Hydrolocked '01 GTX RFI: Can't get to fire/start after sitting wet for a few months

[bad88ttop]

Hi guys,
I'm new to the site so first off, thanks for helping me out with this. I've never worked on a jet ski before but am pretty handly so I figured I'd gain some information from everyone. So, here's the story.
2001 GTX RFI: Back in September my brother and his wife flipped it over in the river and hydrolocked it. We towed it back to shore with the boat and once we got it home pulled the plugs and drained it. The GTX fired shortly after but ran very rough, for approximately 5 minutes.
Now it got dropped off at my house to winterize and ultimately fix. At first it had no power so upon further review I noticed the fuse/starter sylenoid box was full of water. I took everythign apart, replaced the fuses, and I got power and a clicking sound from the starter. I then pulled the plugs and sprayed a significant amount of PB Blaster down the cylendars thinking the rings gaulded to the cylendar. I was correct, about 20 minutes later I hit the starter buttom and began blowing a rust colored moisture out of the plug holes.
I cleaned the plugs and continued to try to fire the GTX without any success. During the first couple cranks it would stumble and attempt to fire without any success and then after a while the plugs would get coated with MUCK and no fire.
I'm hoing someone can tell me if there's a plug to remove to drain the access water or if I just need to continue drying the plugs and cranking? Is it possible the gas is contaminated with water and needs replaced. Any help you can gladly provide woudl be greatly appreciated.
Lastly, should I be concerned with anything else? Is there crank case oil that could have gotten contaminated? Once I get it started if i should replace or maintain anything else please let me know.

Thanks again and happy holidays. Bill in Pittsburgh, PA

 

[Tytan]

A water logged engine needs to be cleaned out, got running then ridden for about 30 to 45 minutes to burn off any water in the motor. Three months after the fact is way too long and damage has been done to the internals. If you do get it running it will have a short life before something lets go, water has probably corroded the crank and wrist pin bearings which will shorten their life considerably.

Pull the motor and tear it down to inspect the damage if you run it now something will grenade then you will have to buy new cylinders or cases.

 

[Revo]

Sorry to say, but you waited way too long.

After such a significant hydrolock you should have opened everything up to let everything dry out. Some rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle combined with a hair dryer could help dry out areas that seem determined to hold the water.

After that, you should have pulled the plugs, cleared the cylinders, and changed the oil. One you got the engine running again, you would have to go out and give it a nice solid ride to heat everything up and burn off any water left in it (like said above). And honestly, after that, I probably would have had the oil changed again to be safe.

Since you've let it sit so long, I'm sure there's all kinds of internal corrosion in the engine. You're not looking at a cheap or an easy fix...sorry.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Chances are, the crank and other bearing areas are shot. But,,, at this point you have nothing to lose.

You need to drain and replace the oil, pull spark plugs and crank away. If it does not crank easy, then you need to go back to the fuse box are and TOTALLY take it apart and clean it as it will likely have corrosion across various terminals. Once it is cleaned, CRANK, CRANK and more CRANK. Once it cranks smooth with no water coming out the spark holes, then install GOOD spark plugs and see if it will start. You will likely need to change the oil 2 more times as well as the spark plugs. Until you do all of this and get it running, you really won't know if the bearing areas and the cylinder walls are seriously damaged.

You can not run the engine long and not be in the water. Even with the hose attached, you still can't. The hose does not cool other components such as the Carbon Seal. Once you get it running, you need to get to a ramp and let it run for at least 30 minutes so that the block can heat up and get rid of water and moisture..

 

[Tytan]

01 GTX RFI is a two stroke so no oil to change unless the oil injection tank has water in it.

He could lose a set of cases and possibly a cylinder if it throws a rod after a few hours run time.

 

[bad88ttop]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. The engine is cranking freely now but continous to spit oily, muddy water from the cylendars. Tonight I said he'll with it and pulled the head off. Not as bad as I expected. The cylendar and piston had a slight coating if oily muck on it but the cylendar walls looked fine. I cleaned it up with carb cleaner and put it back together but the plugs have about had it at this point so I need to pick up a few sets

Question. What are the chances of water getting in the gas? The reason I ask is because with clean plugs it try's go start but after a few cranks the plugs get mucked up and then don't fire. I'm thinking it's partially because of the penetrating oil I put in the cylendars to free it up. Who knows. Maybe it was the started that needed freed up and not the rings on the cylendar.

If I pull the head off again is there a way to get down in there to get out any additional moisture? Possibly turn it on its side? Just thinking here but thanks in advance for all the feedback. Bill

 

[Coastiejoe]

He posted within the 4-tec section, so I assumed it was..

Please confirm this is a 2-stroke and I will move the post to the correct location.

 

[bad88ttop]

Yes. It's an injected 2 stroke. Sorry

 

[Coastiejoe]

Moved to the 2-stroke PWC section.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

With water sitting in it that long, send it to a shop. get a rebuilt w/a warranty. install it, and run it for another 10 years.

