96 xp running lean

[JPYxp]

I recently bought a 96 xp 787 and the previous owner did an oil block off and rebuilt the carbs. He said i should take the ski somewhere and have the carbs tuned and adjusted. He said it was running lean... My question is, is this something i should have done by a shop? Im familiar with cars and stuff but not 2 strokes. I dont wanna mess up the ski and at the same time i dont want to spend alot. I really want to do it myself, but i can not afford to mess this up. I've read into the carb adjusting sticky and im just not sure about the plug chop and pop off buisness.... I live on the water so getting it in the water and stuff is no problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Que the oil block off problems in 3..2...1:

 

[Dr Honda]

Why did he think it was running lean? 2-strokes don't live very long if they are lean.

As far as the block-off... is the tank still in the hull, and hooked to the center of the engine? The rotary valve gears need oil from that tank, and I've seen it a bunch of times, where people get rid of all of it, and the gears eat them selves.

 

[JPYxp]

He left it so they were still getting oil, he didnt run it around after he rebuilt the carbs so it hasnt been ran in a lean condition alot. Only ran it to show me it runs and to trouble shoot

 

[LouDoo]

There's really not much to adjusting the carb. If the carb. overhaul was done properly the high speed should be 0 turns, however if the caps are still installed it will allow you to richen the high speed by 1/4 turn (usually not needed). The low speed should be set at 1 turn, and the pop-off should be 23-43 preferably toward the lower end.

If your unsure about the carbs. PM Dr Honda and see if he will go over them, that's what I was going to do but he shamed me into doing them myself, and he was right it's really not that hard.

If it was my ski and you have the parts I would put the oil injection back on.

Lou

 

[Dr Honda]

Yep... what Lou said.

If he didn't change the carb jetting... then it shouldn't be lean.

 

[JPYxp]

Okay i'll try to figure it out tomorrow. He said the oil pump was a pos so thats why he just blocked it off. Do the screws have notches indicating if its been turned one? 1/4? and so on?

 

[LouDoo]

No, just turn it in and then out. The high speed should have a plastic cap limiting to 1/4 turn.

Lou

 

[JPYxp]

any way to tell which screws are which? Im sorry im extremley new to all this

 

[LouDoo]

You probably need to download a manual, they're free if you join as a premium member. Or you just do a google search.

Lou

 

[JPYxp]

Your a great help Lou, thank you so much

 

[rotaxrule1]

If it helps, I am also familiar with my cars and atvs (2 and 4 stroke). But these things scared me a bit at first because the carb design here is unfamiiar to me vs the bowl and gravity feed design of my atvs. But after going through the manual, and getting alot of helpful advice from the guys here, I was able to rebuild and set the carbs on my 96 just fine. (still in the process of getting it finely tuned, but it runs much better than it did before hand)

You should be fine, just dig in and have fun. Dr. Honda and many others have been great help along the way, as I am sure they will be for you.

As they said, you can check the high and low speed jets to make sure they are set to spec, and make sure the pop off pressure is within spec, and that the needle and seat hold pressure for at least 10 seconds (I think that is what the manual says). You may even want to double check to make sure the stock jets were not changed out (though it would be unlikely that they were changed I would think)

If I remember correctly, the high speed screw is toward the air intake end of the carb, while the low speed is toward the engine. (I really would search for a diagram or get a manual though so you can be absolutely sure of what I am talking about)

Anyway, good luck.

-Brandon

 

[Dr Honda]

No, just turn it in and then out. The high speed should have a plastic cap limiting to 1/4 turn.

Lou

Exactly. Just pop that cap off, and check as normal. (thread it in until it lightly seats, and open as needed)

 

[Dr Honda]

Screws on the bottom... on the same side of the throttle cable is the low speed screws... and on the other side, toward the top is the high speed screws.

But, as Lou said... get the manual for it. You don't want to guess, and mess things up.

 

[cheappc]

dumb question, but on the lo speed screws, you need to remove the airbox? how could you tell if your running lean?
Also, is it advisable to premix just in case?

 

[LouDoo]

Remove the air box but leave the flame arrestor on. If the carbs. are right you should just set them to the factory settings. You don't need to premix unless it's a new engine.

Lou

 

[Spimothy Leary]

You probably need to download a manual, they're free if you join as a premium member. Or you just do a google search.

Lou

http://www.mediafire.com/?hymbvb1thim

 

[Dr Honda]

Pre mix has nothing to do with running lean. A lean run will melt the piston crowns regardless of how much oil you have.

And you don't need to remove the air box. It's a paint to get the screws... but you need the air box on to properly tune the ski.

But as Lou said... if things are right... it will run at the factory specs.

 

[JPYxp]

Like this?

 

[SeattleMatt]

Like this?

I found it helpful to zip tie the throttle to full speed helped to hold the throttle assembly out of the way and allow me to get a screwdriver onto the ends of the LS adjustments screws. Just make sure to REMEMBER TO REMOVE BEFORE STARTING again.

I am by no means an expert btw, I am also struggling to get my idle mix correct.

i hate carbs

 

[mikidymac]

Please check it small oil fittings on the intake manifold. When he removed the oil pump and lines he should have capped these small brass fittings where the oil lines used to connect. If they are not capped and secured with zip ties they could leak air into the intake and cause a fatal lean condition. I see the black fuel lines = good.