• This site contains eBay affiliate links for which Sea-Doo Forum may be compensated.

Hydrolock

Status
Not open for further replies.
You can pressure test it and see if it leaks, I am not sure of the pressure or what the tolerance is.

The telltale sign is when the exhaust smokes excessively on start up, which means the oil from the RV cavity is leaking past the seals while the ski is sitting. This usually happens when it is sitting for more then a few days. Other then annoying smoke on start up, its not a big deal, and would not be the only reason to tear down for a rebuild. Many have put shut offs on the oil line to negate the gravity pressure of oil from the oil tank on the RV cavity crank seals.
 
If oil is leaking into the crankcase from the RV cavity, it's leaking past the inner crank seals. Some small amount of leaking is acceptable but if it's flooding the crankcase with oil either the seals should be replaced or alternatively you can put a valve in the oil line that feeds the RV cavity and shut the valve so the crankcase can't flood with oil. But before restarting, you must remember to turn on the valve to give your gears their oil bath.

And there are outer crank seals responsible for keeping the crankcase isolated from the atmosphere, a leak there can cause your engine to run lean or run away on the trailer.

The crankcase seals can be pressure tested by blocking off all ports, exhaust, intake, etc., leak tight and then pressurizing the crankcase by a few psi, too much will blow out the seals, so follow the shop manual procedure.

I guess maybe a very bad crankshaft end seal might also leak enough atmosphere to reduce the fuel pump pulse signal below acceptable levels.

I think if you suspect the rv cavity crank seals are leaking you can drain the oil and pressurize from the RV cavity but that is testing in the opposite direction of an oil leak. A vacuum hand pump would allow you to pull in the same direction as the oil leak. I've not tried this on an RV motor so I'm speculating a bit.

Okay, I posted this without the benefit of knowing why you asked the question, therefore it's a long post.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Well I'm trying to diagnose this gtx. She does eventually crank...stumbles and backfires. All of this since the hydrolock incident.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
 
fokker said:
She does eventually crank...stumbles and backfires. All of this since the hydrolock incident.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I think you mean the starter does crank the motor but the fire is intermittent/weak. This leads me to believe there may be an electrical problem that's ignition coil related but it could be fuel related. Are there any other symptoms, are the spark plugs wet with fuel or dry as a bone?

I guess if the plugs aren't firing or are firing weakly, they may become wet with fuel or if the carb is flooding the crankcase with fuel the plugs will be wet.

But..... It fires, stumbles and backfires, which sounds like a weak ignition.
 
i do not get why it would be doing it just starting after the drowning, but check out my thread http://www.seadooforum.com/showthread.php?68737-96-gsx-not-starting-need-some-tips It sounds quite a bit like what I fought. Turned out to be a not fully functioning MPEM. (bad news I know). But the trying to start, back firing, oil in the case fouling plugs, all are just like what I had. From your list, I cant tell if you have another ski with the same mpem in it. If so, try changing it out for a test. If not, you may have to pull some harness pieces for the test. Really easy, and you will know immediatly. In my case, the case got full of oil/fuel and then when I cranked it, it pushed gas/oil into the diaphagm in the fuel pump. Then I pulled the carbs to clean that out. Try cranking it to see if you get oil coming through your pulse line. If so, you need to crank the thing with the plugs out until that clears, then try the MPEM.
 
I want to point out that if you have some liquid oil/water/gas in the pulse side of the fuel pump diaphragm that moved up the pulse hose from the crankcase, it's unnecessary to disassemble the fuel pump to clean out the liquid, there is no ill effect from this.

ie: Anything that's inside the crankcase will move up through the pulse hose into the fuel pump diaphragm chamber pulse side, that's normal and isn't a problem.
 
I really appreciate your sharing that bit of knowledge about liquid in the pulse line because I have experienced it and have always wondered if that was ok or not. You obviously have much experience and knowledge. It's just so dang hard to take you seriously when I see your avatar!!! It seems like your barking when you type! Hahaha!!
Seriously though, I have learned much from this forum and I found that little piece of info to be quite valuable.
 
