How do you adjust Steering?

[semperfish]

Alright, brand new to SeeDoos and sight. First post from Tampa FL, live on MacDill AFB. I traded for a 01' GTX DI red/blk. It runs great with 202 hours on it. All I had to do is replace battery and steering cable. Now the questions: I can't turn Left. I took it out for a test spin and noticed it makes sharp rights but no Left. I believe the problem is at the nozzle end, right? Do I undo the threaded metal eyelet piece that screws on the end of the cable to make it longer or something? I will try to experiment but, I need a rudder steer (pun intended) in the right direction. What do I mess around with.

The paint is slightly faded, what product/process to bring it back to a high gloss. I have heard buffing, wet sanding, then waxing, and a couple others. Is there a rub on/ rub off compound?

I noticed there are two white plastic wing nuts in the middle on two screws, not sure what these do? Doo you? The screws are just about shot/ what part number are they. It looks like they are the only ones that have a wing nut like that and they are right out in the open.

Whenever you hook it to the hose and run it on land, the say start it up first. Then no longer after 5 sec. turn on the water. Wouldn't that hurt the impellar if it is running dry, even so short? I would rather have the water first, but they are talking about blowing seals.
It also has a bad rattle when idling on land. It stops when you gun the throttle, and when it is in the water. Problem? or just wear and tear.

I was thinking about some bottom paint to protect the bottom. It has been rubbed down to raw fiberglass in about a 1/2 ft area and scrathed bottom. Should I worry about it? Not for looks but so the bottom is protected better for beaching the craft on beaches?

What is the recommended tune up I should do if it has been sitting for a while, ie, fuel filter (does it have an oil filter that needs changed?) spark plugs, flush anything? or if I took it out and besides the steering issue, if when I gunned it, it took off pretty dang good, would you say get some use out of it.

Sorry so long, but I had a lot of questions. Thanks for the help. Looking forward to meeting a couple of See Dooers here in the Tampa Bay Area. We hit Beer Can Island quite a bit since it is so close. If you ever see a whit Correct Craft Fish Nautique named Semper FIsh, or see the red/ blk See Doo, stop and say hi. Check out my youtube

http://www.youtube.com/user/gigg566

 

[seadoodude1]

I suspect the adjustment is off after you replaced steering cable and I take it you did not do the work. I believe there are two adjustment, one where you describe and one under the hood near where it connects to the steering arm. If it's that far off you may need to adjust both ends. You need at least 5 turns on the threads for safety reasons.

Always engine on, water on, water off, engine off when running on hose for PWCs (unlike boats). Why, there must be exhaust pressure to push water out the exhaust or you will flood engine with cooling water. Don't run for more than 5-10 seconds without water and no more than 5 minutes on hose or the drive shaft seals and pump seals will overheat.

Ratleing noise is normal. Never beach a boat or PWC! you may want to gelcoat the bottom as you don't want the fiberglass to soak up water.

I highly recommend you download the user guide and service manual as there are many things one can mess up when new to PWCs.

 

[semperfish]

1st update

OK, so I believe I have the steering adjusted. In the manual it talks about measuring, handlebar to platform. and nozzle to straightedge extended out around the drain plug area in the back to insure the handlebars and nozzle are both in the direct middle. I do have a problem, worked around it though. The nuts and bolts holding the cable in the handlebar bracket have countersunk mounted nuts, and one of the nuts is twisting in side and is loose, which makes it impossible to take off the collar. Anyways, the steering had to be adjusted and is should work now. I still want to buff it out and make it look brand new again.

 

[seadoodude1]

Mine did the same with the counter sunk nut, but you don't need to remove cable to fix steering do you? If you do need to remove that end of cable at some point What I had to do is undo the steering cable from the aft then pull steering assembly to get to bolt out of hull. I used a vice grip to smash the plastic against the nut.

 

[semperfish]

Adjusted Steering

I had to basically undo everything and keep that part (the Y piece of plastic and the two screws with countersunk nuts with the big plastic nut) together. How I installed the new cable was just slide the old cable down through the plastic nut, and push the new one through and turning the whole Y piece assembly screwing it on (this is also how I adjusted it), then put back on the screw end with the eye, and hooked it back up. The bad thing was everytime I had to adjust it I had to completly disassemble everything to do it. The good thing was I got good at it. What a pain in the a$$ but its done. I tested it out and ran down the channel again but this time the engine started hiccupping and the red Maint light started blinking. I took it into a shop (hope they don't break it off into me too bad. We will see) I basically just need a tune up most likely because it had been sitting for some time.

 

[seadoodude1]

Next time you take the steering assembly off try to get the bolts out and replace them with longer bolts with washer to cover the stripped out counter sunk holes. You might try epoxying the nuts in the holes or using vice grip to press plastic against nut to hold them.

Hopefully the "tune up" is minor eventhough the DI can be expensive to fix when it goes wrong and harder to fix on your own. Post back what they find.

 

[semperfish]

Dropped it off to Xtreme Power Sports

Anyone in the Brandon S Tampa area have any experience with these guys, It was either them or Barney' in Brandon, or Barney's in St Pete. I like dealing with smaller businesses but I want to know if these guys know what they're doing. I swear, I am so careful, but it seems like I can't help but get ripped off everywhere I go. I wish I could it all myself.