95 XP project

[burtshaver2021]

I’ve been messing around with this 95 XP, it seemed like there was a strong fuel smell when I took the seat off. It has clear fuel lines held on with zip ties. I bought a back to OEM carb rebuild kit from OSD marine thinking that the seats where leaking causing the fuel smell? I took the carbs off today and took the cover off the metering side so I could do a pop off test. I tested the diaphragm first by pressurizing with 10 pounds in the inlet nipple and it held on both carbs, also put 4 pounds on the pulse nipple and that held as well. Once I took the cover off the metering side I could see that t je diaphragm had the red button indicating that it was rebuilt with a genuine Mikuni kit. Did the pop off pressure test and mag carb was popping at 50 pounds and the pto carb was popping off at 45 pounds. Seadoo source says the pop off should be between 40-56 pounds. Is this 5 pound difference between carbs an issue? Oddly the 95 shop manual says that pop off should be between 16 to 21 pounds for a dual carburetor? I find that odd. I checked the low and high speed screws in both and they were both at 1 3/4 out and high closed. When I purchased it the previous owner said it was blown up but then when I got there started it and said it bogs at high speed. I have the rebuild kit for the carbs but don’t want to use it if I don’t need to. The carbs passed all tests and I could probably use this carb kit for my 98 Challenger. I also tried pressure testing the fuel system, I had it holding 5 pounds of vacuum but then after I took clamps off the on and reserve lines just above the baffle and put them back on I couldn’t get it to hold again. Kept losing about 1 pound of vacuum in about a minute on every setting, when testing on and reserve which leads me to think it’s the fuel filter that’s leaking. Unless someone tells me different my plan is going to be to get the fuel system to hold the 5 pounds of vacuum, put the carburetors back on and take it for a drive myself. Perhaps that air leak in the fuel system was causing the bogging? Any type of hesitation though and I will rebuild those carburetors. Compression is good and I did have it running for a few seconds right after I purchased it.

 

[burtshaver2021]

I just thought of one thing I want to look at and that’s the fuel pressure relief valve.

 

[burtshaver2021]

it was a good day today. Got back to pressure testing the fuel system. I had a leak somewhere and I never have any luck finding leaks with soapy water except on tires so I tested each component individually. Put vac on the fuel inlet hose where it connects to carb, took other line off of fuel filter and put finger over opening, it held pressure, took the lines from the selector knod off at the fuel pickup and tested them with vac individually, ended up being a leak in the hose where it connects to the out on the fuel selector. So now with that fixed I proceeded to take the gas tank out and I think I found where I was getting that fuel smell from, fuel tank was split about half way around where the filler neck attaches. Got to looking around on old seadoo forum threads and the tank has a recall so I’m going to call brp dealership on Monday and see if I can get a new tank. In the meantime I think tomorrow I will take it out, clean it up and try to plastic weld it with some polyethylene. The plastic welding worked well in my GTI oil tank but I’m going to anal about pressure testing this fuel tank after the repair, hopefully I end up with a new one from brp. Oh, and I posted my 97 GSX for sale but I priced it high enough that I probably won’t sell it.

 

[peril99]

will they give you one for an almost 30yo part? That's pretty awesome if they do or provide a substitute.

 

[burtshaver2021]

will they give you one for an almost 30yo part? That's pretty awesome if they do or provide a substitute.

Lol, I’m not sure. I’ve seen post from 2017ish where people have still gotten new tanks. I’m going to call and give it a try anyways, I think they will if they can still get a new tank. WE WILL SEE. I’m going to go ahead and repair this one because I’m impatient and can’t wait to try and get this XP on the water.

 

[peril99]

I have a 95 and 97 xp as handmedowns, they are so fun.

 

[burtshaver2021]

I have a 95 and 97 xp as handmedowns, they are so fun.

I agree, The only XP I’ve driven was a 94 that has the 657 and I was really impressed with it so I’m looking forward to hopefully driving this 95 with the 717.

 

[burtshaver2021]

I agree, The only XP I’ve driven was a 94 that has the 657 and I was really impressed with it so I’m looking forward to hopefully driving this 95 with the 717.

And lucky you, those are nice hand me downs

 

[peril99]

And lucky you, those are nice hand me downs

They were ridden hard and put away wet in the Delaware River and Bay - getting all I can out of them before I do an engine swaps, and fiberglass clean up.

