650 XP Needle bearing confusion PLEASE HELP!

[campinitos]

I've recently stripped down my 1993 Seadoo XP (which I've had an absolute nightmare with since I bought it) to replace the top end needle bearings but when the parts came they didn't fit the upper end of the con rod. However, the wrist pin fits inside the needle bearing fine. Therefore I was wondering whether there is another needle bearing which is slightly thinner so it still fits the wrist pin, but has clearance inside the con rod, or whether it seems that the ski may have been fitted with different rods somewhere along the line, and I should just go ahead and replace the con rods with 2 of the 650 WSM Connecting Rod Kits?

Which brings me to my next question... If I purchase the WSM 650 Connecting Rod Kit, on various websites it shows that this is only for years 94 and up, so with mine being a 1993 650 what should I do?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!:cheers:

 

[Dr Honda]

The 93 XP was the first ski with that engine. It has a standard 657 engine. In 94 the xp had a 657X engine which is different. You need parts for a standard 657 engine.

Now... Yes, you can get new rods if you are having problems with aftermarket bearings... but unless you have the equipment needed to press a crank together, and "True" it up... it's not a trivial thing to do. I own a shop, and have the equipment, but I will only rebuild a crank on something that is hard to buy parts for. If I have a customer want me to rebuild a SeaDoo engine... I just put in a Hot Rods crank, because it's not worth my time to do the rebuild.

 

[seadooya]

crank, rods, bearings...etc, are the same, even the cylinders are the same whether its a 657 or a 657x motor...

 

[campinitos]

So since I bought a replacement 650 top end bearing and it doesn't fit, it sounds like the con rods which are in it now are not original rods right?

I'm after fixing this up with as little cost as possible so a recon crank is definitely not an option, especially since they will set you back at over £600 in the UK, and the ski will only sell when fixed for around £1000.

Cheers guys

 

[seadooya]

use the old wrist pin bearing...?

 

[campinitos]

I would but they're shot. They were also fixed brass bearings, not needle roller bearings which were wearing the wrist pins.

I'm majorly confused which way to go with it - I have contacted WSM but they can't offer any advice.

What do you think would be the best way to go?

Cheers guys

 

[seadooya]

openur up..? how much material is there to remove, to get the wrist pin bearing, in there?

 

[campinitos]

Just to give you an idea of sizes, which I measured with a caliper last night:
• Upper con rod hole diameter measures 21.5mm.
• The outside of the needle bearing 010-121 measures 23mm, so you can see why it doesn't fit.
• The piston pin measures 20mm and fits snugly inside the bearing and piston.

So I'd have to bore out 2mm circumferentially from the rods to fit these bearings.

Would it not be easier to just replace the 2 con rods and rebuild the crank?

 

[voodoo]

There were 2 sizes in the 650 motors, one too small or one too big, contact the dealer and return the wrong bearings for the correctly sized ones - when did seadoo ever have a brass bearing like this?

 

[voodoo]

If you were to do the rods it is part of a 600bux US crankshaft, there is no way to replace the rods without all the machine press and labor like Tony described earlier.

 

[campinitos]

Cheers guys.

I contacted WSM and gave them the measurements I took with a caliper and they they don't fit any bearings they make.

I've never heard of brass bearings in a Seadoo from what I've read, so I think the crank and rods have been put in by a previous owner (maybe as a quick fix), so I guess the best option is going to be to install a recon crank, and rebuild.

SBT seems pretty reasonable for a recon crank and the rest of the parts I need - $260 should cover it - but in the UK I'd have to spend £400 plus. Crazy!