2003 rxdi cavitating

[murray1886]

I'm pretty sure its the carbon seal causing this, I think the baffle is no longer providing enough pressure.
If I touch the thing while its in the water it starts leaking.
My question is: when running, it looks like it has a wobble to it... is the shaft bent, or is this normal?
#2 I'm not a big fan of the carbon seal, I saw on the seadoo boat forum that people are doing a seal retrofit.
Has anyone done this with a PWC? is there an advantage to the carbon seal over the old fashion grease bearing seal?

 

[Dr Honda]

OK... here's the deal.


Yes... you can put on a regular seal pack. BUT.. if you have a failure with a seal pack... it has a tendency of ripping the boot, and leaving a 2" hole in the back of your ski. And yes... your ski will sink because of it. Not to mention... you have to grease it after every ride to be safe.

The only time I recommend people to switch back to a conventional seal, is if they are racing, and they are ripping into the ski all the time, and watching the maintenance.


There is nothing wrong with the carbon seal, and over the last few years, it seems like they are getting a lot of hate. But lets face it... there are 15 year old carbon seals, that are just starting to need replaced. AND... I have NEVER heard of a carbon seal having a catastrophic failure, where it caused a ski or boat to sink. It's just like the wear ring. Guys hate the Seadoo wear ring... but when it needs replaced, it's an easy job and costs $40. Do the same thing with a Kawi... and it's a $200 pump section.



Anyway... are you seeing the "Wobble" while it's in the water? Or is that on the trailer?? if it's on the trailer... it's normal since the lake water will stabilize it. If you are saying the stainless ring is wobbling... then yes... something is bent.


Anyway... replace the carbon ring, boot, and the 2 O-rings inside the stainless ring, and go enjoy a trouble free, maintenance free seal for the next 10 years.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

I have skis with well over 400 hours, original carbon rings. are you sure the issue isn't the prop or wear ring?

 

[murray1886]

OK... here's the deal.


Yes... you can put on a regular seal pack. BUT.. if you have a failure with a seal pack... it has a tendency of ripping the boot, and leaving a 2" hole in the back of your ski. And yes... your ski will sink because of it. Not to mention... you have to grease it after every ride to be safe.

The only time I recommend people to switch back to a conventional seal, is if they are racing, and they are ripping into the ski all the time, and watching the maintenance.


There is nothing wrong with the carbon seal, and over the last few years, it seems like they are getting a lot of hate. But lets face it... there are 15 year old carbon seals, that are just starting to need replaced. AND... I have NEVER heard of a carbon seal having a catastrophic failure, where it caused a ski or boat to sink. It's just like the wear ring. Guys hate the Seadoo wear ring... but when it needs replaced, it's an easy job and costs $40. Do the same thing with a Kawi... and it's a $200 pump section.



Anyway... are you seeing the "Wobble" while it's in the water? Or is that on the trailer?? if it's on the trailer... it's normal since the lake water will stabilize it. If you are saying the stainless ring is wobbling... then yes... something is bent.


Anyway... replace the carbon ring, boot, and the 2 O-rings inside the stainless ring, and go enjoy a trouble free, maintenance free seal for the next 10 years.

At first I thought I had a siphon problem... the water in the hull wasn't going down (not much, but enough to cover the siphon pickup)
Then it started cavitation and was progressively getting worse.

I pulled the seat the last time there was a bunch of water, so I pulled it on the trailer and saw the problem.

I had the engine out and apparently left a paper towel in the engine compartment. Pieces had wrapper itself around the shaft and between the stainless and carbon ring.

not sure its thats enough to bend anything, but it seems to have a wobble in the water. I can watch the carbon ring sway about an 8th of an inch but the stainless seems straight...maybe the stainless ring is bent??

