Pwnage1337
Active Member
That's what I figured. Just glue some together in a stack and glue them back in place
96 XP revival
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Pwnage1337
Active Member
Little bit of a sad day today.
I got the boat all put together and put it in the water. It started and ran good on the trailer, (bet you guys have heard that before) but as soon as I put it in the water and tried to take off it acted like it dropped a cylinder. I made it about 100 feet out into the lake and turned around and headed back to the boat ramp. Took it back home and decided to check compression. 90 PSI on each cylinder. The MAG plug was wet like it wasn't even firing. I confirmed spark on both leads yesterday when I started it on the trailer .I'm assuming when I checked the compression earlier in this process there was some residual oil in the cylinders that was boosting the pressure up to 120 psi on each cylinder.
Now I need to determine if I can get away with a top end kit, or bite the bullet and get an SBT. As mentioned previously I don't doubt that the crank seals are shot.
I am committed to getting this thing running well as soon as possible. That was the whole reason for me putting it in the water on a 45 degree April day.
Any input is welcome. Is it better to have the crank rebuilt and do the top end kit myself, or just buy an engine from SBT? From a financial aspect. I am mechanically inclined so doing it myself doesn't scare me that much. Seems like I could get a top end and a crank rebuilt for about $600, and an engine from SBT is $900.
Thoughts and input is appreciated.
Jeremy
I got the boat all put together and put it in the water. It started and ran good on the trailer, (bet you guys have heard that before) but as soon as I put it in the water and tried to take off it acted like it dropped a cylinder. I made it about 100 feet out into the lake and turned around and headed back to the boat ramp. Took it back home and decided to check compression. 90 PSI on each cylinder. The MAG plug was wet like it wasn't even firing. I confirmed spark on both leads yesterday when I started it on the trailer .I'm assuming when I checked the compression earlier in this process there was some residual oil in the cylinders that was boosting the pressure up to 120 psi on each cylinder.
Now I need to determine if I can get away with a top end kit, or bite the bullet and get an SBT. As mentioned previously I don't doubt that the crank seals are shot.
I am committed to getting this thing running well as soon as possible. That was the whole reason for me putting it in the water on a 45 degree April day.
Any input is welcome. Is it better to have the crank rebuilt and do the top end kit myself, or just buy an engine from SBT? From a financial aspect. I am mechanically inclined so doing it myself doesn't scare me that much. Seems like I could get a top end and a crank rebuilt for about $600, and an engine from SBT is $900.
Thoughts and input is appreciated.
Jeremy
GGuillot
Well-Known Member
Hmmm, decisions. I'd double back and recheck the compression first, the gauges can be faulty at times, at 90psi I'm not even sure you'd get it to start. But, with that said if you saw 120 before and it's accurate, time for at least a top end.
Not too bad to do a rebuild, follow the SM, tear it down and build it back up. The crankshaft if you decide to get it from SBT isn't a bad deal, I've bought them for my 787 builds. About $325 reman for the carbed 787 last time I checked.
You'll need a full gasket kit, the top end with fitted cylinders, think about shipping charges, I'd still budget closer $900 maybe $600 if you don't get a crankshaft. If you remove the engine, you'll need the alignment tool later when you put it back in. Something to consider, SBT has a purchase and return policy where you basically rent it. But not bad if you buy it outright, I did, but I have 2 skis I was rebuilding at the time.
Pwnage1337
Active Member
Thanks for your input. I think my best bet is to just buy a new/reman engine. I don't want to pour all my time into rebuilding something
Pwnage1337
Active Member
I swapped the gauge at the end of the compression tester with a different and they both registered 90
Pwnage1337
Active Member
It's just a cheapo from HF. I will try to get my hands on a better one
Pwnage1337
Active Member
I guess doesn't explain why the same gauge previously showed 120psi but I'll rent a tester from AutoZone or something
Pwnage1337
Active Member
Turns out the compression tester I was using is absolutely a total piece of shit. I rented this one from AutoZone and got the following. this is a pleasant surprise for me because I thought that this engine would need to be totally rebuilt but I may get a few seasons out of this thing.
Pwnage1337
Active Member
Thoughts on where I should look next? I think I'm going to pull the carbs and look at the low speed screw settings unless they are accessible somehow while in the ski. I'll have to remove the airbox for sure.
Any ideas where I should look beyond that? Spark?
It wouldn't hurt me to trim the spark plug wires back and inch or two and reconnect the boots. With that kind of compression it should run like fire
Any ideas where I should look beyond that? Spark?
It wouldn't hurt me to trim the spark plug wires back and inch or two and reconnect the boots. With that kind of compression it should run like fire
Pwnage1337
Active Member
I did. They have been rebuilt. I'm banking on I forgot to set the low speed circuit screw lol. I will check tomorrow
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Just trim the leads (spark plug wires) back to good wire. Normally you only have to take about 1/4-1/2 inch off to get back to all 7 strands.
Try a fresh set of plugs.
Try a fresh set of plugs.
Pwnage1337
Active Member
I put new plugs in it. I need to check my idle speed screw. I think when I took them apart I may have backed it off. The ski wanted a little throttle to idle on the trailer so I'm sure that needs to be adjusted. I bought a tach to put on the ski to verify idle speed. Today when I get home I'm going to pull the airbox and check the low speed screws and the idle screw. I checked the oil pump marks and they were right on the money but obviously that will change when I adjust the idle speed screw
Pwnage1337
Active Member
Little late but time for an update!
