Im currently wanting to purchase a jetski but i have never had one. I have a boat and know a lot about boats but i dont know a whole lot about jetski's. A guy has a 1999 gtx rfi and he has about 60 ski's total. He bought out a dealership and works on them regularly. He said with the gtx he is changing something on the rotary valve because it wasn't reaching its top speed. And he's saying this should fix it. I was wondering if that mean something else could be wrong or anything? It has about 138 hours on it which is pretty low. I was just needing some opinions on it. Also he has a 1997 gtx and I was wondering which you think would be better?
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99 Gtx Rfi Advice
- Thread starter Garrett8
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AdamXP800
Well-Known Member
For a first ski, i would personally go with the 97 GTX. I currently have a 97 and love it. The non DI and RFI skis are alot more user friendly when it comes to trouble shooting and maintenance. I also love the looks of the 97 GTX, with a black tip seat cover, and some hydro turf. You cant beat it.
Rfis really need a programmer/buds system to diagnose when there are issues. I dont think that kind of elevation change would need any changes.
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mrpickles2000
New Member
Not sure what he can be doing with the rotary valve to make it go faster, as the valves go on in one direction. Maybe there are other valves with other angles for more speed? I have the same ski (99 gtx rfi) and it will run high 40's to low 50's mph. In my opinion, rfi's can be easier to keep running due to low maintenance on the fuel system (no carb tuning), but injectors and fuel pumps can be expensive. But it is nice to just hit the start button and go!
Couple things to check:
- Compression should be ~150 psi on both cylinders. IF they are 140 psi or lower a top end rebuild is in the future.
- Electrical system should be 13-14 volts when running. If it is 14.5 V or higher the regulator is bad (very typical for rfi's)
- Water Test - This biggest test is how it performs on water. Skis can rev fine on land up to redline (7000 rpm), but some other problem could not show up until under load in the water.
Do a search for buying a jet ski and there will be more in depth lists of everything to check, but as said before, taking it out on the water is the best way to test it IMO. You don't necessarily need a programmer to diagnose problems; it just makes it easier.
Let us know which one you get and if you need help, search first then ask!
Couple things to check:
- Compression should be ~150 psi on both cylinders. IF they are 140 psi or lower a top end rebuild is in the future.
- Electrical system should be 13-14 volts when running. If it is 14.5 V or higher the regulator is bad (very typical for rfi's)
- Water Test - This biggest test is how it performs on water. Skis can rev fine on land up to redline (7000 rpm), but some other problem could not show up until under load in the water.
Do a search for buying a jet ski and there will be more in depth lists of everything to check, but as said before, taking it out on the water is the best way to test it IMO. You don't necessarily need a programmer to diagnose problems; it just makes it easier.
Let us know which one you get and if you need help, search first then ask!
skewba98z28
Active Member
Already been down the RFI road and vow to never return! If you don't mind spending $400 extra bucks for a candoo then by all means go for it. Four hundred dollars will buy a ton of parts for the 97 gtx though.
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