Difficult 1997 gsx issue

[finley13atl]

Hi! I have been having an issue with my gsx for the last few months and I can’t figure it out for the life of me. It all started a couple months ago where I noticed my rave valves leaking oil, and upon inspection I found that they were both in bad shape. I rebuilt them using high quality parts and it started on the trailer and revved up like normal. The next day I took it to the lake, and it would not fully open up on the water. It would get stuck around 4k rpm’s. I tried to adjust the red dials on top of the valves hoping that was it, and the ski completely died on the water. I towed it back and brought it home to find that there was no spark. Took it to a mechanic who did $800 worth of work which included replacing the stator. It had shredded and got stuck to my flywheel. After getting it back, it starts right up, idles great, and revs like normal on the trailer. But still gets stuck at 4k on the water. The part that is so confusing, is that if I hit a wave or jump on it, it will open up to 7k and scream till i let off. It’s almost like it needs a jolt, like something is halfway stuck. Drilled holes in the rave valve caps, and they open. Wear ring is good. Impeller is good. Compression is great. The ski ran perfect before I rebuilt the raves, but the mechanic is convinced that they are fine. I am now convinced they are fine too because I tried multiple different rebuild kits until I eventually got the sbt brand. If anyone has any advice, I would appreciate it greatly. Thank you!

 

[mbellomy]

FYI: I have the same model ski with exactly the same the same problem. The ski is new to me this year and I've read it is a common problem. There is a TSB #97-20 (See attached) put out by Bombardier that "almost" describes this condition and the solution is upgrading the rave valve to a newer style that has slots on the back side. I did this and was hoping I found the smoking gun.... but not really. The hesitation was reduced but not gone. If I pumped the ski to give just a hint of the prop out of the water... it would take off and stay that way until I let off. After running fast for as long as I could I checked the pipe temp, plugs, etc and no signs of any other issues. Definitely reduced the issue but not gone.

For my ski, it still has the stock full line's so this winter I'll replace those and rebuild the carb with the "OSB Back-to-stock" kit. I'm convinced it's a carburation issue but won't know till next Spring.

Keep posting if/when you find a solution. Unfortunately the best I have researched is that it's going to be a trial-and-error process of figuring it out.

 

[etemplet]

There is a Service Bulletin on the 1997 GTX with regard to the raves. They use slotted rave valves and there is a modification to the rave housing. If all that was done correctly I'd say you have carb issues. Pop-off should be around 36-38psi. That ski will get hung up at that RPM and as soon as the impeller unloads it revs great. Too much fuel. Give that a try. Good Luck

Seadoo Watercraft Service Bulletin 97-20

 

[burtshaver2021]

Right before the initial rave rebuild did it run ok past 4000 Rpm?

 

[burtshaver2021]

Just re read your original post where it says ski ran perfect before the rave valve rebuild. If it ran perfect one day, you rebuilt the raves and then it would t rev past 4000 I would unfortunately look at them again.

 

[finley13atl]

FYI: I have the same model ski with exactly the same the same problem. The ski is new to me this year and I've read it is a common problem. There is a TSB #97-20 (See attached) put out by Bombardier that "almost" describes this condition and the solution is upgrading the rave valve to a newer style that has slots on the back side. I did this and was hoping I found the smoking gun.... but not really. The hesitation was reduced but not gone. If I pumped the ski to give just a hint of the prop out of the water... it would take off and stay that way until I let off. After running fast for as long as I could I checked the pipe temp, plugs, etc and no signs of any other issues. Definitely reduced the issue but not gone.

For my ski, it still has the stock full line's so this winter I'll replace those and rebuild the carb with the "OSB Back-to-stock" kit. I'm convinced it's a carburation issue but won't know till next Spring.

Keep posting if/when you find a solution. Unfortunately the best I have researched is that it's going to be a trial-and-error process of figuring it out.

Yes that’s exactly what mine does. As soon as the impeller gets out the water just slightly, it takes off. I will take a look at the carbs and see what happens. Luckily I still have a few more weeks until I need to stow it away.

 

[finley13atl]

There is a Service Bulletin on the 1997 GTX with regard to the raves. They use slotted rave valves and there is a modification to the rave housing. If all that was done correctly I'd say you have carb issues. Pop-off should be around 36-38psi. That ski will get hung up at that RPM and as soon as the impeller unloads it revs great. Too much fuel. Give that a try. Good Luck

Seadoo Watercraft Service Bulletin 97-20

I do believe that the raves are correct. I will definitely check out the carb. I thought since it ran great after the impeller unloaded, that the carb would be okay. Never has shown any carb related issues before this, everything happened at once. Thank you!

 

[finley13atl]

Just re read your original post where it says ski ran perfect before the rave valve rebuild. If it ran perfect one day, you rebuilt the raves and then it would t rev past 4000 I would unfortunately look at them again.

I thought everything was rave related, because it all happened the very next day that I rebuilt them. However, I’ve tried so many different rave rebuild kits that I think they are okay. The mechanic i brought it to also took a very close look. I’ll look them over once more, and the carbs. Thank you!

 

[burtshaver2021]

Where the guilotines very dirty? There’s a small hole in the rave housing, not sure if It being dirty would make a difference or not, all I know is when I was cleaning mine for the first time Big Jake a member on this forum pointed it out to me....

 

[finley13atl]

Where the guilotines very dirty? There’s a small hole in the rave housing, not sure if It being dirty would make a difference or not, all I know is when I was cleaning mine for the first time Big Jake a member on this forum pointed it out to me....

One of the guilotines was pretty dirty, but oddly enough they other was clean. Regardless, i made sure both were scrubbed very good and i was aware of the little holes. I’ll definitely check them again, however I’ve tinkered and tested the raves so many times that I’m pretty confident it has to be something else. I honestly this was a major coincidence that everything happened right after rebuilding them.