 

[burtshaver2021]

Today my goal was to fix the gas tank on the 95 XP. Didn’t go as easily as I thought it would. I’ve plastic welded before when I did the oil tank on my GTI but I didn’t pressure test when I did the oil tank and it still leaks in spots. Today I had about 4 hours into fixing this gas tank but I got it so that it doesn’t leak at all. I think this repair is worthy of its own thread so I’m going to make another one and detail how I went about it there. Do I trust this repair? At this point, not 100 percent but it does seem strong, I believe the molten plastic melts into the plastic on the gas tank becoming one but time will tell. I’m going to keep a close eye on it and I will report my findings here as well as in the new thread I’m going to make.

 

[burtshaver2021]

Here is the tank beforeand here is the tank after the repair

 

[burtshaver2021]

I can never tell what order the picture are going to be in or where my writing will be when I add more than I picture to a post

 

[burtshaver2021]

I put the gas tank in, took the plugs out, I had seen oil laying in the intake manifold when I had the carbs off so I rolled it over for about 10 seconds, plugs back in, wouldn’t roll, plugs out rolled it 10 seconds, plugs in, wouldn’t roll. Killed the old battery, my question is, can I try starting it with only 1 plug in? Leave the the one that’s filling with oil the plug wire attached to the grounding post? Or can I damage the engine doing this?

 

[burtshaver2021]

Need some advice here please. Put the charged battery in it, rolled it over with plugs out and didn’t seem to be much oil coming out of pto cylinder which is a good sign as it sat overnight. For the most part it would only start with me putting mixed fuel in the plug holes, once it was going it had to be drawing fuel though because it ran for 20 or 30 seconds which is much longer than the little fuel I put in would go. A few things I noticed, except for maybe once or twice, I had to put duel in the plug holes to start it. Noticed a fair amount of injection oil being blown out the exhaust and laying on the grass, actually looked like a little oily slim coming out when I shut it off. I noticed an air bubble in the fuel feed line to the carbs, it has clear fuel lines which are nice for seeing bubbles but they don’t fit as tight as the 1/4” black fuel lines. Also pretty much had a run away condition a few times where it would rev to approximately 5000 rpm (only guessing at rpm). Not 100 percent sure where to go next? I had vacuum tested the fuel system and all components passed but I did see a bubble in the fuel line which I understand there would be air in there because I had it all apart testing but should that bubble clear itself out? To me, I’m guessing that it’s starving for fuel causing the runaway and hard start without fuel in plug holes. I just don’t want to take a shotgun approach. Should I start with rebuilding the carbs? Or start with replacing those clear fuel lines even though they passed vacuum test? Or should I start with a leak down test of the motor? I would have to plug the vent and oil line nipple to RV cavity as I know the one to the pto side is leaking.

 

[burtshaver2021]

I need some advice please look at my previous post but I’m thinking it’s a lean condition due to fuel starvation. Maybe even though the fuel system including the selector valve passed the vacuum test that maybe it’s dirty and restricting fuel flow? The carburetors I had off passed all tests and looked as if it had been rebuilt with Mikuni parts but would a plugged pilot circuit possibly cause this fuel starvation? I purchased this last fall and started it on its own power, who knows how old the gas was and if it was even premium, I know when I took it out just a couple of days ago the fuel was orange and stinky.

 

[peril99]

I would run the engine with 40:1 mix as you start, don't trust the oil pump. . Mine revs up HIGH out of the water - and it doesn't settle down when it's not in the water. make sure the oil ports on the engine have oil in them, you can look and follow them from the oil tank).

What are the symptoms - is it starting and running ? Or does it only run briefly?

I would change out the fuel selector valves, the lines are probably fine - esp if they have clamps / zip ties on them - those barbs hold well.

 

[burtshaver2021]

I would run the engine with 40:1 mix as you start, don't trust the oil pump. . Mine revs up HIGH out of the water - and it doesn't settle down when it's not in the water. make sure the oil ports on the engine have oil in them, you can look and follow them from the oil tank).

What are the symptoms - is it starting and running ? Or does it only run briefly?

I would change out the fuel selector valves, the lines are probably fine - esp if they have clamps / zip ties on them - those barbs hold well.

I have premixed the fuel in addition to the oil pump, I will run it like that till I am sure the oil pump is working . When you say make sure there is oil at the ports do you mean to make sure there is oil in the small oil lines? coming from oil pump to the intake? There is oil in them. It will start but only with mixed fuel in plug holes to get it going and then it’s a struggle to keep it going, I have to pull the choke to keep it going. I’m thinking it’s starving for fuel. I agree about switching the fuel selector, even though it pressure tested fine I’m thinking it could still be restricting fuel. From there I was thinking of rebuilding the carburetors. They did pass pressure test and pop off was good but they could be dirty with that old fuel that was in it.

