New to sea doo lookin for recommendations

[dpmca13]

Just bought a 97 gtx and a 98 gsx limited, I am a auto mechanic so have general motor knowledge but new to PWC/jet skis, That being said I would like suggestions on any upgrades/maintenance I should do to get em ready for summer I did new plugs, was gonna do fuel filters but wanna order them with any other things I should get/do with the fuel filter thanks in advance

 

[JJinSC]

Was a compression test done? Did you receive any transfer of knowledge. Especially, in regards to the service history? If not, there are plenty of threads here advising what should be done on these old skis. Before doing anything, do a compression test to confirm what shape the motor may be in and what you have to work with. If that tests ok, Primary area of concern if you do not want to toast the engine, is the fuel delivery system and using the right oil. Before running it anymore, replace any old gray tempo fuel lines and rebuild the carbs ( sticky how-to is on this forum) . Replace fuel selector valve and water separator filter. Clean and inspect fuel vents. Do not mix oil brands. Find out what kind the PO was using and either keep using (if it is the right kind) or drain the system and replace with correct kind. Also, replace inline oil filter. Bleed the system.

That should get you started on preparing an older model ski for a lot more fun.

 

[GGuillot]

Just bought a 97 gtx and a 98 gsx limited, I am a auto mechanic so have general motor knowledge but new to PWC/jet skis, I jay being said I would like suggestions on any upgrades/maintenance I should do to get em ready for summer I did new plugs, was gonna do fuel filters but wanna order them with any other things I should get/do with the fuel filter thanks in advance

What's the history? do they run? Usually going through the fuel system, rebuilding the carbs, new oil and fuel lines is a basic stuff to do. Check to see they have the o ring to c clip change on the drive shaft, I know the 97' had the oring originally. Drain and refill the oil pump. The more preventative maintenance you do now the better chance of no issues when you get on the water.

You don't need to add fuel filters if that was your intent, there's already 3 on the ski, one at the pickup in the tank, one under the steering and another in the carbs. Adding a fuel filter could cause starvation issues and a lean condition, so advise against it.

You can do endless searches on this forum, there's a wealth of info to answer anything to assist. But feel free to ask questions as you do the work on your skis.

 

[AKnarrowback]

No extra filters are needed. If you want cleaner gas filter everything BEFORE it goes in the tank. Adding an extra filter can do more harm than good.

 

[JeremyD615]

Everything that was said above is right on point. Fuel system maintenance is the number one thing to watch on these skis. And don’t use aftermarket parts for anything that touches fuel! These motors are are really power dense already, and letting them go lean is a recipe for disaster. Beyond that, just make sure you’re using the correct synthetic API-TC rated oil and they are relatively trouble free...

 

[dpmca13]

Was a compression test done? Did you receive any transfer of knowledge. Especially, in regards to the service history? If not, there are plenty of threads here advising what should be done on these old skis. Before doing anything, do a compression test to confirm what shape the motor may be in and what you have to work with. If that tests ok, Primary area of concern if you do not want to toast the engine, is the fuel delivery system and using the right oil. Before running it anymore, replace any old gray tempo fuel lines and rebuild the carbs ( sticky how-to is on this forum) . Replace fuel selector valve and water separator filter. Clean and inspect fuel vents. Do not mix oil brands. Find out what kind the PO was using and either keep using (if it is the right kind) or drain the system and replace with correct kind. Also, replace inline oil filter. Bleed the system.

That should get you started on preparing an older model ski for a lot more fun.

So the 98 is a gsx ltd, and he said that one was rebuilt and the oil injection system bypassed so it uses mix fuel now but the other one still uses oil injection system and the PO gave me a half gallon of the sea doo synthetic oil he used in both skis. That being said, is the course of action still the same (compression test, and fuel selector valve/water seperator) or do I take a different route being that this uses mix gas

 

[JeremyD615]

You still need to take the same steps. Also, the Sea Doo Oil injection system is super reliable, and there is really no benefit at all to removing it. I would at least consider scrounging up the parts to reinstall it, as you will use WAY less oil with it in place...

 

[dpmca13]

You still need to take the same steps. Also, the Sea Doo Oil injection system is super reliable, and there is really no benefit at all to removing it. I would at least consider scrounging up the parts to reinstall it, as you will use WAY less oil with it in place...

I’ll look into it, I have read that the injection systems fail often tho, that being said, is it a bad idea to run mixed gas with the oil injection system still hooked up?

 

[JeremyD615]

You won’t find very many legitimate instances where a Sea Doo injection system failed. On the Yamahas and Kawi’s it does happen, but most of the guys that have been wrenching on these things for the past 30 years have never seen a bad pump.

You can run premix with the oil injection during break in or for a tank after servicing the injection system, but there’s no benefit to doing it beyond that. At idle and light throttle, these motors use very little oil, and anything more just contributes to fouled plugs and gummed up rave valves...