Engine overheating

[Toona]

just remove plugs and turn it by hand and feel for abnormalities

I tried rotating the prop by hand by sticking my hand in the jet and it wouldn't budge. But it wouldn't turn on my good ski either. I also tried turning both skis, by hand, from the battery compartment and again, neither ski would budge

Should I be using a pipe wrench on the shaft in the battery compartment?

Also, why do I pull the plugs?

 

[noviceskier]

I tried rotating the prop by hand by sticking my hand in the jet and it wouldn't budge. But it wouldn't turn on my good ski either. I also tried turning both skis, by hand, from the battery compartment and again, neither ski would budge

Should I be using a pipe wrench on the shaft in the battery compartment?

Also, why do I pull the plugs?

removing the plugs makes it eaiser to rotate by hand without fighting compression, just remove the pto cover there should be a wingnut holding it in place if its anything like my older skis and you be able to turn it by hand from the pto. although i dont know what your engine bay looks like compared for 96 xps or the hx lineup so sorry if this is off to some degree but should be similar.

 

[FL-Rider]

On my 98' there is a small hex screw on top of the PTO cover and two nuts and washers on the rear face of the PTO cover.
Definately don't use a pipe wrench on the driveshaft. The nicks caused by the pipe wrench can damage your seal if you ever have to remove the driveshaft, which sooner or later you'll have to do.

 

[FL-Rider]

If there is no water in the cylinders, the engine turns over smoothly, and there is compression... try new spark plugs. A fouled plug or plugs can make it act the way you described.

 

[Toona]

On my 98' there is a small hex screw on top of the PTO cover and two nuts and washers on the rear face of the PTO cover.
Definately don't use a pipe wrench on the driveshaft. The nicks caused by the pipe wrench can damage your seal if you ever have to remove the driveshaft, which sooner or later you'll have to do.

Good, I never used one, but I still couldn't get it to turn. Mine looks like this:

 

[Toona]

If there is no water in the cylinders, the engine turns over smoothly, and there is compression... try new spark plugs. A fouled plug or plugs can make it act the way you described.

They are new as of yesterday, but I can try it. I turned the engine over with the plugs on the case and there are good sparks from both of them.

However, I started worrying about hydrolock so I went back out (the battery is charged up now). I put my fingers over the holes while I cranked it and it was shooting good amounts of air from both. I wish I could test the compression now but it's 10 pm and I need to stop for my neighbors sake.

Would the fact that it's seeming got compression and turning the engine over maybe mean there's no engine damage? I just can't figure out why it would be running beautifully on the water and then out of nowhere the engine makes weird noise, starts jerking and then dies and won't restart

 

[FL-Rider]

Hopefully the engine is not damaged, but you'll have to check compression as the next step

 

[mikidymac]

On vacation here but sounds like you aren’t having a good time.

As said above never jump or boost a ski or you can fry the computer.

With no water coming out of the cylinders and it cranking over it appears to be ok at this point.

There’s a good chance you just fouled a spark plug by richening the carb screws too much and one looks pretty dark.

For plugs go to O’riley auto parts and ask for NGK 3961 plugs. The are the same BR8ES plugs but the tops are solid and don’t unscrew.

 

[Toona]

On vacation here but sounds like you aren’t having a good time.

As said above never jump or boost a ski or you can fry the computer.

With no water coming out of the cylinders and it cranking over it appears to be ok at this point.

There’s a good chance you just fouled a spark plug by richening the carb screws too much and one looks pretty dark.

For plugs go to O’riley auto parts and ask for NGK 3961 plugs. The are the same BR8ES plugs but the tops are solid and don’t unscrew.

No problem. If I did the test correctly, I got 35 on pto and 25 and 35 on the other cylinder. I tested the other, working ski and it got the same numbers. I bought a $20 tester on Amazon. I tested by removing the boots and removing the plugs, one at a time.

It turned over for about 30 seconds this morning and the shaft turned the whole time but never started.

Sorry, I'm freaking out that I killed the engine

 

[Toona]

On vacation here but sounds like you aren’t having a good time.

As said above never jump or boost a ski or you can fry the computer.

With no water coming out of the cylinders and it cranking over it appears to be ok at this point.

There’s a good chance you just fouled a spark plug by richening the carb screws too much and one looks pretty dark.

For plugs go to O’riley auto parts and ask for NGK 3961 plugs. The are the same BR8ES plugs but the tops are solid and don’t unscrew.

