RESTO Resurrecting a 1996 SPX

[96spxdeathtolife]

I'm new to this forum and I was planning on starting a thread to show my attempt at bringing a 1996 SPX back to life.

I bought the ski from someone on Craigslist. It has been sitting under a tree on the ground for two years. The previous owner said that the CDI box was fried after he tried to jump start the ski. He assured me that it was running great up to that point.

I'm no mechanic but I've always wanted to bring something back from the dead and I thought this might be a fun project.

Growing up our family had a n early 90's SPI and GTS. My family recently bought a 1991 GT and we had some much fun on it! It ran great the first 5 days we had it out but after that it wouldn't take off like it's supposed to and it would plane out but when you went full throttle it felt like a slipping clutch. So I guess I'll be doing a little work on that ski as well.

One thing at a time though, first in going to see if I can pump some new life into this SPX. It's really rough! Enjoy the pictures!

Any other threads or links to check out would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[96spxdeathtolife]

I've never gotten drunk and slept with a fat chick, but I imagine that the feeling I had this morning when I went outside and saw this ugly thing in my driveway has to be similar. So did I make a huge mistake? Has anyone else taken on something stupid like this before and been successful?

 

[AdamXP800]

Actually that is not bad. Cosmetically it will clean up pretty easily. Pop the seat and let us see some pictures of the engine and hull

 

[pwgsx]

some purple power, simple green and a power washer will work wonders. Then buff and wax it. It will be easier to take the engine out and clean it from bottom up as well. Remove the gas tank and clean, replace fuel lines and tackle the electrical. Check on the pump oil and you might be good to go. Does not look that bad at all.

 

[96spxdeathtolife]

It's raining really hard right now, when it slows down a little bit I will go out and take a few more pictures. Thanks for the encouragement! I was starting to feel like a real idiot.

 

[96spxdeathtolife]

Ok here are a few more pictures, inside the boat looks pretty bad too![ATTACH=CONFIG]27047[/ATTACH]

 

[rvaughn704]

A little work and it will make you a nice Ski.

 

[Ruskeyjdm]

I agree, plenty of people have brought back even worse "turds"
If the engine is ok, cleaning and cosmetic work is no problem

 

[LouDoo]

I'm afraid that I'm not as optimistic about this ski as others on this forum, and I'm not saying this to be harsh I'm just trying to be honest, personally I wouldn't have purchased this ski. I think it was Spim who said "you can't polish a turd". If a ski is this neglected cosmetically it has probably been neglected mechanically as well, after all how much trouble is it to throw a tarp over the ski.

Anyway before you put any time or money in this ski I would try to access the general mechanical condition of the ski. Remove the spark plugs, remove the PTO cover and see if the motor will turn over by hand, if you can get a battery or jump off of a non-running vehicle, attach the neg. lead to motor ground and the post to the solenoid, and see if you can get a compression reading, less than 120psi you will need an engine rebuild.

I sincerely hope RIP was the previous owner's initials and not the condition of the ski.

Lou

 

[ocod]

I'm new to this forum and I was planning on starting a thread to show my attempt at bringing a 1996 SPX back to life.

I bought the ski from someone on Craigslist. It has been sitting under a tree on the ground for two years. The previous owner said that the CDI box was fried after he tried to jump start the ski. He assured me that it was running great up to that point.

I'm no mechanic but I've always wanted to bring something back from the dead and I thought this might be a fun project.

Growing up our family had a n early 90's SPI and GTS. My family recently bought a 1991 GT and we had some much fun on it! It ran great the first 5 days we had it out but after that it wouldn't take off like it's supposed to and it would plane out but when you went full throttle it felt like a slipping clutch. So I guess I'll be doing a little work on that ski as well.

One thing at a time though, first in going to see if I can pump some new life into this SPX. It's really rough! Enjoy the pictures!

Any other threads or links to check out would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

OMG!
I hope you got it for less than his 300 asking.
Are you in Miami?

I posted guys ad in our "Florida CL thread" as one of dirtiest ski ever posted. Post#5038
http://www.seadooforum.com/showthread.php?52588-Florida-Classifieds/page202

In case you need any parts minnetonka4me or 99spxxx are your best source for parts fast.

 

[AdamXP800]

Well this is WAY more of a salt turd that I expected. This is going to be a big project, I hope you got it cheap.

Edit*** cheap..... As in free

 

[AdamXP800]

Ocod did post this lol I knew it looked familiar

 

[96spxdeathtolife]

Wow! Confidence sinking quickly! I did wake up next to the fat chick!

