Noise, vibration, and high RPMs at only 10 mph on my 2004 GTX??

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jtlee1

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Hi. I'm new to the forum, and I'm looking for information/troubleshooting help on my 2004 GTX. After 30 minutes of riding today, it suddenly started vibrating and riding very rough when trying to accelerate. I had to keep it below 10 mph to eliminate the noise and vibration. It would run at approx 4200 rpm at only 10 mph.

Any ideas? I'm looking at a lot of stuff online about wear rings, impellers, etc...
 
Mine did the same about a week ago.....remove your intake grate under your ski. There is debris stuck in your intake. Also check that the impeller is clean. If you cant have a good look inside, take a small camera and take pics.
 
You have something stuck in the intake or impeller. Probably can find it very easy just by pulling it back out of the water and looking under it.
 
Thanks for the info! I think I'm on the right track now...any photos of intake/inspection, etc on this site?
 
No photos, just go look up inside the intake... you can see the impeller inside the pump. Something has undoubtedly gotten sucked up. Likely a piece of rope is wound up around the impeller. You may have to remove the intake grate to get it out if it's a rope. If you do, be sure to use blue loctite on the intake grate bolts when you re-install the grate (they can and will vibrate loose and fall out later on if not properly threadlocked!).

Go look, come back and tell us what you find in there.

- Michael
 
Unfortunately, I didn't find any debris. I suppose it could have come out when we put the sea doo in reverse at the dock (I didn't know to try this out on open water, or I could have checked to see if there was still a problem upon accelerating).

I did, however, see some scoring of the wear ring and some very tiny impeller blade nicks. Having only looked at it today for the first time, I don't know how long the damage has been there. Should the wear ring appear pristine? I realize we're talking about small clearances, so I don't know if rubbing is a normal occurrence?
 
Only a brand new wear ring will look "pristine"... their purpose is to wear, after all. Tiny blade nicks would not account for your experience, something had to have been in the pump! I'd put it in the water again now that you've checked inside the pump, see if it still acts strange or not. Whatever was in there may have fallen out when you pulled it out of the water... your symptoms are spot-on for debris inside the jet pump spinning round-n-round with the impeller but unable to pass thru the impeller. Go try it again and see if the problem has gone away.

ps. It's not recommended to run these watercraft in shallow water, like 3 or 4 feet deep.... they suck stuff up from the bottom in water that shallow, even small rocks (resulting in dings in the leading edge of the impeller... which will add up, and in time affect performance)! Push the PWC out into chest deep water then climb aboard start up and go. It'll save you alot of grief!

- Michael
 
I'm attaching some pics (hopefully)...maybe someone can get me calibrated as to whether this is significant damage, normal wear and tear, just a wear ring replacement v. a new impeller and wear ring, etc...
 
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There's a little wear but nothing to worry about. It's not causing you a problem.:cheers::cheers:
 
You should be able to hit 45-50mph easily still, and without any noticeable vibration. I think whatever it was that was in there fell back out when you pulled the ski out of the water. It might have fallen out when you shut the ski off at the ramp actually, suction may have had a pieces of wood spinning round-n-round inside there too big to pass thru the impeller.

- Michael
 
Yeah, that makes sense. I need to put it back in the water and check again. If it still does it, I have no clue what it could be...
 
That looks good. Same thing happened to my friend last year. It was vibrating bad on the water and he thought he broke it. Got it home and took it all apart and found nothing. Went back to the lake and all was good. The ride home must have dislodged a stick or something.
 
Thanks to everyone!

I really appreciate all the information and advice. :thumbsup:I put the ski in the water this morning and it ran like a scalded dog! No problems whatsoever, easily up to 60+ mph.

I have now learned something new about the ski...I had never experienced debris in the intake prior to this episode. Thanks again to all.
 
exact same thing happened to me 2 hours ago, after a few minutes and avout 10 full throttle thrusts it ran fine, i figured a piece of seaweek in the impeller,
 
o my god same thing happend to my GTX 2008 215 today. stupid ex gf i told her to stop the engine, take the key out she panic and she kept going and the ski sucked all the small rocks in and big ones too. So obviously my ski was done....

So I opened the intake grill and took some pics with the camera and there I see a rock stuck in the impeller blades. Tried for 1 hour or more to take it out in different positions no luck. Will take it to a mechanic and let him to the job and maybe inspect the impeller. So mad man so mad ..today just after 30 min Im out of the water when everyone was enjoy it... Learned a lesson don`t let them ride it ever again !!! thats it baby... thats it..


Will post some pics for u guys to see. it also damage some of that white foam on top of the impeller not sure if that`s important on not. Because the rock was spinning with the impeller and taking out on the foam..

I hope no need to replace the impeller as it was brand new and I was getting 70mph i hope I get the same speed once it`s fixed otherwise will be so mad.
 
That thing around the impeller is the wear ring. Sounds like it will need replaced. Read up here. It is a very easy fix yourself. Dont pay a shop $200.
 
Not foam, Delrin white plastic.... wear ring. Sounds like it's toast. Needs very tight tolerances to the impeller blades to keep the impeller from cavitating, yours probably has a deep cut all the way around it now.

They call 'em ex's for a reason.... Good luck!

- Michael
 
ufff thanks guys so it looks like more damage.. oh man.... yeah mine for sure need replaced. Tried to upload some pics but I can`t really drag them and drop...

How much is that ring cost ? for the part itself ?
 
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oh man so I went to this mechanic and i dont feel good.. He changed the ring and polished the impeller put it back about 1.45 minutes of work
he charges:
80 for the ring
50 $ to repair impeller
2.5 hours for lab our.

Did not say anything this time just wanted my ski back so whatever... But man this is kinda rip of instead of 1.45 u charge me 2.5 and then on top of that u charge me 50$ for impeller repair.. wasn`t that included in the labour ?
So with taxes i got 340$ charge...

Anyways next time will come here and get help and will do it myself. Saw it all he did so won't be that afraid anymore.....

I hope now the ski is as powerful as it used to be before...with the repaired impeller.
 
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