After talking with a few people they suggested I change my rectifier. I ordered one from OSD Marine. Put it in, and the ski would then rev up to 6600 ish on the trailer, the best I could tell from my cheap Amazon Tach. Friday, the 17th, I put the ski in the water again.
This time the Ski ran awesome! Per the tach it was hitting about 6700-6750 RPM at WOT. It was definitely moving. Ran around a bit and put it back on the trailer.
Took the ski back home and started wiring up the Trim Fix. Got that all good to go, so I can now control VTS.
I have been ordering a few small things like handle bar grips, a new handlebar cover, etc. Ready for riding season now.
After talking with a few people they suggested I change my rectifier. I ordered one from OSD Marine. Put it in, and the ski would then rev up to 6600 ish on the trailer, the best I could tell from my cheap Amazon Tach. Friday, the 17th, I put the ski in the water again.
This time the Ski ran awesome! Per the tach it was hitting about 6700-6750 RPM at WOT. It was definitely moving. Ran around a bit and put it back on the trailer.
Took the ski back home and started wiring up the Trim Fix. Got that all good to go, so I can now control VTS.
I have been ordering a few small things like handle bar grips, a new handlebar cover, etc. Ready for riding season now.
Ckrawiec
Well-Known Member
Can you fill in what happened between 4/12 and Yesterday??? On 4/12 you were at the "adjustment "stage fiddling with the Low speed screws and the Idle screw. What did you end up doing? I am at that exact stage with my '96 so I'm curious HOW/WHAT you did to dial in the adjustments. I have already received good advise about what I need to do, but more info is always better. I'm still waiting for the weather to break here in NY (I can only do my ski work outside 
....last week I was ready to make the IDLE adjustments, etc...then it has SNOWED TWICE since then...this is BS!
....last week I was ready to make the IDLE adjustments, etc...then it has SNOWED TWICE since then...this is BS!Pwnage1337
Active Member
I pulled the airbox back off the Carbs so I could access the low speed screws and the idle adjustment screw.
As I suspected, the Idle screw was not even touching the plate that opens the butterflies on the carbs. I found a thread that advised to turn the screw until it contacts the plate, then turn an additional two turns. This got me really close to the desired idle speed of 3000 RPM on the trailer, per my $12 amazon tach. I made a tiny adjustment of maybe a 16th of a turn and it idles right around 3050 on the trailer now.
I turned the low speed screws all the way in and turned them out 1 turn. I had them set at 1.5 turns out initially, due to conflicting information about whether 1.5 turns out or 1 turn out was stock. Based on my experience with the way it wanted to run I set them at 1 turn.
The next trip out on the water was totally different - thing practically jumps right out of the water when you pin it from idle. I am also confident that I did in fact have a bad Voltage Regulator/Rectifier that is why the ski wouldn't get above 3000 RPM the first trip out on the 10th.
My plugs are a little dark but I suspect that is because I premixed the first tank at 40:1, along with running the oil injection. I didn't want to have any hiccups in the oil system (air, because I had the ski upside down) even though I bled the system, and can deal with fouling out a set of plugs knowing that the motor is getting oil for sure. The next tank will be just straight gas, relying entirely on the oil injection. By the time I burn through 9 gallons I would suspect that any air bubbles that might be in the system have been pushed out.
As I suspected, the Idle screw was not even touching the plate that opens the butterflies on the carbs. I found a thread that advised to turn the screw until it contacts the plate, then turn an additional two turns. This got me really close to the desired idle speed of 3000 RPM on the trailer, per my $12 amazon tach. I made a tiny adjustment of maybe a 16th of a turn and it idles right around 3050 on the trailer now.
I turned the low speed screws all the way in and turned them out 1 turn. I had them set at 1.5 turns out initially, due to conflicting information about whether 1.5 turns out or 1 turn out was stock. Based on my experience with the way it wanted to run I set them at 1 turn.
The next trip out on the water was totally different - thing practically jumps right out of the water when you pin it from idle. I am also confident that I did in fact have a bad Voltage Regulator/Rectifier that is why the ski wouldn't get above 3000 RPM the first trip out on the 10th.
My plugs are a little dark but I suspect that is because I premixed the first tank at 40:1, along with running the oil injection. I didn't want to have any hiccups in the oil system (air, because I had the ski upside down) even though I bled the system, and can deal with fouling out a set of plugs knowing that the motor is getting oil for sure. The next tank will be just straight gas, relying entirely on the oil injection. By the time I burn through 9 gallons I would suspect that any air bubbles that might be in the system have been pushed out.
Pwnage1337
Active Member
What size machine screws are you guys using to hold the front bumper on? I've seen people mentioning they are using stainless machine screws with nuts on the back.
I tried getting a hand riveter in there and it didn't work worth a shit. It worked good on the corner pieces on the back of the ski but not for the bumper at all.
I tried getting a hand riveter in there and it didn't work worth a shit. It worked good on the corner pieces on the back of the ski but not for the bumper at all.
GGuillot
Well-Known Member
I can't remember the size right off I know I put it in a thread somewhere. I got them at Home Depot, #10? machined SS small head with the nut having the nylon part to lock it. Bring a rivet with you and match it up for the diameter. Go with longer like 1 1/4", and be ready to die grind some on the back side to get the nut started. I notched the guard underneath to be able to get a wrench on the nut. The good thing when you secure it this way, it's not coming off at a later date.
Ckrawiec
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the follow up......that is the advise I had been given already and you have confirmed it. Thanks.
Pwnage1337
Active Member
Thanks for all the input guys. I'm going to try to get that damn bumper on tonight. Going to try the spacer method with the rivet gun just because I have rivets on hand
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