1995 XP Rebuild

[NoahDobie]

So I've been messing with a new XP i bought its my first ski and im just trying to learn how they work. Ad said only needed a starter and battery, have a starter on order but i wanted to test if the engine is seized. So I pulled the head off cylinders look fine.

Sprayed some of penetrating oil in the cylinders. So, I tried to spin the PTO and nothing. Took the jet pump off and impeller and everything are good. Then I took a pipe wrench to the PTO and it was so hard to turn then it got a little easier, I can almost do it with my hand now, is this right or is it still a little caught up?

Anything else I should test?

 

[mikidymac]

Something is wrong. With the head off you should be able to turn the engine over easily by hand.

If the cylinders don't look rusted they yo have a bad crank bearing or stripped rotary shaft.

On a side note the aftermarket starters are typically junk and only last a season. My fingers and toes are crossed for you to be ok but it happens so often here that a big joke is that the ski only needs "a battery and starter". Typically it is way worse. Either way we will be more than happy to help you get back on the water.

 

[JeremyD615]

Unfortunately it sounds like someone got one over on you. I always suggest that you never buy a ski without water testing it unless you’re prepared to replace an engine... It’s cheaper to buy a good running ski 90% of the time rather than something that needs “minor work.”

We can get you up and running, but be prepared to go through the whole ski to get you there. Once these things are sorted out they are a lot of fun and will give you years of service, but it takes some work to get to that point, especially when you start with a poorly maintained ski...

 

[NoahDobie]

Thanks guys! I figured the whole starter and battery thing was all fishy when I bought and it would need more and I'm ready for that.

So I'm not really sure where to start here. Should I pull the motor? Install the new starter and try it? Spray a bunch of penetrating oil down the cylinders again?

Also, I can spin the impeller by hand, but it gets caught up slightly. Could it be the wear ring?

 

[mikidymac]

No reason to throw money at it.

The next thing I would do is pull the intake manifold/rotary valve cover and see if the valve moves when you turn the engine over.

Before removing the engine you need to remove the rear PTO so don't get too excited and pull the engine yet.

 

[JeremyD615]

Just for S’s & giggles, I’d pull the pump off of the ski and see if it’s locked up. This really sounds like an engine problem, but you’re going to want to pull the pump if you have to pull the motor anyway. Maybe you’ll get lucky and find that it’s the pump instead...

 

[NoahDobie]

Okay so I pulled the pump again, the impeller seems fine.

So I started to I can turn the PTO by hand, but only to a certain point. The hose on the end of the drive shaft that goes to the hull turns with it and prevents it from going anymore.

I loosened that hose and it turns way easier with a pipe wrench but still wont go all the way by hand.

Do I possibly need new drive shaft seals or bearings?

Part 20 on this diagram turns with the drive shaft.

 

[mikidymac]

Sounds like your carrier bearing for the Driveshaft is shot. Remove the carrier and drive shaft and see if the engine turns over by hand.

Today might be your lucky day if it's just the carrier bearing and seal.

 

[NoahDobie]

I can't find out how to do that anywhere. What am I supposed to do?

 

[jts32]

Download the free manual, it will be very helpful

SeaDoo Manuals - FREE PDF Download!

 

[JeremyD615]

You may have dodged a bullet there! Hopefully you can just pull the driveshaft out and replace the carrier bearing. It sounds like yours may be seized on the shaft though...

 

[NoahDobie]

Driveshaft is out...

Engine will only turn 180 degrees by hand then gets stuck. What's the next step here?

 

[mikidymac]

Pull the PTO.

 

[NoahDobie]

I decided to go ahead and pull the whole engine today. That way I can clean everything inside as well because its pretty dirty.

Got the engine out, but, im away for a week now, so I'll work on getting the PTO off and checking everything from there. Thanks for the help so far guys!

 

[JeremyD615]

Well... You just shot yourself in the foot! The reason Miki was telling you to pull the PTO is because it’s a royal PITA to remove with the engine out of the boat and disassembled... Your best option now may be to put it all back together and bolt it back in the ski so that you can get the PTO off.

 

[manolocross]

Why does he need to pull PTO off to check if a engine is seized????

 

[JeremyD615]

He doesn’t. The motor IS seized, so he needed to pull the PTO off before disassembling the rest of the motor...

 

[NickCawks]

could get lucky and be able to pull the PTO off using the old rope down the cylinder trick and a burly friend to hang on to it. I have had such luck a couple of times, I've also not had that luck lol.

This will require the impeller removal tool though. attached it to a breaker bar and put it in the PTO

 

[POPPS]

I have been Lucky like Nick, , using the rope in the cylinder trick, in fact I have always been able to remove the pto, sometimes I needed a second hand,,,sometimes I will heat the pto if it is being stubborn.

 

[NoahDobie]

I was just going to try and pull the PTO with a pipe wrench and breaker bar. Cylinder plugged with rope and hold the engine down then stomp on the bar. Or should I think about getting the impeller tool?

 

[NickCawks]

you will probably have trouble with the pipe wrench. you could probably pull it off with a chain wrench, but the impeller tool will make things a bit easier.

Also, you will definitely want someone else to hold the motor while you work the wrench. Unless you get really lucky and the PTO wants to come off pretty easy, you will be putting an enormous amount of torque onto the motor, its usually quite the ab workout for whoever is holding the motor.

 

[POPPS]

Yes, when we changed out the pto for a lightened one, when the rules changed for a lightened pto, we would of course remove the drive shaft, put rope in the cylinder, and put a long hollow pipe over the 1/2 inch breaker bar, and remove the pto,,,

 

[mikidymac]

If they are tight which a lot are the impeller wrench will just strip the splines out on the PTO. Most of the time it takes heat and a chain wrench.

 

[NoahDobie]

Ok so I got the PTO off. It was fairly easy just used the rope trick, a pipe wrench, put a big pipe over it and stomped on it.

What do I check now?

 

[NoahDobie]

Oh, I forgot to mention. Motor is still out of the ski and I have taken off the intake manifold, carbs, and flywheel cover. So I now have visibility to basically everything.