTHING penetrated the hull. I dropped the ski in the river and it floated fine against the dock...next morning she was squatting about 6" into the water on the rear end. I pulled the ski and left the drain plug in.

On the trailer, I waited and watched to see where any water might come out.....lo and behold.....the plastic / vinyl tube for the hull drain plug that passes through the hole in the hull was leaking water OUT (and IN obviously). The hole in the hull is supposed to be smaller than the OD of the tube and it becomes a friction fit between the hull and the tube to make the seal...NOT a great design really. When I had re-assembled the ski, the tube felt snug enough but once she was sitting in the water, which was chilly....that tube apparently shrunk just enough to let water pass through the hull. Of course, the tube is a metric size that I could not find easily and couldn't wait to find it anyway, so I took the Spark top deck off and used A LOT of silicone sealant on the inside of the hull around the tube to effect a seal...the drain tube is in a really low and almost inaccessible place so I had to get very creative about smoozing enough silicone in there and all around that tube to make a plug seal. I waited a few hours for everything to set up and re-filled the hull with water, watched and waited and she held water just fine. Opened the drain plug and she emptied out. Put the ski back together and no problems since [running all of the 2019 season - this ski went nose up in the water end of 2018, hence the new hull, bad story].

Another thing to check is that some critter hasn't nibbled on the tubes. Apparently muskrats like to eat through rubber bellows or vinyl tubes...at least where I am. Just food for thought.

 

[Kevincuster6]

I just took it out. Idled for 2 minutes. Nothing. Did around 20mph for 2 minutes nothing. Then full throttle for 2 minutes and had a few inches of water in it. If that helps any ideas

 

[Kevincuster6]

IM not sure how to check to see where coming from with that being the case without someone else driving without the seats and me flashlighing

 

[mikidymac]

Sounds like your bailers might be pushing water in instead of out. Ate the bailer lines tied up high at their plastic elbows? Are the white straws sticking down int the pump nozzle.

Only sure fire way is running it with the seat off since your's only seems to be doing it at high throttle.

 

[GGuillot]

IM not sure how to check to see where coming from with that being the case without someone else driving without the seats and me flashlighing

You don't need to take the seat off and ride around, just pull the jet pump and check. Look for the bailers grommets/orings in place between the pump, hull plate, and nozzle. Check for the little white tubes in place in the nozzle. Check the lines are supported high in the hull. Rule out the bailer system first, since that tends to be a common result of the issue you're describing.

Do all that, then go back out on the water and see what happens, then go from there.

 

[mikidymac]

@GGuillot is correct.....

Your ski is taking on water at higher throttle which is when the bailer system is working at it's best and should be pulling a lot of water out of the hull but your's is filling up which is making us lean towards the bailer system.

When they are not functioning properly and missing parts they actually force water into the hull under pressure instead of removing it under vacuum.

 

[Kevincuster6]

So I cleaned and am focusing on the bailer....hoping I was good I took it out. Took on water. When I took the bailer hoses off the back it was squirting water constantly into the hull. Is that normal or am I still in the right area?

 

[Kevincuster6]

White tubes were poking out. I’m not sure about the o rings and such

 

[Kevincuster6]

I’m new to the sport. As with when I picked up dirt biking I will learn but am clueless currenty

 

[mikidymac]

If the ski is moving forward under power the bailers should not be pushing water into the hull.

If you pull the hoses off with it sitting in the water then yes water will come in since they are lower than the waterline, that is why the hoses loop up to the top of the engine compartment.

 

[Kevincuster6]

Bailer wasn’t pushing in water. Went riding on my knees with my girl driving and it was spraying from the driveshaft/carbon ring area. Does that mean it’s the carbon seal?

 

[GGuillot]

Bailer wasn’t pushing in water. Went riding on my knees with my girl driving and it was spraying from the driveshaft/carbon ring area. Does that mean it’s the carbon seal?

Yes. Check the tension where it presses together, check the clamps, the carbon seal being broken etc. If all that's good do the test I describe above to see if you may have a bent drive shaft.

 

[etemplet]

Sounds likely. You can try tightening the pressure on the seal faces and see if it stops the leak. I think someone sold a spacer for the bellows to give a bit more crush. It's a good check but I'd replace the seal and while you are there, look at the wear ring, impeller jet pump and change the oil.

 

[mikidymac]

Pretty common for the carbon seal to leak when older. Replace the carbon ring, stainless hat as a kit and a new rubber boot. I think OSD SeaDoo sells a complete kit.