1996 gsx top speed and reliability

[Daytona20]

I currently own a 1997 seadoo GTX that i purchased used this year. My family and I have had so much fun with this boat that I am thinking about purchasing another one. I am currently looking at a 1996 seadoo GSX with the the 787 engine in it as well. this unit has variable trim and no reverse which is completely opposite from my GTX.

So other that the VTS motor having a tendancy to burn out is there anything else i should be aware of? How fast will the GSX go on smooth water?

I spoke to a guy at the beach I have my seadoo moored at. He has a 1996 GTX and a 1998 GSX and he told me that he finds the GTX like driving a truck compared to the GSX.

 

[kcr357]

My 96 gsx is reliable, save for a cooling line coming off and flooding the engine comp. The trim works fine. Compared to your GTX, it should be lighter, more nimble, accelerate better, less stable and more tip over prone. The trim is nice by the way, makes a huge difference. I think these skis are a steal, no one wants them because they are "old", but they have the same hp as a new Yammie vx cruiser and about 150 lbs less weight. Go figure.

 

[timmyboy76]

only thing I "read/heard" of, is the style of rave valves, which you want to upgrade to the slotted ones, and the tab that holds the pick-up in the stator assy, was a bad design, which more than often breaks, which in 97' was a better design.

 

[Daytona20]

Thank you for the info on this seadoo. can anyone tell me approximately what they should get for a top speed?

The fastest I have ever been able to get my GTX up to is about 53 mph according to the info center. I clocked it against my garmin forerunner 305 this past weekend and got the following results. info center reads 51 mph, gps reads 80 KPH or just a shade under 50 mph.

 

[timmyboy76]

i'd think little faste, since it is a 2-seater(gsx)..depends though, if they messed w/ it at all...impellor, intake..etc.

look mo0re towards the rpm'z first, make sure in 6900/7000 range, and excelleration/hook-ups there, if not, then wear ring/impellor inspection, is in order.

 

[Daytona20]

it's interesting that you should say that about the rpm. When my GTX is running flat out, the best rpm that I have ever been able to get out of it is 6770 according to the guage.

When I am starting out from a standstill I can get it to jump up to 7000 RPM according to the tach but it will then settle down to 6750 rpm and run around there. The wear ring is about 25 thousandths clearance and the impellor is showing a slight amount of erosion on the leading edge but no evidence of debris or rock damage.

I was thinking that I may have a mixture problem but the plugs are looking good according to seadoosnipes guide. The thing that led me to the mixture was when I cleaned the rave valves they were mostly oily with some dry crud on the cylinder side.

any thoughts on the rpm?

 

[timmyboy76]

it could be multiple things, stud. Clip the plug wires at boots' ends, install new properly gapped plugs, clean the raves, use synthetic oil (helps w/ build-up of carbon), wrong pitched impellor, lower than great compression..etc..:cheers: