Oops !!!
Seadoo 96-97 GTX Repairs
- Thread starter etemplet
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snikwad003
Well-Known Member
Looks awesome. Hope they run as good as they look for ya(don't forget strap em down
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I'm wore out. I gotta say they did better than expected. No leaks, engines never killed. The electronics worked great. Fouled a spark plug. I'll post pictures of the plugs but it looks like they are running rich. engines are smooth to 2500 RPM then raspy and shuttering till 4500RPM. 5000RPM and above... smoooooooth.
OK.... first run weekend for both the skis 96 and 97 GTX. The plugs on both skis are burning black (see pictures) I suppose I will need to become a partial carb expert before this is all done. I want to focus on the 97 GTX engine just rebuilt. I did the break-in RPM and 32:1 mix. The engine idles fine, doesn't load up after idling. Runs good till about 2500 RPM, then raspy and sounds like it is missing from 2500-4500. Starts clearing up a 4500 and at 5K it is very smooth. This is opportunity number ONE.
I noticed when I built the engine that the power valves were set differently than on the 1996 ski. The adjuster is about 3/16" below the top of the black cover (shown in pictures). On the 96' ski, the red adjuster is even with the top of the black cap. On 97, at 6K the power comes on like a raped ape. LOL You gotta be ready. The 96 is much smoother.
Input is appreciated. I will do some reading on this. All in all I am very happy with both skis I am now in the tweaking mode. Let the tweakin begin !!
I noticed when I built the engine that the power valves were set differently than on the 1996 ski. The adjuster is about 3/16" below the top of the black cover (shown in pictures). On the 96' ski, the red adjuster is even with the top of the black cap. On 97, at 6K the power comes on like a raped ape. LOL You gotta be ready. The 96 is much smoother.
Input is appreciated. I will do some reading on this. All in all I am very happy with both skis I am now in the tweaking mode. Let the tweakin begin !!
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We had a wonderful time in Bay St. Louis, MS. My sweet daughter rented us a camp so we could spend some time getting the jet skis tested. It was absolutely GREAT !! The launch area was perfect for me to try to tune the carbs and replace the fouled spark plugs. I was freakin feeding the skeeters and Gnats for sure. I was working in the dark and my daughter was worried about alligators. Ha... no one cared about me standing in the water in the dark, head in the engine compartment. What a loving family. I think my cursing kept the larger predators at bay. Ha ha.
That's me paddling a kayak for the first time... with my granddaughter of course. Frig paddlin.... where's mah engine ??!!
That's me paddling a kayak for the first time... with my granddaughter of course. Frig paddlin.... where's mah engine ??!!
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Well.... my cousin gave me a 1996 GTX for parts, so now I have 3 GTXs. This one is not in the best shape but better than the last one I bought that had a destroyed engine. This one is having electrical "no start" issues and he purchased a new DESS Post. He just doesn't have time to work on the ski. The electronics is always the most challenging for me but I am getting better at it. I really want to identify which wire is responsible for sending power to the Holder relay and how that works. Once that baby clicks.... somethin's gonna give.
I have found that when the key is inserted, the holder relay clicks... then when the start button is pushed the engine turns over. If you don't get that first click on the holder relay, it won't turn over. If I get the electronics figured out on this model ski, I will then be dangerous. I have spent egregious amounts of time troubleshooting the electronics on my first GTX. On occasion it still says WTF when I insert the key and it only ever beeped one time and that was it. It shocked me when it did the double chirp though if only once. LOL We took the ski out last weekend and it worked great but no beeps at all.
This one is having electrical "no start" issues and he purchased a new DESS Post. He just doesn't have time to work on the ski. The electronics is always the most challenging for me but I am getting better at it. I really want to identify which wire is responsible for sending power to the Holder relay and how that works. Once that baby clicks.... somethin's gonna give. I have found that when the key is inserted, the holder relay clicks... then when the start button is pushed the engine turns over. If you don't get that first click on the holder relay, it won't turn over. If I get the electronics figured out on this model ski, I will then be dangerous.
I have spent egregious amounts of time troubleshooting the electronics on my first GTX. On occasion it still says WTF when I insert the key and it only ever beeped one time and that was it. It shocked me when it did the double chirp though if only once. LOL We took the ski out last weekend and it worked great but no beeps at all.
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OK, up date on the skis. I'm sending off the MPEM on the 96 to Nick today. Need a key made and let me check it out.
As mentioned in another post, the 97 GTX is quite raspy between 2k and 4000 and cleans up above 4500. Great power on top though. I didn't check the pop-offs and I am interested in getting the carbs working together better. Above 5K we got great power and above 6K hang on tight cuz it's gonna hit hard.
Trying to identify the problem. I got an RPM range so that helps. Running out of the water doesn't diagnose much at all. I wonder if an exhaust gas tester would help with that. I'm thinking the carbs are fat at low RPM
I don't get how the recommendation on the high speed needle to be closed down but they run great so I'm not arguing.