 

[Grim]

Does your gas tank have a relief valve, maybe its holding a small vacuum in tank when carb is working? If relief valve isn't working. You can start motor and then one it acts up open the gas cap, if you get air sucking , that may be it.

 

[burtshaver2021]

Does your gas tank have a relief valve, maybe its holding a small vacuum in tank when carb is working? If relief valve isn't working. You can start motor and then one it acts up open the gas cap, if you get air sucking , that may be it.

Thanks for the reply Grim but I only have about a quarter tank of fuel and it acts up instantly. The pressure relief valve will be something I check once I get it working properly. Do you think I’m on the right track with fuel starvation? It has compression and spark, seems like a lean condition to me. I was going to start with fuel selector valve even though it pressure tested ok and then move on to carb rebuild.

 

[peril99]

I would change out the fuel selector or you could take it out and hit it with carb cleaner and poke and see if it sheds anything; ; the carb rebuilding again thing stinks - but you have no idea how long they were sitting. (and what they look like inside).

 

[burtshaver2021]

I would change out the fuel selector or you could take it out and hit it with carb cleaner and poke and see if it sheds anything; ; the carb rebuilding again thing stinks - but you have no idea how long they were sitting. (and what they look like inside).

That’s how I’m going to go ahead then, if I have to rebuild the carbs so be it, I already have the rebuild kit so that’s good. Like I mentioned in previous post, they were so clean inside, had the red button on the diaphragm and passed all tests I thought I might be able to save the rebuild kit for something that needs it but....

 

[burtshaver2021]

Got to looking at this some more, put a fuel line from the carb to what I thought was the ON fitting in the top of the fuel baffle, tried to start it and no start, had a look at the markings on top of the baffle and I had it hooked to the RET in the baffle, switched the line to the ON and after rolling it for 4 or 5 seconds with the choke pulled it started, tried it again without the choke and started the instant I pressed the start button. No runaway either. I’m thinking either the previous owner hooked the fuel lines incorrectly or I did when I was pressure testing the fuel system. Either way I’m super happy. Going to double check the fuel line routing now

 

[burtshaver2021]

So someone else definitely had the fuel lines routed wrong because I never had the grey vent line off the top of the baffle and it was on the return fitting, I think the return line was on the vent but can’t remember now for sure, they are all routed correctly now but I can see bubbles in the carburetor inlet line and lots of bubbles in the return line. I checked the inlet line right after the filter and could see bubbles there also. I really don’t trust the way those clear fuel lines fit, they just don’t fit over the fittings as tightly as the continental 1/4 inch line with the SAE J30R7 rating. I have a new fuel selector and filter o-ring waiting for pick up at my us address, thank I’m going to order a roll of good fuel line tonight so I have everything I could possibly need.

 

[peril99]

Got to looking at this some more, put a fuel line from the carb to what I thought was the ON fitting in the top of the fuel baffle, tried to start it and no start, had a look at the markings on top of the baffle and I had it hooked to the RET in the baffle, switched the line to the ON and after rolling it for 4 or 5 seconds with the choke pulled it started, tried it again without the choke and started the instant I pressed the start button. No runaway either. I’m thinking either the previous owner hooked the fuel lines incorrectly or I did when I was pressure testing the fuel system. Either way I’m super happy. Going to double check the fuel line routing now

I did exactly this when I changed out the fuel lines - I think I hooked the vent to the fuel and was so baffled when it didn't start, because the 95 is a runner - it ALWAYS goes, and couldn't imagine what changed. I did straight up 1/4 inch with zip ties and worked great.

Is the clear 5/16"?

 

[burtshaver2021]

I did exactly this when I changed out the fuel lines - I think I hooked the vent to the fuel and was so baffled when it didn't start, because the 95 is a runner - it ALWAYS goes, and couldn't imagine what changed. I did straight up 1/4 inch with zip ties and worked great.

Is the clear 5/16"?

I’m not 100 percent sure but I’m thinking it could be. I’m also thinking it could still be the fuel selector valve. I have some of the good 1/4” fuel line from the out on the selector to the filter so I can’t see if it’s sucking air in from there. I could easily just change the lines, the selector and put a new o ring in the filter and be done with it, but for some reason I just really need to know where it’s sucking air in from.