I'm the original owner of this fuel injected Gold GTX. It has been pretty much trouble free over the years. I'm 58 years old now and don't absorb the bumps as well as I did 20 years ago, so I decided to use our new pontoon for the majority of a 2 hour ride and towed the Sea Doo. To prevent hydro lock, I clamped the water inlet hoses. When I got to our destinstion, I removed the clamps, but the GTX wouldn't start. I was getting fuel and spark, but it wouldn't start. I feel like the issue was air intake related, as the plugs were wet with fuel. I tried starting every few days for over a week, but still no start. Today it started. It was a little excessively smokey at first, then cleared. Did something related to towing block an air intake? I'm thinking maybe I should have clamped something different when towing. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
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1998 GTX won't start after tow
- Thread starter Bob smith
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That's correct, it's fuel injected so there is no fuel selector. I learned my lesson several years ago, the engine was flooded and hydro locked after towing. That's why I clamped the line this time. We were towing at a speed of 15-20 mph, for over an hour. This was the second time, this summer, that I have clamped the water line and towed with the pontoon. The clamps did their job both times and there was no water in the engine. But both times, the ski wouldn't start immediately after the tow. It turned over freely, but no start neither in the water or on the trailer. But then after several days it started?? Both times it acted as if there was an air/fuel mixture issue, similar to flooding an old carb with fuel. Both times when it finally started after several days, it smoked excessively then cleared and ran great.
Cheflen
Active Member
Did you try taking the spark plugs out and shooting the fuel out of the engine by hitting the starter a few times? You might want to try that next time it doesn't want to start in case there is excessive fuel sitting in the engine
Yes, both times that it wouldn't start, I removed the plugs and spun it over. I also wiped the plugs good before replacing, tried starting again and it turned over easily, but wouldn't start. Yesterday I was going to put new plugs in, but didn't because it started after it had sat for several days. Somehow it's tow related, but then resolves after several days. Weird??
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