1995 XP - fiberglass damage inside of hull? and how 2 test for blown fuel baffle fuse

[shattered00]

I feel like I am making too many threads, so moderators, if I am please let me know. I thought about continuing to post in some of the other threads I have started about other problems or just having one thread to contain all of the issues I have or will be running into (similar to a restoration thread) but both of those options seem like they might be too disorganized.

Fuel Baffle

I am cleaning up this ski while I await an engine rebuild and decided to take out the gas tank because of a non-functioning fuel gauge (and also to clean up a major oil spill). I have read the thread by RX951 and kustomkarl's post about the problem and solution but I am unsure if I messed up by draining the tank first. So the floater has no magnets on it and I feel it is likely the sole problem but assumptions... I do want to test to make sure the fuse isn't blown while I have the baffle out, however, the tank is drained and I have never used an Ohm meter before. I own one now, but am unsure as to what some of the below means.

"You need to check the Pink and Pink/Black wire coming out of the baffle tube in the gas tank. The sending unit works off resistance. Pull the plug apart at the tank, and use an ohm meter to check for resistance between the two pink wires. The resistance will be different depending on how much fuel is in the fuel tank. If you get no resistance, remove the clamps off the sender, and pull the sending unit out of the fuel tank. Check the magnets on the float in the sending unit. To get to the float out, pop the bottom off and look for the 4 magnets on the float. If they are missing use a strong magnet to get them out of the tank bottom. If they are dirty clean them and re-insert it back in the baffle tube and check the wires again to check for readings of resistance depending on where the float is in the baffle tube. Check the float to see if it “floats” in a cup of gas. Sometimes the float becomes saturated and won’t float in gas…but it will in water, so use gas to check it. If still no reading of resistance replace the sender. If you get readings, check continuity of wiring to gauge. At the baffle you could unplug the gauge and using a jumper wire between the 2 wires in the plug on the gauge side. Attach the lanyard to power up the gauges. If the gauge goes to full the gauge is good. If it still doesn’t respond, do a continuity test of the wires to the gauge. If all wiring checks out ok, and the gauge still doesn’t respond, the gauge is bad. Keep me posted on your progress.
The fuses are in the front box and the rear box."
-Karl

So I need to put some fuel in the tank, put the baffle back together and in, and put each of the probes from the Ohm onto each wire (one metal piece per wire). If it has some resistance (a reading on the Ohm meter?) then that means it is the gauge and/or the float but not the sender or the fuse? Or can I get no resistance with a non functioning float and thus I cannot isolate if that is the sole problem until I fix the floater? I do not have a strong magnet and have tried to see if the 4 magnets are in the fuel tank but cannot spot or hear any by shaking it and listening for a sound. I did not try to put the float into fuel to see if it floats because it looks and feels like it has become too saturated. Apologies if this process seems straightforward and I just don't get it.

Also, CoastieJoe mentioned an updated magnet. Is it part number 295500438? If so, I might as well buy three of these since I doubt the two 96s have been updated either.







Hull Damage

In my quest to clean this ski up, I observed a mouse skull and some beads of Styrofoam that were chewed off. It does not appear that it was a significant amount of Styrofoam (small chunks here and there and a larger chunk near the exhaust pipe. No wires appear to have been chewed. What I did notice as I was scrubbing the inside of the hull with a soft bristle brush and purple power was that some of the fiberglass came off. One spot was near the driveshaft where I see too divets. One of the divets did not have anything covering it, but the other had a piece that just flaked off. Another spot had what appeared to be congealed fiberglass material that looked like seaweed which was filling in a gap. I can now put my finger under this gap and move the entire fiberglass section (almost like a a piece of metal) up with my finger. I do not know if either of these could pose any major problems such as structural integrity. What do y'all think?








As always, thank you for your information and assistance.

 

[Matt Braley]

That area has an aluminum bar fiberglassed in it. It is the threads for the 2 bolts on the forward end of the intake grate underneath. I'm guessing your grate is missing since your able to move it. The blobs of silicone went over the bolt holes at the factory to prevent water from leaking in.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

OP, I'm clearing out my 2016 inventory. I think I still have at least 3 OEM new in package magnets, if you are interested, (I originally bought 10 because my supplier gouges me on shipping so I bundle)

$40 shipped for all 3. (which is slightly less than my cost so its a good deal)
PM me if interested if not i'll probably just sell them on fleabay for $15 each.

If it turns out your other ski's don't need them you can always just hoard these for when they do fail or help someone else out when their's does.

 

[shattered00]

Okay, PM sent Spimothy.

Mr. Braley,

The intake grate is attached and the screws are tight. I can only lift the aluminum piece on the inside of the hull maybe half an inch which is just enough to get my finger under it. What I did discover (as I have never looked under the ski) was that there is what appears to be significant damage to the hull. I saw some spots where oil that had been sitting in the hull (and now Purple Power) was seeping through. I have attached photographs. At this point I am a bit despondent. I have a lot (for me) of money into this ski and still have two others to finish before the summer. I appear to be the candidate for tool of the year.

I had been searching the forums prior to discovering this damage and planned on making a post confirming the most efficient way to repair minor gouges on the upper portion of the ski that weren't through to the fiberglass and then buff it all out while keeping the original decals. I had planned on following JetSkiGoodies post which was very informative. I previously planned on using a gel coat repair kit with the color matching for the minor scratches. What would be the best way to repair this damage to the bottom of the hull though? I need to somehow remove the rust first with maybe a brass brush, sand the entire bottom of the hull, and then use a fiberglass repair kit for the damaged spots and then gel coat repair kit on top of that correct? I did not remove all of the items inside the ski that had rivets as I was not sure how or if I could get them back on, so if I can somehow flip this ski by myself (which I don't see possible) then would the riveted items be okay upside down along with the VTS and exhaust pipe? I can't believe I never looked under the ski...depressing.

 

[mikidymac]

It sure looks like the bottom of that ski has been painted before. That looks like gray primer over the glass with yellow paint on that. At the factory it was yellow gelcoat then fiberglass in the mold. It is hard to tell in the pictures what is going on. but I have never seen the factory yellow flake off with gray under it.

If the holes are not actually structural then you can repair them with Bondo-Glass and be done with it.

If they are structural take a look at my repair thread... http://www.seadooforum.com/showthread.php?76268-Seadoo-Motor-Mount-Repair

 

[ski-d00]

For the fuel baffle, you don't need to add fuel to the tank. All work can be done with the baffle out which is preferred. Step 1: buy a new float kit from seadoo, they are like $15. Step 2: slide float in and check for resistance between wires. When the float is at the top(full tank), it should have 0 ohms resistance. When at the bottom(empty tank), it should have around 90 ohms. If you get these resistance values, it's fixed. However, I still suggest removing the F1 fuse because it is only a matter of time before it fails. If you get an open circuit when measuring resistance, your F1 fuse is bad and you will need to remove and solder over it. Lots of threads on doing this fix.

 

[mikidymac]

For the fuel baffle, you don't need to add fuel to the tank. All work can be done with the baffle out which is preferred. Step 1: buy a new float kit from seadoo, they are like $15. Step 2: slide float in and check for resistance between wires. When the float is at the top(full tank), it should have 0 ohms resistance. When at the bottom(empty tank), it should have around 90 ohms. If you get these resistance values, it's fixed. However, I still suggest removing the F1 fuse because it is only a matter of time before it fails. If you get an open circuit when measuring resistance, your F1 fuse is bad and you will need to remove and solder over it. Lots of threads on doing this fix.

+1, Last year I bought 4 new floats to repair firend's gauges and all of them had the new float already and blown F1 fuses. Now they all work and I have spare floats :thumbsup:

The fuse is actually easy to fix with some simple tools and a soldering iron. Follow some other threads and you will be fine.

 

[shattered00]

I will buy a soldering kit and fix the fuse to be on the safe side.

As far as the hull damage, I cannot tell if is is through the hull or not (structural). Other than the piece of fiberglass near the intake plate mounts pictured above that I can slightly lift with my finger, there appears to be no damage near that area on the inside of the hull.

My plan is to use the bondo glass that mikidymac recommended and just lather it on there.

Just confirming, is it this? https://www.amazon.com/Bondo-431-Fi...000BOHKEO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I take it that bondo glass is water resistant and should last a good while? I also have some marine epoxy somewhere. Is that similar to bondo glass or can it be used in conjunction with bondo glass? At some point way down the road, I would like to refinish the entire ski including the bottom. Would I be able to gel coat over the bondo as long as it was sanded smooth and flush? Thanks again for the advice. I am barely afloat metaphorically speaking.

 

[mikidymac]

For a future repair I would stay with bondoglass as future gel coat might not adhere to epoxy. It is water proof. You need to get the repair area super clean. Wash first with SuperClean or Purple Power then lots of acetone after it air drys for about a week.

 

[racerxxx]

Brake pump!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This bottom has been painted and I think it's a 95 XP800 ski. Any chance you can post a pic of the entire ski or if you want remove the rubber boot from the thru hull adapter and post a pic of the color around the black hull adapter. It it's pink it's a 95 XP800.


But my keen eyes see a pink chip in the gouge. It's super small at teh front of teh gouge where the gray, tank and yellow meet.

Where all the blue grease is on the zerk fitting, follow that back and remove the rear hose clamp. Pull the entire boot off and tell me what color you see. You will see either pink or yellow.

 

[racerxxx]

Never mind on the above post. I just went and looked at you other threads. I see you have a 95 XP 720 ski too