First time winterizing

[TheChad]

Hey all,

This is the first winter that we've owned jet skis so I was going to pay to have a dealer winterize them, but the more I thought about it @ $140/each, it just seems like allot of money.

I've read the operators and service manuals for my models and it seems pretty straight forward of a process... Can you guys tell me if I'm missing anything?


(I've already pulled both the pumps off and checked the impellers, wear rings, and carbon fitting. All those items in great condition. The GS just had the carb rebuilt and new fuel lines, the GSX will get carbs rebuilt, new fuel lines, and RAVE valves cleaned this winter)


1. Drain/Re-Fill Pump oil

2. Connect Hose, Start engine, Turn Hose on, Spray Bombardier Lube (Is there an alternative?) into the flame arrestor for 1 minute. Turn off hose, stop engine, and disconnect hose.

3. Remove spark plugs, attach plug wires to grounding posts, spray bombardier lube into cylinders, crank engine over several times to distribute lube, clean spark plugs, and reinstall plugs and wires.

4. Install hose pinchers on the "in" hose going to the cylinder head, engine drain hose (Bottom of exhaust manifold), and on the tuned pipe injections tube.

5. Install a hose onto the 'out' or flushing side of the cylinder head, install a funnel on the hose and pour marine bio-degradable anti-freeze into the funnel until the anti-freeze comes out of the exhaust port on the back?

(RE: (GS) 717 - The operators manual says "Until the colored solution appears out of the cooling system bleed outlet", which I assume is the "Tell Tale", however if you pinch off the engine drain hose, that is where the "tell tale" is plumbed to so nothing will be coming out of there!, So the only other place for it to come out is the exhaust port on the back right?)


Am I missing anything else? I'm in Illinois, so obviously we only have fresh water here.

I assume to un-winterize it next season, I just need to connect the hose and run the engine for a minute to flush everything out before hitting the lake, then change plugs after first lake day?


Thanks for the help,

-TheChad

 

[6KJR]

Id say thats pretty good. Dont leave water in the machine, take your battery out. Some like myself spray silicone spray on the engine to prevent some corrosion and so on. I also pull off the VTS cover to check for water and let it breathe. I never go too crazy with the antifreeze.. I flush some through, and pour a little in the waterbox. But I put the pincher on the engine drain hose.

Any engine fog will be just as good and probable half the price. If you really wanna get crazy take the air intake off and fire it in the carbs. You will need two people, one to give it throttle (not a lot) but it will want to die as soon as you fire the fog in there.

Next year get it going for an hour and put some new properly gapped plugs in it. There may be a grease fitting on the PTO.