Look at buying and X4 machine.

[Power_Man]

I just got done looking at a 1996 XP.

Has a bunch of aftermarket parts, including a Factory pipe exhaust, which looks like it has got hot.

I looks like it has been hot because, every hose and wire have melted that we're close to it.

Also the rubber exhaust hose blew/broke off on the previous owner and now it feels blown down, and is now spongy.

What should my concerns be?
Aftermarket head,Aftermarket intake, which both look like are R&D.
Aftermarket carbs, which look like they said "novi".
Supposed to have been rebuilt due to oil pump failure.

 

[spx800]

depends, how much?

 

[purple_people_eater]

OK first of all is that a spec 1 or a spec 2 pipe? What's the price? Are you going to be rec riding or racing?

You want to be really careful about buying someone else's problem. And honestly his story sound a little fishy to me. No one that knows what they are doing would throw that much money into that motor and neglect the oiling system. When these oil pumps actually fail they stick wide open. So it sounds to me like this guy got a bunch of aftermarket parts, threw them on and hoped for the best. The parts are worth some money tho if you can pick it up cheep. Remember, never pay more for a ski than you can make back by parting it out.

 

[Power_Man]

OK first of all is that a spec 1 or a spec 2 pipe? What's the price? Are you going to be rec riding or racing?

You want to be really careful about buying someone else's problem. And honestly his story sound a little fishy to me. No one that knows what they are doing would throw that much money into that motor and neglect the oiling system. When these oil pumps actually fail they stick wide open. So it sounds to me like this guy got a bunch of aftermarket parts, threw them on and hoped for the best. The parts are worth some money tho if you can pick it up cheep. Remember, never pay more for a ski than you can make back by parting it out.

I'm unsure if it is spec 1 or 2. I attached a couple pictures to assist with that.

We are also unsure if all the aftermarket parts were put on before the oil problem or after.
Guy wants $2200.00, I'm thinking $1800.00.

Should that pipe get hot enough to melt hoses and wires?

 

[Dr Honda]

Personally... I wouldn't touch it. Yes... it has a bunch of cool aftermarket parts... but if the guy doesn't know how to tune an engine... it may be destroyed.

When I buy older skis... I want to see an unmolested engine.

With that said... if it's SUPER clean, and has a nice trailer... and it's showing 150 psi compression... and he has the stock parts still... I would offer him $1500 and work from there.

 

[6KJR]

I looked this machine over for him. Hull looks good. Lots of goodies on the machine. But why is that factory pipe getting so hot? Is that normal? Haven't had the machine running. And it needs some tlc. I just don't want a headache.

 

[bigJake]

I looked this machine over for him. Hull looks good. Lots of goodies on the machine. But why is that factory pipe getting so hot? Is that normal? Haven't had the machine running. And it needs some tlc. I just don't want a headache.

clogged water control valve?

 

[Minnetonka4me]

On a factory pipe they should steam water but not sizzle it...if that makes sense. You want a pipe to run as hot as possible w/o melting couplers. They have jets in the water inlets and they get sand in them. One grain will cause problems.

The price is right....get in touch with me and we can do some trading +cash. I have everything needed to get it back to stock. It will bring the price way down on your end. I am in need of a spec 2 pipe for a top secret super crazy X-4 project.

My phone # is on my website; just click my name to the left and click to see my home page.

 

[Dr Honda]

..... But why is that factory pipe getting so hot? Is that normal?

No it's not. AND... that's my problem with the ski. The owner obviously doesn't know how to properly install and tune what he has.

As Minnitonka was saying... a HOT pipe will add to top end acceleration, and overall power. BUT... a HOT pipe will suck on the low end. That's why the stock 800's have the water regulator. It will dry out the pipe in the upper RPM's, but the stock pipe still has a water-jacket to keep the exterior cool. The "Factory Pipe" is supposed to have an electronic water injection, but it still needs tuned by the end user.

