Performance Issue with 1996 SP Seadoo

[Ryguy1188]

Hello, I have a 1996 SP seadoo. I bought this used and I have owned this for 2.5 years. About mid summer of last year I noticed a performance issue while at the lake.

I noticed that when taking off, the ski seems to just sit in the water and is sluggish to take off. The engine revs up, and water appears to shoot out the back, but the stream is not perfectly round. The ski will eventually plane out and go fast, but Its taking off is slow.

The ski used to be able to pull tubers no problem, but now It struggles to get itself up on plane.

I'm not sure if this is related, but since I bought it, the rear end seemed to have a funny noise like a bearing is going out. Its louder than my other older ski, but its like something is rattling from the exterior jet pump. I know its not the inside bearing where the boot connects to the shaft, because I grease that after every ride.

Please Help me with the performance issue, and If that noise could be a lower bearing if there are any. I'm new to working on jetski's, but I can learn. Also, what is some symptoms of the wear-ring going out?

Thanks,
~Ryan

 

[timmyboy76]

Exact syptom...

quote....Also, what is some symptoms of the wear-ring going out?

what its doin now. Check clearance, no more than 1mm, and if the case, might aswell, take a gander at the pump assy...:cheers:

 

[Ryguy1188]

What do you think is causing the bad performance? The slugish takeoff. Its non-engine related.
Thanks for you help,
~Ryan

 

[seadoosnipe]

Wear ring....

As timmyboy pointed out Ryan, this is the symptoms of a bad wearing ring. Remember, the jet pumps thrust principle is not of a propeller but a compressor. You have to create pressure inside the nozzle for thrust. If the wearing ring is gone, then you'll not be able to build any pressure in your nozzle.

I don't know what the metric measurement that timmyboy quoted but in inches, it's suppose to be less than .040.

Take a flashlight, shine from the back and if possible, look into the water inlet. You should only see a very thin light ring around the edges of your impeller..........but, if the engine is running nicely, no thrust, 99% chance the problem is wearing ring.

If the noise is really bad, put in your head whether or not, it sounds like a stripped shaft between the engine and impeller.........that's the only other thing it could possilbly be........

 

[Ryguy1188]

stripped shaft between the engine and impeller

If the shaft between the engine and impeller is stripped, will it have caused the wear-ring to go out? also, that noise seems to come louder when there is a load on the prop. like when doing 180's. When skipping sidways the pitch increase but when it grabs the pitch will jump lower and start growling.
Thanks for your help,
~Ryan

 

[Nate Surveyor]

Just to add a note of explanation:

Wear Ring: Is a device that goes AROUND the impeller, and keeps water from leaking FORE WARD. The wear ring is subject to damage, from debris, ingested from the lake or water you are running in. The general theory is that the wear ring gets gouged out, and the impeller is saved.

And, the symptoms you describe are indicative of wear ring trouble. The clearance is supposed to about as thick as a piece of paper. (VERY small gap)

This wear ring is not expensive, and can be thought of in the same category as brake shoes, on a car. They wear, and are expected to wear.

Best of luck finding the problem.

Nate

 

[seadoosnipe]

Shaft....

The more you say, the more it does seem like your shaft may be stripping splines on it.

Whent he wear ring goes out, you pretty much can't fo very far. Engine rpm's increase without much forward momentum at all.

Any way you look at it, your going to have to remove the pump. So, you might as well bust off those 4 bolts, remove the water line to the engine and take a look............

Let us know what you find out, or if you need more help. Jump into it. You can't mess it up. Oh, and when it's time to break it away from the hull, it's probably sealed so it'll take some pulling to break the silicone..........:cheers:

 

[Ryguy1188]

shaft

Ok Im going to replace the wear ring, so I'm going to buy a new.

But Im still confused on the "splines" and shaft. Is it the shaft that connects the engine to the prop?
Also What damages could happen if I didn't fix that?

Thanks for your help,
~Ryan

 

[timmyboy76]

for damages, you can just keep stripping the splines, and then possibly with soo much play, that it'll bend the shaft, crack the pto, crack the impellor and if it gets "lodged" in a way, possibly bend the crank.
Like Snipe mentioned, since your doin the wear ring, you need to pull pump off, so might as well, take gander at shaft, look inside impellor and feel/look inside "pto" to check their splines' conditions...

 

[seadoosnipe]

Well said.....

:agree: with timmy. When you remove the pump, you expose the splines at the pump impeller and drive shaft. If they look clean, then while the pump is out, pull the shaft from the PTO back just a little to inspect them.

The noise can also be the impeller strinking the wearing ring, if it broke loose and folded up into the impeller. That's what mine did a couple years ago. Heavy vibration and noisey.......so, your going to have to pull the pump for inspection, any way you go with it........

 

[Ryguy1188]

Thanks

Alright, Will do. Thank you again for your help,
Ill let you know how it goes.
~Ryan

 

[buxidoo]

you might have a same problem as mine ,
iv got sp 96 and had noise (annoying noise) and it was louder when i use to jump and the end of jet ski was out of water ,guess what?
i had a crack by the SHOE (BLACK) the plate under the pump on the hull,it was an small crack on the paint by the plate but as i take the plat off and saw the crack is bigger under there,i grinder that and saw salt built up there in the crack ,i fixed it with 5 lay of fiber glass very nicely and sand it to the shape, there is another way to check that ,when you come back from your riding and winch your jet ski on the trailer have look around the plate if any water coming out around that,if yes you'v got the same issue, you need to fix that immediately other wise water get trough in side the hull and push the air between the hull and the floor where the engine siting and will break the floor,as you drive longer you put more pressure in there.
Good luck

 

[Ryguy1188]

Buxidoo:
I've noticed that when I start my seadoo out of the water, the nosie isn't there. Its when there is a load I hear a gowling sound. I will take your thought into consideration and inspect it anyways. Thanks,
~Ryan

Seadoosnipe:
I have another question for you. I've noticed that after my ski sits for a few weeks, there is a bit of oil leaking down into the hull. It looks like its comming somewhere from the front of the ski not engine (i think) related. Is there a common hose, connection or anything that cracks (or anything) that would cause it to leak oil? Its not much, like about a liter a month, but I would like to know what Im dealing with before I start taking everything apart. Thanks,
~Ryan

 

[buxidoo]

check the oil lines and oil tank:hat: ,

 

[Ryguy1188]

problem found

I checked it out, and the wear-ring is completly destoryed. There are bits of the ring along the thick ring. Over all there is about 10-15% remaining plastic. Also, I cant find that leak, it might be a while longer to clean and check it everyday. As for the spines and shaft, I dont know how to take off the shaft. Im going to get a manuel and see if it shows me how to do it.
Thanks again guys,
~Ryan