97 GS

[cj3737]

Hello all...
Just picked up a 97 GTS and 97 GS. Previous owner claimed both "ran great".. BULL! Anyways...
GTS starts and runs well but smokes pretty good during off the hose during quick runs... think its prolly just old oil burning off..

GS is another story...
Hooked up a batt... click... changed solenoid... click... pulled starter and it was covered in all manners of nastiness... looks to be a bunch of sand and dirt.. this gunk had encased the lower portion of the flywheel as well.. found that when I pulled the mag cover. Thought at first the motor was seized but I was able to break it free with a slight bit of effort. Seemed to be the crud had solidified freezing the flywheel...How would this crud get in the starter and flywheel? I have a feeling my jet pump may be screwed... I'm willing to bet the po ran it thru a sand bar. Meh... Im planning on removing the flywheel and checking out the stator really well.. I did manage to get the motor freed up after I got the crud out so no motor change... at this point...

 

[GGuillot]

That GS took on some water at some point, looks like a significant amount. Just me, but if that's what the starter/flywheel area looks like, I'd go straight to pulling the engine and doing a top to bottom rebuild. Maybe take the head off and look down the cylinders, but I'd be surprised if anything in the engine, especially the crank bearings looked much better.

 

[cj3737]

I actually did that already. Pistons and sleeves look pretty good. no rust or crud at all.. not perfect but nothing like the flywheel. Im wondering if there was enuf water in there to cover the starter and leak thru there.. There wasnt a seal or even RTV around the starter. Previous swore up and down it ran fine last year... Im going to clean up and bench test the starter to see if it even works anymore.

 

[GGuillot]

The starter may be the least area I'd focus, you need to see the condition of the crankshaft, otherwise if you put another starter on it, clean up the flywheel area, you may throw a rod through the case within the first hour out on the water. It "ran fine last year" from the po is an eternity. Sellers always lie or stretch the truth, sure it ran fine last year, right up to the point it flooded and got put away for the season.

 

[cj3737]

I see your point... I would imagine if the bearings were shot, I wouldn't be able to spin the motor by hand. After I got the gunk out it spun pretty easy with the plugs out.

 

[cj3737]

This may end up being my over winter tinker toy. If I dont like what I see when the flywheel comes off, I may end up yanking the motor and ripping into it..

 

[cj3737]

Upon further inspection... Ive located what seems to be a standing water line about halfway up the engine compartment... Looks about 1/2 to 3/4 up the side but below the height of the engine head cover... @GGuillot looks like you were right. I have not clue how long it may have been swamped and if the motor was properly purged after the swamping. Im cautiously optimistic about the inside of the motor, being I can turn it by hand. Have you or anyone else ever chased a seller into small claims court regarding something that was supposedly in running condition?

 

[CReynoldsMIZ]

Upon further inspection... Ive located what seems to be a standing water line about halfway up the engine compartment... Looks about 1/2 to 3/4 up the side but below the height of the engine head cover... @GGuillot looks like you were right. I have not clue how long it may have been swamped and if the motor was properly purged after the swamping. Im cautiously optimistic about the inside of the motor, being I can turn it by hand. Have you or anyone else ever chased a seller into small claims court regarding something that was supposedly in running condition?

Yeah hate to break it to you, but not going to be worth any effort to try and chase a seller of a 21 year old jet ski in small claims court. I mean you should've done a thorough inspection, make sure it runs and what not. Some times it sucks when you are dealing with someone dishonest, but its kinda on you to make sure what you are buying is truly what they are saying. Especially with something that old. Not trying to be mean or anything, it just is what it is unfortunately. Hopefully inside the motor is ok and you can just replace the stator/flywheel if it needs it and you will be up and running, but most times on these older skis they need a "mini restoration" to make sure they stay in good shape and reliable for a long time. Did you pay a lot of money for these skis if you don't mind me asking?

 

[cj3737]

I did a thorough inspection but couldn't start it.. neither party had a good battery to use. Being it was flooded, the PO should be at least said something about it which would've made me reconsider my options. There are those people out there that are dishonest and it sucks. I'm in contact with them and I may be able to get some kind of payback for this mess. Dishonesty chaps my a##. When I sell something, I make sure it's not a pig.

I didnt pay top dollar for it but the money required to fix will far exceed value. If im not able to get the seller to settle, at the very least I have a parts ski for my other 97s in the garage.

 

[GGuillot]

I did a thorough inspection but couldn't start it.. neither party had a good battery to use. Being it was flooded, the PO should be at least said something about it which would've made me reconsider my options. There are those people out there that are dishonest and it sucks. I'm in contact with them and I may be able to get some kind of payback for this mess. Dishonesty chaps my a##. When I sell something, I make sure it's not a pig.

I didnt pay top dollar for it but the money required to fix will far exceed value. If im not able to get the seller to settle, at the very least I have a parts ski for my other 97s in the garage.

