2001 RXDI motor question

[94samson]

Picked up a 2001 RXDI a while back and time to start working on it. The mag cylinder had no compression. Here is a couple pictures of piston:

Looks like the RAVE valve fell and hit piston, do any of you see other concerns?

Have been looking into prices for repairing motor. Not sure of best option, resleave and go back to stock specs, cylinder exchange, or check to see if can be bored.
If bored over is there something that has to be done to the RAVE valves?
Is there away to check for debris in the crankcase without splitting it?
Looking for opinions and thoughts.
Thanks in advance

 

[mikidymac]

That piston ran really lean and seized. Just be warned you are opening a can of worms on a non running DI.

You will need a rebuilt crank and might as well do the balancer too. The crank will not typically survive a new top end. The DI also takes a special coated piston because it is a lean burn engine. It is recommended to only use OEM DI pistons and you will have to have the cylinders measured professionally to see if they can be bored to fit new pistons.

After all this you still need to find out why to engine seized or the new one will too.

 

[94samson]

I seem to find can of worms a lot.

I ended up with the RX because of the double trailer it was sitting on, the other Sea-Doo that was on the trailer has been out on the water.

The guy turned it over when I bought the trailer, but he had the RAVE out, here is a pic of it:

Wieghing options at the moment.

 

[mikidymac]

Unless the rave broke which yours didn't it really can't touch the piston unless the cylinders were bored and the valve wasn't clearanced to fit but it would hit immediately and it looks like yours ran for quite a while.

I would guess that piston ran lean and seized and the mechanical damage from that hit the RAVE. I would suspect the RAVE is collateral damage not the cause.

 

[jhjesse]

What color is the oil in the tank. Looks like a clogged oil filter.

 

[94samson]

The oil in the tank is red

 

[DanSquires]

Does the ski have about 160 hours on it? It's been my experience that the high tension rings of the DI will wear the bore around that hour mark, and will clip the RAVE valve. Usually results in a peppered head as well.

DI's do run lean, and are pretty much a pain in the butt when things go wrong. Great when they run.

 

[DooWacka]

I agree with miki on everything except needing to rebuild the bottom end. I have rebuilt the top end on almost a dozen of these DI and have yet to have a problem with leaving the bottom end alone. Maybe I've just been lucky. Over sized DI pistons are available on eBay etc. up to 1 mm over for about $80. Boring can be found for $50 to $100.

 

[mikidymac]

I agree with miki on everything except needing to rebuild the bottom end. I have rebuilt the top end on almost a dozen of these DI and have yet to have a problem with leaving the bottom end alone. Maybe I've just been lucky. Over sized DI pistons are available on eBay etc. up to 1 mm over for about $80. Boring can be found for $50 to $100.

You have been lucky. The majority of 951 and DI failures are the crank going through the cases. It is a highly stressed engine.

 

[DanSquires]

You have been lucky. The majority of 951 and DI failures are the crank going through the cases. It is a highly stressed engine.

Interesting. I've rebuilt 9 DI skis this summer, have two more in the shop to go.. thank god, I'm tired of them (and therefore celebrate immensely when a single carb 717 ski comes through.) All but two had perfect bottom ends, almost felt like a waste to pull them and do the crank seals. All with anywhere from 157 - 168 hours, all clipping the rave. Now the two that did require more than new top ends, also required new cases.. I absolutely agree, they come apart in spectacular fashion.