97 GSI Running Poorly and Backfiring

[Barky_Dog]

Hi All,

I'm hoping you can help me with my 97 SeaDoo GSI. Late last season I had to tow it off the lake because it started running really poorly. It basically lost all power and died. I was able restart it, but it barely ran and would backfire through the carburetor if I tried to rev the engine. Since the season was almost over, I winterized it and put it away.

A couple weeks ago, I pulled it out to see if I could get it to run. I was able to get it started and I ran a good amount of SeaFoam through it. I took it to the lake to test it, and it ran fairly good for about 15 minutes. I turned it off when we stopped at a cove. When I tried to start it back up it was back to barely idling, no power, and backfiring through the carburetor and then dying.

So my question is- where do I start in order to fix this ski? I rebuilt the carb a couple seasons ago. Should I do it again? I also read that the issue could be because of bad crankcase seals. That this is causing the backfiring.

What do you guys think? Your advice is greatly appreciated!

Barky

 

[Barky_Dog]

The backfiring thing is a new issue to me. Could the issue be bad crankcase seals?

 

[dieselndoo]

Start easy..... Remove carb and clean it... Run a 6ft piece of 1/4in fuel line from "res" fitting on tank, to carb..keep selector switch to OFF... New plugs, and clip the plug wires 1/4in from boots ends...new fuel

 

[Barky_Dog]

Thanks, dieselndoo. Can you help me learn here? You say "fuel line from "res" fitting on tank, to carb..keep selector switch to OFF". What is the thinking behind this? Cleaner fuel? With the switch at OFF, would it get any fuel?

 

[dieselndoo]

No worries, man. Reason behind running a new piece of fuel line is to eliminate the possibility. The "res" fitting on the tank, is left of the 2-pink wires. Remove the existing line, and leave it. Insert new min and run it to carb....keep switch to OFF, so that it doesn't vent fuel vapors into hull. The inline filter and switch are proned to insert air into the fuel line, since everything is on the suction side

 

[Barky_Dog]

Thanks, dieselndoo. Makes sense. I'll give it a shot and report back.

Barky