Also, I did put in BR8ES plugs. My concern is that my broken ski doesn't seem to try as hard to turn over. It honestly feels like it's trying about 50%-60% as hard as the other ski. And it kills the battery after about 1 minute of trying. Which is weird because before I rebuilt the carbs, I could try for like 3 or 4 minutes before it drained the battery

 

[mikidymac]

It sounds like your battery might be on its way out.

Try the battery from the good ski.
Use new plugs and put a little fuel down each plug hole and see if it will pop off.

 

[Toona]

Good idea. I'll try that when I get home. That's a bummer because the battery was new a month ago

 

[FL-Rider]

Good idea. I'll try that when I get home. That's a bummer because the battery was new a month ago

With these batteries, you have to charge them on the 2 amp charge setting. If you use the 10 amp setting or the start setting, it drastically reduces the lifetime of the battery. I ignored that piece of info for many seasons and always ended up replacing my batteries every year. Since switching to the 2 amp setting, I get years out my Wal Mart batteries now.

 

[Toona]

With these batteries, you have to charge them on the 2 amp charge setting. If you use the 10 amp setting or the start setting, it drastically reduces the lifetime of the battery. I ignored that piece of info for many seasons and always ended up replacing my batteries every year. Since switching to the 2 amp setting, I get years out my Wal Mart batteries now.

Good to know. I sure hope it's only a battery issue. If it is, I guess I'll have to look into the charging system eventually. But for now, I really just want it to run so I can properly winterize it. I don't think I can stabilize the fuel properly without it running.

 

[noviceskier]

you could also clean the spark plug capss, i had a similar issue on my kawasaki 750sts, switched out the boots with the ones from my hx and haven't fouled a plug in 50+hours vs every 10 or less, although it does sound spark related, once you reach 3k rpm it would start shaking violently? if you want you can try swapping over the caps, battery, and new plugs and see if it changes. worked with mine. once i isolated it to that, i just ordered new ones to prevent myself from being stranded again, not fun cruising at <5mph with a mountain of smoke pouring behind you being passed by other boaters.

 

[Toona]

New plugs and here's the result: you'll need sound

Could this all be due to my mixing screws being too far out?

As soon as I stop giving it throttle it goes to an immediate stop

 

[Toona]

I should also note, I was going to take a before and after video but this is with the original battery. The new battery acted the same. This was much farther than I got it previously, the only difference is new spark plugs and I let the maxing sit for a day and a half before testing it again

 

[gazzaskirepair]

You should never hold the start switch for that long
You’ll destroy the starter motor and or solenoid the battery will ruined too

Remove plugs put a little fuel down each plug hole install plugs and see if it kicks over

It sounds like fuel starvation by doing the above you’ll come to know

 

[Toona]

You should never hold the start switch for that long
You’ll destroy the starter motor and or solenoid the battery will ruined too

Remove plugs put a little fuel down each plug hole install plugs and see if it kicks over

It sounds like fuel starvation by doing the above you’ll come to know

Thank you for the tip. Yes, that was with a gas+fuel mixture down the holes.

Sorry I didn't know about the start switch and holding it down. The previous owner did that when i first got them.

Do we think the engine is fine though? No thrown rods out anything?

As a reminder, the manual says to have low speed screws at 1.5. It was hanging at 3k rpms so I turned it a complete 360 then, I did a second 360 for a full 2 turns

 

[gazzaskirepair]

Have u got spark ‍
Be careful if you have fuel down plug holes throw a rag over the holes if turning it over to check for spark with plugs removed
Did you check compression ‍

 

[noviceskier]

Have u got spark ‍
Be careful if you have fuel down plug holes throw a rag over the holes if turning it over to check for spark with plugs removed
Did you check compression ‍

3k rpm is normal for out of trailer, then in water it'll drop to 1.5k. for low speed screw turn the screw in clockwise till you "bottom out." rotate left once then half a turn to get your 1 1/2 out. Clean any dirty connections you see, starter in the mpem. That could also suck the energy out of your ski.

 

[gazzaskirepair]

Novice skier
Best you read the full thread

 

[Toona]

Have u got spark ‍
Be careful if you have fuel down plug holes throw a rag over the holes if turning it over to check for spark with plugs removed
Did you check compression ‍

I've got spark. I'm not sure my compression tester works. Even my good machine shows 25

 

[noviceskier]

I've got spark. I'm not sure my compression tester works. Even my good machine shows 25

if you didnt have spark it wouldn't have started, my bad I misinterpreted what you said by hanging. But the issue to me sounds to be carbs.

 

[Toona]

if you didnt have spark it wouldn't have started, my bad I misinterpreted what you said by hanging. But the issue to me sounds to be carbs.

I know I need to get a good compression test, but does the fact that it turns over, even for a short bit, likely mean the engine isn't screwed up