I am an idiot, help me see the light on a Rotax 717 engines on Seadoo jet boat

[Quetz]

I am trying to troubleshoot my seadoo jet boat's twin Rotax 717s. Here is the issue, I was putting along last year when the boat quit working. I lifted the engine compartment and there was water coming out of the port side engine. I took the boat back and stored it for the winter. I just tried doinga compression test and had a gusher in one engine and I was not able to turn it over even with my fully charged car battery. When I pulled a plug out I got Texas tea gushing out. Here are my questions:

1) What could I have done originally to the engine if I could visibly see water leaking into the engine compartment?

2) How do I start to trobleshoot my problems? First the working engine that now won't turn over and the original engine that sprung the leak?

3) Are these engines expensive and hard to replace?

 

[kustomkarl]

The big question I have for you is, did you winterize the engines before you stored it for the winter? If not the engines are junk.

Karl

 

[Quetz]

Shoot

I did not winterize them but they were under the boat cover in the (unheated) garage and it did not get that cold in the MD estern shore this past winter. How can i confirm if the engines are junked?

Should I get to the PTO and try to turn it manually and see if they will turn and if they turn I can put a compression tester and see if it reads?

 

[kustomkarl]

First I would spray some wd-40 in the plug holes. Put the spark plug caps on the grounding studs, and with a charged up battery crank the engine over to get the water out. Don't jump the battery from a running engine like your car, as it will surge the electrical system and cause more problems. Once the water is out do a compression test. It ideally should be 150 psi. The problem is that if any water sat in the engine it usually kills the crank bearings and internals over time. If you can't get the crank to turn over by hand you might want to either pull the head off and look inside or add some PB Blaster to loosen it up. If it seized up real tight, it more than likely need to be torn down and rebuilt. To loosen it up to you could put a pipe wrench on the pto and rotate the engine in a counter clockwise direction. Be careful not to damage the hull of the boat or your hands.

Karl

 

[Quetz]

Thanks

I will give it a try and see what happens. i will post my findings ....I fear the worst at this time.

What do you think happened to the one engine that that it stopped working and I saw water leaking from the purple manifold area?

 

[kustomkarl]

If you didn't winterize the engines it's possible that there was the water left in it from last year. Check the exhaust pipe at the round disks welded in for any leaks. Sometimes they develop a small pin hole that gets bigger as it corrodes. It's hard to say with out seeing the problem area. It might even be an exhaust manifold gaskets that went bad.

Karl

 

[Quetz]

Thnx again

If that were the case and it went while it was under power, would the engine just stop because it has no water or would it keep running without water (or low water) and fry itself? I was underway when the engine quit and the water leak was apparent. It did not start again and has not since.

Thanks again karl!

 

[johnnygb]

Rotax 717 engines

The engines will still run if there is no cooling water but as soon as they reach a certain temp an alarm will sound and this is a continuouse high pitched alarm that indicates turn off the engine or suffer ear damage!!

 

[Quetz]

I see

I was taken back by the sudden stop and don't remember if there was an alarm at the time. Will see if engines are not seized up and start from there.

 

[Seadoobuddy]

It would have been interesting to know the ending of this story.....but his last post on any subject was 8/29/2009.

 

[bigJake]

It would have been interesting to know the ending of this story.....but his last post on any subject was 8/29/2009.

You want to know the ending to this thread from 2 years ago. OK, I happen to know Quetz. He tore the engine apart and discovered it was filled with gold (that's why it wouldn't run). He learned the gold belonged to a fairy princess so he went to the castle to return it. He met the fairy princess and they instanly fell in love. They got married, had 3.2 children and lived happily ever after.

 

[Seadoobuddy]

mmmmm. I think this reply belongs in the Jake and Lou fairy tale thread.

Actually I wanted to know the results since I'm still learning about Seadoo engines. I assume the block/jug was cracked and probably trashed but you never know. If he was able to fix it I would have liked to know what he did and how.


Even though I may have a few hundred posts and owned a SD for 5 yrs, I know nothing about the mechanical part of the engines.
I've been researching as many threads as I can, yes, some go back 1-3 yrs. If they are still open I may respond like I did yesterday to Dr Honda's thread about in-line fuel filters and I needed an updated part number.....and he responded.

 

[bigJake]

mmmmm. I think this reply belongs in the Jake and Lou fairy tale thread.

Actually I wanted to know the results since I'm still learning about Seadoo engines. I assume the block/jug was cracked and probably trashed but you never know. If he was able to fix it I would have liked to know what he did and how.

well since he obviously is not on the forum any longer I guess you'll just have to settle for my ending

 

[Gamerse]

+1^

If you want to learn more Buddy, just buy a junk ski or boat, and go from there. The dude mentioned "texas tea" which is oil, not water. Guy's crank seals were probably bad. Who the hell knows what really happened, the owner obviously fixed it or gave up, either way he wan't nice enough to share.

From what I've seen, forum users will not go back to a "dead thread", unless there is some troll value in it. Don't feed the trolls! Also, posting after 12am is safer because that is when bigJake turns back into a pumpkin.

:cheers:
Ernest

 

[Seadoobuddy]

Ernest, I've been thinking about the junk idea for awhile. I see 2 people near me with skis that have been sitting for at least a couple years. i might make them an offer they can't refuse.....sis and ???? for the skis.........LOL
thanks

 

[bigJake]

+1^

If you want to learn more Buddy, just buy a junk ski or boat, and go from there. The dude mentioned "texas tea" which is oil, not water. Guy's crank seals were probably bad. Who the hell knows what really happened, the owner obviously fixed it or gave up, either way he wan't nice enough to share.

From what I've seen, forum users will not go back to a "dead thread", unless there is some troll value in it. Don't feed the trolls! Also, posting after 12am is safer because that is when bigJake turns back into a pumpkin.

:cheers:
Ernest

Ernest,

Cousin Criss got my timeclock all screwed up with that flux capicitor thing he's got down there in Oz land so 3am and I'm still here.

Seriously though Seadoobuddy, I've only been at this jet ski thing a couple years myself. First thing I did was read the shop manual just about cover to cover. of course I had no idea what most of it meant. But after working on a part of the ski I'll go back and reread that chapter and it makes alot more sense. Like you I read probably a few hundred posts a day including old threads that look interesting. If something don't makes sense bring up the diagrams too, that sometims helps. Important thing is read and learn, don't feel you have to chime in on every thread. I've got the smart ass remarks covered. That's my true expertise !!! And if ya dig up another dead thread that ya want an ending to I got a great story about some bitch eating porridge with 3 bears. :cheers:

 

[bbmaxster]

I don't know what or if you guys are smoking but if you are hows about sending me some of it so that i can see if that happens to me.