I believe ragtop gave him his new "image" for Seadoo forum. Lol . Sportster is like google for 2 strokes, he deff seems to have a vast knowledge of these machines
 
Well this ski ran perfect prior to the hydrolock. Now she is cranking more often...rougher idle and dies when you give it throttle. Occasionally backfires.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
 
I know how to solve....

FS: 1997 gtx...needs carb work

Lol...I couldn't do that though.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
 
There are other things that can happen to make the engine hard starting and backfire as well, but I cannot make a relationship to being water flooded.

For instance, if the rotary valve driven gear is worn it may have skipped a tooth and the intake timing is incorrect. In this case it wouldn't run fine one moment and not run the next, it would consistently not run well.

If you suspect a problem with the fuel pump diaphragm you can pressure leak check it with a few psi and see it it leaks, which means it has a hole in it. It should hold pressure on that pulse port for a very long time and if it does, the diaphragm is operating just fine.
 
Skidoodle said:
It's just so dang hard to take you seriously when I see your avatar!!! It seems like your barking when you type! Hahaha!!
Click to expand...

Haha, that's funny! :) No, I'm not barking nor do I know everything! I try to learn SOMETHING every day but I can tell you the diaphragm is fine unless it has a hole in it then you can use your imagination concerning what happens when there's a hole in your diaphragm! :O
 
fokker said:
Well this ski ran perfect prior to the hydrolock. Now she is cranking more often...rougher idle and dies when you give it throttle. Occasionally backfires.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

If you think it's not an ignition problem then maybe the rotary valve gear skipped a tooth and the RV timing is incorrect?

I dunno for sure what happened, of course.
 
Meant to say the backfire seems to be in the exhaust and not the carbs

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
 
fokker said:
Meant to say the backfire seems to be in the exhaust and not the carbs

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yeah, I figured that's what you meant(backfiring out exhaust). I have no way of proving anything or giving you a good way to test it but it sure sounds like an ignition problem to me.

I'm not sure what more can be done with the motor on the bench as opposed to sitting in the hull, short of crank work?

You can swap some electronics around if you have ones that work or tear the intake apart and check RV timing position before buying something. Not sure what yanking the motor buys you, a chance to scrub out the bilge for sure.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Just to add...Once she does crank and stumbles...If I give it throttle it responds slowly and then dies

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
 
fokker said:
Just to add...Once she does crank and stumbles...If I give it throttle it responds slowly and then dies

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

If you've been through the ignition or simply want to eliminate something, then check the rotary valve timing.

I guess it cranks over by the starter just fine, there's just no fire for whatever reason. Could be too much or not enough fuel, weak or mis-timed ignition spark, low compression, rotary valve timing incorrect, or even exhaust system has a huge stoppage.

This is a process of elimination, so just start checking stuff off the list, I guess. Whatever is wrong, it doesn't have to be directly related to the water flooding, and you removed the water from the crankcase already b/c it was running, right?

But considering someone gave the ski such a thoroughly wonderful water bath, I wonder if maybe they filled the fuel or oil tank with water too? Maybe you don't know the whole story? I've seen this before plenty of times too so don't automatically rule it out unless you know for sure b/c it does happen, I promise you! :) If yes, a fuel sample from the fuel line into a clear glass jar should answer the question.


"Just to add...Once she does crank and stumbles...If I give it throttle it responds slowly and then dies"

And this sounds almost like there's no fuel, there is fuel in the tank and it's going through the carburetors and getting to the cylinders, right?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

E
Flushing, Overheating and Towing question
Replies
2
Views
223
cloudmaster_321
C
V
2010 gtx sc slow crank ringing sound
Replies
15
Views
454
vegaschef364
V
D
  • Locked
2000 seadoo GTX won't start
Replies
13
Views
1,039
Spoody6677
S
B
HX Issue I can't solve. Help!
Replies
12
Views
649
gp1200x
G
R
2020 GTX 230 not starting
Replies
8
Views
354
rindress
R
Back
Top