 

[Minnetonka4me]

All thats going to happen if you try to get this running is IF you actually get it running it will tear up the crank and go through the cases.

If you actually want to ride this thing next summer, pull the motor and have it fully rebuilt. You are in the same state as SES...im not a huge fan but any place you can drop and pu to save on shipping is a good deal.



As others have said...this could have been avoided if you took the problem seriously. This is the death of many a jetski motor. If you would have fixed this that day it would have cost much much less.

 

[AdamXP800]

We aren't trying to be harsh just trying to save you wasting time and destroying your core. Tear the engine down and rebuild or have it rebuilt. Water sitting in it for months is devastating. Like tonka said it might run briefly but will end in a catastrophe



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!

 

[Minnetonka4me]

The only time ive ever had a motor run after something like this was on an old 92sp. I bought it for parts, but when I got home I realized the engine was full to the brim with water. What that means is there was zero air in there, which meant when I shot the water out of the motor it wasnt rusty at all. As soon as I got it all out I fogged it heavily, then went out and rode it hard, then brought it home and heavily fogged it again.

It also helps that it was a 580 motor, low HP, over engineered.

 

[AdamXP800]

Those 580's are hard to kill



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!

 

[AdamXP800]

Everyone needs a 580 powered ski as their loaner ski haha



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!

 

[Coastiejoe]

Now that I know it is a 2-stroke. I agree. Pull it and service. The cranks simply do not survive being swamped and not dryed out nearly instatnly.

 

[96spxpos]

so, [MENTION=60330]AdamA96XP[/MENTION] says the 580's are hard to kill, then I've been told that the 720's are bulletproof, so, is it that the bigger Seadoo went with the motor, the crappier the engineering and reliability? Making me scared to death to ever purchase a ski that's got a 951 or bigger. (I heard the 951's are very touchy)

 

[AdamXP800]

I love the 787. It's durable if maintained correctly. It's got a good balance of power and engineering lol. As where the 951 IMO is an overpowered 2 cylinder that's under engineered. That's just my opinion, the 787 is a happy medium



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!

 

[Waterluvr]

so, [MENTION=60330]AdamA96XP[/MENTION] says the 580's are hard to kill, then I've been told that the 720's are bulletproof, so, is it that the bigger Seadoo went with the motor, the crappier the engineering and reliability? Making me scared to death to ever purchase a ski that's got a 951 or bigger. (I heard the 951's are very touchy)

Development of post 787 Rotax engines was completely handicapped by the EPA and CARB emission compliancy regs, while the brand X guys were building much larger displacement motors with reed intakes well before Rotax introduced the 951 they knew the days of building 2 stroke PWC based engines were over with industry wide, the 951 was just the end of road for them along with everyone else.

The flipside is plenty of Doo owners did, and continue to stomp mudholes in the other guy's PWC's with the 717 and 787 engines, they were and continue to be a great piece of engineering when you compare displacement versus horsepower at the shaft.

 

[Tytan]

I had a 98 GTX Limited that I bought with a toasted engine and rebuilt it myself. I got 5 years and about 200 trouble free hours out of it before it ate a piston skirt. It was truly trouble free never let me down once until the last ride. The 951 in that hull was a great package and was one of my favourite Seadoo models.

I also had a 96 GTX with the 787 and it kicked my azz, seized the rear piston twice and never could figure out why, new fuel system, checked the timing, rebuilt the carbs twice, and pressure tested the block after rebuild.

Different strokes for different folks I guess, my experience with the 951 and previous 720's was great, didn't have much luck with the 787.

 

[96spxpos]

see [MENTION=69499]Tytan[/MENTION] I honestly couldn't even imagine going thru that, 2 seized rear pistons, even after all the work you did to it.. did you ride that ski hard?

 

[Tytan]

see [MENTION=69499]Tytan[/MENTION] I honestly couldn't even imagine going thru that, 2 seized rear pistons, even after all the work you did to it.. did you ride that ski hard?

It was not ridden hard more of a cruiser machine. After the initial rebuild the carbs were set with the 96 settings after the first seizure I found out the 97 models had different settings mainly opening the H/S screw on the PTO carb if I remember correctly. Took about 6 months then it seized a second piston. After that I rejetted with flame arresters and then it seemed to be OK, sold it about a year later still running good.

 

[96spxpos]

goes to show just how important carb adjustments are..

 

[AdamXP800]

I sold my 97 GTX with 280 hours of trouble free use. Still ran the same as it did new. Compression was perfect and the head never removed. Rebuilt the carbs one time after fuel lines replaced and that's it.



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

the 951 isn't under engineered, but it's also not over. it's just enough. it's the most HP you'll get in that light a package... but at the other end is an expected 200 hour service life. which, for most people, is TEN YEARS of use.

for a, when new, ski of $7,000, is that, that bad?

nothing is made to last forever, but I still feel they did a damn good job making all of these machines, each one, year and engine.

as for the original topic, pull that engine and have it gone over by a rebuilder. anything else, you're just asking for trouble or engine failure within 1-2 season, and that's a hassle you don't want. Do it right the first time.