It doesn't leak now, but the seal is pretty rough in places and if I touch it with the slightest pressure it leaks... so I'm pretty sure its leaking when I'm underway, causing the cavitation and small water intrusion into the hull(may be a lot of water and the siphons and just keeping it down)

 

[Bills86e]

Engine compartment water

1. Guys run the ski over a minute on the hose. The carbone ring can get real hot as they don't know to squirt some water on them to cool them. They normally are cooled by ski rear being emersed. replace both CR parts. You can move the boot on the hull snout forward to put more pressure on the CR. you normally pump grease into the PTO that puts rearward pressure on the driveshaft CR. Every three outing a pump or two, just look for the DS boot to swell, and DS to move rearward. Thusly putting pressure on CR and into the jetpump. An anti-rattle kit does not cure problem.

2. Look into the nozzel venturi for the two bailor tubes at inside top, they look like walrus teeth. They fall out, then the ski leaks water into the compartment instead of vacing out any floor water. Install new tubes with pvc waterpruff glue, I use two #6 x 3/8" stainless drill point screws to secure them in. Right thru the clamshell holes. two screws in each. (I don't like glue). Now the bailors will siphon, constantly when under way.
Remember to re-install the two O-rings when reattachng the steering nozzel to the pump. Insure the two lines are tied up high at seat rear in compartment. The lines have 90* fittings there to insure they don't kink.Not shown: http://fiche.seadoowarehouse.com/se...=204&b=20&c=0&d=-PROPULSION-SYSTEM---EXTERNAL

The other seal has a zerk grease fitting, so you normally grease them both. When they go ungreased they let water in, rust the long roller bearing, adhere/rusted to the drive shaft, then it turns the DS big boot untill it rips the hull snout off, and the ski quickly sinks.

Bills86e

 

[Dr Honda]

If you push on the boot/carbon ring... then yes... water comes in. The "Seal" is just the interface where the carbon ring, and stainless ring touch. Also... the carbon ring leaks by design. That's how it stays cool, and makes the seal. A small amount of water "Floats" the seal off the stainless ring. SO... a seadoo will allways have some water in them, and that's why they have a bailer system. (to keep most of it out)

Running you ski out of the water is VERY bad for the seal, since there is nothing to cool, or lube it.


Honestly... don't over think it. Just replace the seal wear parts, and go ride.

 

[murray1886]

replaced the carbon seal.... problem solved! Thanks guys! its nice to have a place to ask these questions without being told to bring it in for $100 an hour!

 

[alindley]

2. Look into the nozzel venturi for the two bailor tubes at inside top, they look like walrus teeth. They fall out, then the ski leaks water into the compartment instead of vacing out any floor water. Install new tubes with pvc waterpruff glue, I use two #6 x 3/8" stainless drill point screws to secure them in. Right thru the clamshell holes. two screws in each. (I don't like glue). Now the bailors will siphon, constantly when under way.
Remember to re-install the two O-rings when reattachng the steering nozzel to the pump. Insure the two lines are tied up high at seat rear in compartment. The lines have 90* fittings there to insure they don't kink.Not shown: http://fiche.seadoowarehouse.com/se...=204&b=20&c=0&d=-PROPULSION-SYSTEM---EXTERNAL

Hey, Im dealing with these right now. My problem is one of the tubes are still broken inside of this. Im gonna drill at last resort, I got the other one out myself, but Im struggling real hard getting the other one out.

I have 2 new ones, I cant get them in at all tho. Maybe 1/8th an inch in... I tried using a flat peice of metal to bash it in but it didnt go in what so ever.... So Getting them back in is the second problem i got going on...

Im going to a buddies cottage tomorrow so I'm kinda in a rush to get this done, but I'm lost and dont wanna break them smashing them to hard?

And about just screwing them into the steering, thats ok?? I assume I have to get them in deep first tho

 

[alindley]

anyone?? im gonna buy a 200 $ used jet pump tomrrow if i cant figure it out, have to get this together by tomrrow!

I got the 2 old siphon tubes out, just tryna put em back in, tried beatin it with hammer and a flat object, but didnt get in past the first hump at all, came out with 0 effort