So it sounds like my first play is to see if I can turn the motor by hand and then try and do a compression test? If the motor has good compression (what is good?) is it worth continuing?

Thanks for all the help so far!

And please don't flame me...I paid $300. The money went to the owners son :facepalm:

 

[ocod]

You can still bail out now.

A bad engine goes for 100 bucks to SBT buyback program.
If your computer is good thats at least 100 bucks if you have the key.

Add the pump and some miscellaneous parts maybe squeak out another 100 bucks.

Or go all in and do a restro and become very familiar with the SPX.

:cheers:

 

[LouDoo]

To answer your question on compression, at least 135psi and no more than 10% difference between cylinders.

It's not mine or anyone else's intention to flame you on this purchase, we simply don't want you to throw good money after bad, like Ocod said you may still be able to get out of this without loosing money, start throwing money at it and that might not be the case.

Lou

 

[blairwill4]

OH MY GOD THATS THE SKI! With enough willpower anything can be fixed. Buts its all in how much time and money you want into it. If the motor is not good Id scrap the project right there the skis isnt worth. You can get your money back for sure with some effort. If you put a little time into the hull you might be able to get some cash out of it since it is an x4 hull.

 

[96spxdeathtolife]

Well, got through the first couple stages of polishing my turd! It's looking better

 

[rvaughn704]

What was the compression ?????

Make sure that is good before you do alot of polishing.

 

[AdamXP800]

I wouldn't of removed one leaf off that thing until I got a compression reading, verified the MPEM works

 

[96spxdeathtolife]

You guys are probably right, but it was too dirty to put in the garage to do the compression test. Plus I figured that if the motor is toast it would be easier to sell a hull that doesn't look like someone tried to start a garden on it.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to do the compression test on it tomorrow. And what is the MPEM? And how do I test it? Sorry for the stupid questions but I'm jut getting my feet wet in this whole thing.

Thanks for all the help so far! I really do appreciate it!!

 

[ocod]

You guys are probably right, but it was too dirty to put in the garage to do the compression test. Plus I figured that if the motor is toast it would be easier to sell a hull that doesn't look like someone tried to start a garden on it.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to do the compression test on it tomorrow. And what is the MPEM? And how do I test it? Sorry for the stupid questions but I'm jut getting my feet wet in this whole thing.

Thanks for all the help so far! I really do appreciate it!!

I have a gauge if you need one?
All you need is a charged battery and it to turn over when you hit start button?

I would throw some oil down cylinders if its been sitting.
Turn it over a few times then check compression.
Oil in the cylinders will give you higher than normal readings.

You can check if engine spins freely by taking out plugs and turning PTO by hand.
That way at least you know engine isn't sized if you haven't already checked?

 

[2000challenger]

If you end up needing a mpem or any electrical part let me know I am parting a salt turd 96 spx.. Got some parts cheap


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

 

[AdamXP800]

2000challenger might have the parts you're going to need.
If not and the compression checks out, we have a member who sells quality used parts and backs them 100%. [MENTION=41828]Minnetonka4me[/MENTION]

 

[96spxdeathtolife]

Well I think I'm in bad shape. I pulled the plastic cover (I believe the PTO cover) that LouDoo referred to and here is what I saw.



I'm guessing that's bad! I took the spark plugs out and tried to turn the round rusty piece (is that the PTO) by hand and no luck. I put a little oil in the cylinders and then tried again a few minutes later...same out come. I sprayed PB blaster all over the rusty circle piece and put a strap wrench on the thinner part, wouldn't budge.

I had a battery in the garage so I hooked it up to the leads that usually connect to the battery but when I hit the start button it would beep one time and wouldn't try to turn. Is that because the CDI box went bad? Is there a way to bypass the CDI box just to see if it will turn? Or should I not try and jump it if the motor won't turn by hand with the plugs out?

Thanks again for all your help...I am enjoying the learning process. And I know what it can be like to have people jump on a forum you have been on for years and ask the most basic questions, so I really appreciate your patience. If there are any threads that I should check out that might give me a better foundation please let me know.

 

[96spxdeathtolife]

Oh yeah, I forgot another awesome thing that happened. I wasn't sure I was trying to turn the right part so I went to take off what I thought was the flywheel cover and I broke the head off of two bolts! Is there a trick to taking those off?

Oh yeah, and here is what the cradle under the motor looks like!



Sweet right!

Well you guys are the experts! I was hoping to have a nice running ski by next summer on a budget of about $1,000. Is that possible? That would mean that I have $700 left to spend.