Regardless on how hot you let the pipe get... it shouldn't melt couplers ... and it should NEVER get hot enough to melt wires that are close to it.


So... lets take a step back. Take the fact that the owner DOES NOT know how to tune (obvious with the heat) and couple that to mod'ed carbs with a low restriction flame arrestor... and I'm going to bet that even if the engine runs... the piston crowns are partly melted.

Oh... and since he has an aftermarket head... who knows the chamber size, and if the squash band was set.

If I was to even consider that ski... you better believe that I would have my bore scope with me, to look into the combustion chambers.

clogged water control valve?

Could be... but I'm going to gamble and say the owner heard that a HOT pipe makes more power, and decided to either jet the water injection lean... or it's disconnected.

 

[6KJR]

No it's not. AND... that's my problem with the ski. The owner obviously doesn't know how to properly install and tune what he has.

As Minnitonka was saying... a HOT pipe will add to top end acceleration, and overall power. BUT... a HOT pipe will suck on the low end. That's why the stock 800's have the water regulator. It will dry out the pipe in the upper RPM's, but the stock pipe still has a water-jacket to keep the exterior cool. The "Factory Pipe" is supposed to have an electronic water injection, but it still needs tuned by the end user.

Regardless on how hot you let the pipe get... it shouldn't melt couplers ... and it should NEVER get hot enough to melt wires that are close to it.


So... lets take a step back. Take the fact that the owner DOES NOT know how to tune (obvious with the heat) and couple that to mod'ed carbs with a low restriction flame arrestor... and I'm going to bet that even if the engine runs... the piston crowns are partly melted.

Oh... and since he has an aftermarket head... who knows the chamber size, and if the squash band was set.

If I was to even consider that ski... you better believe that I would have my bore scope with me, to look into the combustion chambers.




Could be... but I'm going to gamble and say the owner heard that a HOT pipe makes more power, and decided to either jet the water injection lean... or it's disconnected.

Our friend has one of those scopes, and I was also thinking the same thing. If the pipe got hot enough to melt things on the outside and destroy the rubber exhaust hose, somethings not right there. Im interested in the compression, and seeing inside it FIRST before the cash gets exchanged. Then if it is ok, it needs to go to the shop and have some proper work done to it and get it back to par, then do some plug chops to see what this thing is doing.

On another note, I didnt see any electronic water control box or wires and I WAS looking for them. I did find a billet style adapter that seemed to have a hose going over to the front (machine front) of the pipe, and another jet hole on the pipe that was plugged off with a brass fitting.

 

[Minnetonka4me]

They prob put the limiter box in the ebox...but I dont see a water injection in there. The factory pipes really liked water injection.

 

[6KJR]

Id think if the engine was in decent condition the machine should really haul once tuned in and made reliable. Still has the oil pump hanging off the front of the case! lol. Its nothing we cant handle, but if the engines cooked then big time fail.

 

[purple_people_eater]

Imo I wouldn't touch that ski for that price. That's just my 2 cents tho. Are you going to be rec riding or racing ?

 

[Minnetonka4me]

When you are talking engine mods its not the mods that make it shorten the engine lifespan...its how many RPMs you are turning. Higher the RPM=shorter lifespan.

 

[purple_people_eater]

The reason I asked what he was using it for is I have concerns about those carbs. Don't novi's have to be tuned constantly?

 

[6KJR]

Recreational riding is what we tend to call it. No races, just good times and some pretty big waves in lake ontario.

Apparently the guy selling pulled the machine down and it wont crank over so he pulled the offer.

Maybe its for the better anyways.

 

[Power_Man]

Recreational riding is what we tend to call it. No races, just good times and some pretty big waves in lake ontario.

Apparently the guy selling pulled the machine down and it wont crank over so he pulled the offer.

Maybe its for the better anyways.

Thanks for all the info guys.
As 6KJR says, probably for the best.

Going to keep looking and will be back with more questions.