It may not be as bad as you think to rebuild it, do it as a winter project like you said. I'd remove the engine and tear it apart and see what's salvageable, if the cases are good, maybe all you'll need is a top end kit, get it rebored or resleeved, get a reman crank, a gasket set and there you go, engine built up like new. Price it out, but likely $700 -$1000 if you do the work. Then go through carb and fuel system and try to start it. You'd laugh if you'd seen the condition of the 97' GTX I bought on the cheap not running, but I took my time and I'm almost done, top to bottom RESTO, hull regelcoat, everything. I'd rather buy a ski that's a pig and do it myself than to listen to these dishonest people shoot me a line of bull and say "it ran fine, but right now probably needs just a starter". yeah sure, if doesn't start on the spot it's not worth much...so $200 - $400 (no trailer) depending the model.

I wouldn't spend time trying to go after the seller, it's a lesson learned...they always tend to conceal and lie, go in with a few basic things you want and assume the worst case senario. I paid $200 for the 97' GTX and budgeted for $1500 total not including that I needed a trailer. I'm at about $2600 right now....over $3000 if you include the Candoo Pro and jet pump alignment tool. And since last year when I picked up the GTX, I picked up another money pit 96' GSX with a trailer for $440. And it needs attention (money) everywhere...

 

[mikidymac]

As far as I know any used vehicle is sold as is unless there is a written warranty. It is buyer beware.

 

[cj3737]

It may not be as bad as you think to rebuild it, do it as a winter project like you said. I'd remove the engine and tear it apart and see what's salvageable, if the cases are good, maybe all you'll need is a top end kit,

Depending on when it was flooded, my hopes arent up about the case. If there was water inside, I will bet there is a crack somewhere in there from the wonderfully cold utah winters. I dont think this thing has spent much time in a garage based on the fading... I wish I couldve gotten it to crank so I could at least check the compression.. meh.....Bright side is, no fuses are blowing like in my GSI... I did end up with this pig, a 97 GTS that runs and a trailer for 2k. Had I known the flood had happened, I might have taken a bunch off the tag. The GTS fires and idles on the trailer pretty well. Need to get a hose adapter so I can see if I dare take it to the lake.

@mikidymac Im hoping these folks feel a bit a remorse for selling a junker under the "great running ski" pretense and kick me a few $$ back... I would feel terrible with myself selling something I know doesnt run for too much money but then again, people like me area dying breed...

 

[GGuillot]

I feel you, won't know until you tear it down, yes, I agree, I don't know how people can look at someone with a straight face and sell a ski and not disclose the thing was flooded. It's really sad people can't be honest enough and tell the truth, all over wanting more money... I've put people on the spot several times when I knew the answer, trying to get them to come clean,...and they still lied... I walked away (about to make the 100 mile drive) from a 97' GSX earlier in the year after I spotted hull damage it in the pic when I blew it up, called him back and he wouldn't elaborate, then he pulls the ad down and relist a month later, but with a different pic. Another one sweared he had a new rebuilt engine with 4 hrs on it, 'runs great' but it won't start at the moment? and wants $1800...and the deceit went on and on each one I inquired about. I gave up and bought 2 skis with everything wrong so they couldn't lie...

 

[cj3737]

I hate that people feel the need to lie to make a buck... I always do my research prior to buying and the deal for this was one I couldn't pass up... in running condition... I knew there would be some issues but a blatant lie about a flood is garbage.. cruddy thing is, I had to dig to find evidence that they clearly covered up. The line in the hull is very faint so they did clean it up a bit. I got a gsi a few weeks back knowing it had electrical issue but these systems are easy to reshoot I've already nailed it down to a bad diode or a shorted mag. Wont know for sure until I get the diode swapped... for 300 it was an easy call considering the thing looks very well maintained....

 

[cj3737]

Tried fiddling with the flywheel again last night. Thing seems to be rust welded on.. May have to have my shop try to pop it. Ill have them take a quick look around to see if there are any tell tale flooding signs that point to water intrusion in the motor... At the very least, I would like to hear this thing crank and attempt to light...

 

[cj3737]

Well seadoo family.. I made some progress on this pig.. After a few days of trying and prying and heating and banging, the flywheel popped! Low and behold, the pix tell the story... rust and crud everywhere! Stator tested bad and looks worse... housing may or may not be salvageable... starter is toast toast...flywheel.. well?

 

[GGuillot]

Well seadoo family.. I made some progress on this pig.. After a few days of trying and prying and heating and banging, the flywheel popped! Low and behold, the pix tell the story... rust and crud everywhere! Stator tested bad and looks worse... housing may or may not be salvageable... starter is toast toast...flywheel.. well?

Wow....you know media blasting will make that flywheel and housing look like new, but I agree the stator is likely toasted. Actually, it looks like the copper windings might have survived.

I love media blasting, I blasted every engine part including the pipe on my GTX.

 

[cj3737]

Had a stuck bolt on the stator...basically broke it off the stator but the corrosion helped... Shall we play a game? How much farther should I dig and what part will I find bad next?