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96 SPX replace entire engine or hopefully top end?

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96spxpos

96spxpos

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Took the 96spx P.O.S. Out today, I usually do 10-15 min runs at a clip, come back and shut it off, chill, then hit it again..
Today, family was in town so I let another person drive his little kid on it, which I never let ANYONE ride my stuff. So, they were doing like 20 min runs at a clip, barely planing off the entire time. They did this about 3x.. Then I get on it before we leave, not even 3 min into my normal run, and at WOT I hear a pop and it's dead. Won't start, get towed in, get home to do a compression check, but pto barely turns then lock.. Pto plug is juicy, mag plug is dry.. They always look juicy bc I premix. Then I go to crank and I hear this... Does this call for a top and bottom bc pto won't turn?
Let me know what you guys think..
365.jpg
366.jpg
https://vimeo.com/137066153


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Oh wait, I bet this'll cause a bad day!!! How would this happen? From driving while trying to plane for 20 min x 3?
367.jpg



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I hear ya. But for that piece of the engine to blow out like that, I'll need a jug, correct? Doesn't look like that's a gasket


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That grinding sound I would bet is the brass rotary gear in the bottom end that is now stripped. A familiar sound to me!
 
When the ski first shut off, I tried cranking it over 3 times.. Would that have caused any more unnecessary damage?


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SBT usually puts a sticker on the mag housing where my bombardier sticker is, so I don't think so. The po told me it was a fresh rebuild in 2011 when I bought it and although he never ran it bc his fuel lines were ran backwards, I tend to believe him


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The ski had 150/150 back in 2011, the motor has been flooded three times up to the plugs with saltwater, and I got a great deal of hours out of it since 2011.. This was the compression just a few months back after 4 years, floods, etc
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372.jpg



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The grey paint is why I asked. I don't see how the jug split like that looks like it was frozen

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Do you think those 3 extra cranks may have done damage when I stalled?


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It just odd how I NEVER had an issue, and then I let someone ride it with a 4 year old on it in front, so he wanted to go slow, so he had it to right before its trying to plane out the entire time.. I'm just wondering if that type of load/stress on the motor could cause that


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Idk man that's the way it happens everytime you let someone ride it breaks

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Supposed to say that if you break it you bought it.

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OK. Hello. Just hear me (you can see my other threads). Bought this ski from my cousin in June at 91 hours and rode it 30 hours since then. My ski started having issues three weeks ago. Motor was irregular. Then the local mechanics found out a defective ground and fixed it. I thought I was out of trouble. A few hours later, my ski went dead 3 miles from my home. Had to call my uncle to tow me at 10 mph (no more than that).

Brought the sea-doo to the dealer (they still repair 2003 but told me that they were not doing a lot of them anymore). At that specific moment, compression was at 130. They told me that it was weak but that I could just get away with it this summer by cleaning out the carb (which I did). So, 700$ later, including check up and jet maintenance, I put the ski back into the lake, hit the throttle and 300 feet from my dock, ski went almost dead. Limped it back. Died when releasing the throttle. Then it would not start anymore.

Brought it back to the dealer: compression had gone down to 90 in one cylinder. I was baffled. I thought this machine was pristine. They inserted a camera and then the killer diag came. One piston and cylinder were stripped. So I was left with a hard decision: (1) scrap the ski, (2) rebuild the top end without any warranty, or (3) replace the whole motor (with a one year warranty from BRP). I chose the latter because the rest of the ski is indeed pristine. Turned out that the motor was broken right down to the crank (one piston broke in two pieces). Even more, the rotary valve was damaged by particles, it had a dent in it. If I had chosen option 2, I would have been screwed big time. Total waste of money.

Three weeks later, I have a completely rebuilt engine (along with oil pump, rebuilt muffler, rotary valve and completely cleaned carb). Aside from a carb adjustment needed after burn-in (another story in itself), I hope it will serve me well for the next three years.

My point is: don't try to find a reason for the breaking because I couldn't and no one will have a definite answer for you. Fact is that piston broke in two at 124 hours and I will never know why (when you buy used, you accept the risk). My advice is: rebuild the whole thing or scrap it. Nothing in the middle. And this is from a guy who thought he made a good deal at 4K$ including the trailer. Oh yes, I had 33 hours of fun before it broke, but in this case, there is not shortcut I believe. Lesson learned with an extra 4K$ in repair...

Maybe I should have bought a 2008 4-tec at that price. Damage done, lesson learned.

And no: there was no way I could do that by myself. Time is money.

Benji.
 
Well the reason I ask WHY, is exactly that, you break it, you buy it.. I've been in this thing thru hell and back and never had an issue like this... The problem was, it was ME on the ski when it went dead. So I was just curious if anyone knows if driving a ski for 60+ minutes at a speed of just trying to get it up on plane causes excess and undue STRESS on the motor? for example like a stick shift on the HIGHWAY but you're only driving in 3rd gear and never shift, maxing the revs out...

Obviously damage is done.. I'm going to tear it down anyway bc worse comes to worse, 90% of this ski is compatible with my HX (I know the manual front and back, they're basically the same) besides the hull itself..
So I'd have a ton of spare parts, a motor I can tear down completely and keep as a spare, etc..

So if anyone has any thoughts on that whole riding at the pre plane speed, let me know what you're thinking.
Thanks!
Also, I already found a few used juggees.. If it's the mag piston, am I looking to buy "cyl #1" or "cyl #2"?
That's how they are listed on fleabay
 
Yea, bc if the bottom end is completely effed and damaged I could just go with a reman


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The metal that busted out on the top of the cylinder is from salt use. It's the build up of corrosion that does that.

Any healthy ski would not be hurt by a guy putting around with his kid. I agree that you should tear it down and asses the damage before spending any money. It's gonna be a bear to tear down after that salt use. Bolts may be seized.
 
96spxpos said:
Well the reason I ask WHY, is exactly that, you break it, you buy it.. I've been in this thing thru hell and back and never had an issue like this... The problem was, it was ME on the ski when it went dead. So I was just curious if anyone knows if driving a ski for 60+ minutes at a speed of just trying to get it up on plane causes excess and undue STRESS on the motor? for example like a stick shift on the HIGHWAY but you're only driving in 3rd gear and never shift, maxing the revs out...

Obviously damage is done.. I'm going to tear it down anyway bc worse comes to worse, 90% of this ski is compatible with my HX (I know the manual front and back, they're basically the same) besides the hull itself..
So I'd have a ton of spare parts, a motor I can tear down completely and keep as a spare, etc..

So if anyone has any thoughts on that whole riding at the pre plane speed, let me know what you're thinking.
Thanks!
Also, I already found a few used juggees.. If it's the mag piston, am I looking to buy "cyl #1" or "cyl #2"?
That's how they are listed on fleabay
Click to expand...

I may have set of used pistons
:rolleyes:
 
[MENTION=33508]ocod[/MENTION] let me know. going to try and tear it down this week. [MENTION=51824]Matt Braley[/MENTION] Considering I flush this thing religiously after every ride (obviously theres some corrosion and pitting on the mag cover and a bit on the engine, which I even mist down that stuff after every ride), is there something else I should be doing going forward? like taking the head off periodically and cleaning the inner jug walls with something?
 
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