As mentioned in another post, the 97 GTX is quite raspy between 2k and 4000 and cleans up above 4500. Great power on top though. I didn't check the pop-offs and I am interested in getting the carbs working together better. Above 5K we got great power and above 6K hang on tight cuz it's gonna hit hard.
Trying to identify the problem. I got an RPM range so that helps. Running out of the water doesn't diagnose much at all. I wonder if an exhaust gas tester would help with that. I'm thinking the carbs are fat at low RPM
I don't get how the recommendation on the high speed needle to be closed down but they run great so I'm not arguing.
It sounds like you might still have something not quite clean in the carbs. Your RPM range is where everything is transitioning. I would verify everything is clean and pop off is good. Also syncing the carbs. They do sputter and pop at about 4,500 rpm just before the RAVE's open and this is perfectly normal when cruising.
Seems like they sputter from just off idle and begin clearing at 4000rpm... 4500 it is cleaned up pretty good. At 5K on they are great. I soaked the carbs over night and cleaned the hell out of them but ya never know, maybe some dirt in there. When you say, sync the carbs.... is there a way to do that with a vacuum gauge? I spent a good bit of time getting the openings spot on but that is still not exact. The engine comes on like a raped ape at 6K RPM on the tach but is smooth from 5K on.
On the 1996 GTX (not the one that has carb issues) I am shipping the MPEM to Nick for a check and a new key which hopefully will resolve the Monday Morning attitude of the ski after it sits a week or so. These skis are terrific. I can't believe how much fun my wife is having on them.
These skis are terrific. I can't believe how much fun my wife is having on them.
I sure will. I was reading about those little holes.
I'm gonna get on this and do er' up right for sure.
On the carbs.... one was very lazy. Seems like one cylinder was trying to get going and the other was happy where it was.The first carb I took apart was likely the problem, had some dirt in there and I made sure those 3 little holes in the barrel were clear. Took a bit of work. Pop off was at about 17PSI and spring tab was way way high. I took the other carb apart and everything looked good on it but I checked it all twice. This ski should now be good to go. Gonna do some riding next week.
Sent off the MPEM to Jess and got two keys programmed. My old key was pretty beat up. Hooking all those wires back up can be tedious. She started right up with both keys so hopefully the skis temperamental attitude was a key issue. Holy Smoke... 3 reliable skis that start when you hit the button?? Yikes !! My wife put on the Hydro-Turf. Skis are cleaned up and ready... all we need is some fuel.
I ordered genuine needles and seats for the one GTX. I am going to find out if this makes a difference. I am also going to do some carb tweaking. I have some other plans. All that is really left on the GTXs is turning an a bit of polishing. I really like these skis.
I really like these skis.
The quest continues. Had both GTXs at the river today. Both run close to the same. I've done the carbs on both skis and I continue to remove, work on and reinstall. I pretty much done all I can with the carbs. After much testing, trials, and more work we have determined the skis are running rich. Both high speeds screws are closed. If you open these any amount the ski runs worse. The 96 model is running 6500 RPM, down from 6800 when the weather was cooler, the 97 is sluggish mid-range but at least gets on top now bumping 7000 RPM. I will have a look at the rave valves, to determine if the 32:1 might have sludged them up.
All I can figure now is we need to drop a Jet size. With the density altitudes we've been having lately I"m not surprised.
All I can figure now is we need to drop a Jet size. With the density altitudes we've been having lately I"m not surprised.
Since my recent carb tweaking on the 97 is much smoother down low but still having trouble getting over 5k RPM. When it does get over it and hits 6K it is time to hang on. Yep, the more I think about it.... The more it seems to be a prop issue. I'm gonna repair the water valve and then I'm gonna look at the prop. Now that I'm thinking about it... the guy I purchased this ski from told me his dad ran the ski on some rocks and damaged the drive shaft which was replaced. That would mean the propeller as well. This makes me question the prop he put on there. The wear ring Looked pretty new so I didn't mess with that end. What is the stock prop for the 97 GTX?
GGuillot
Well-Known Member
Did you ever adjust the RAVE valves on the 97'? maybe looser? You had mentioned the 96' was different. That delay, we call that 'not getting on the pipe' in the 2 stroke tuned pipe R/C airplanes. Either too much prop or the valves too tight and opening late, which explains the delay over 5K then it blasts at a higher RPM. GTX has a 16/22 SS prop I believe.
Calls for a Solas Prop SD-CD 15/23 or XO on the GTX. After spending time on the water with both....Both GTXs are running pretty close now. I can't get any top end performance because the water is too rough but we are having a blast. The 96 gets up and gone better but the 97 is a bit faster top end. Cool term "on the pipe" applicable for certain.
The 96 gets up and gone better but the 97 is a bit faster top end. Cool term "on the pipe" applicable for certain.
Boy O Boy..... I'm getting down to the nitty gritty now. Installed new mikuni needles seats and correct Pop-Off springs "both" skis. That changed performance for the better. Pop-off when to 38PSI which is where it should be. This cleaned up the TOP END have gave me 120+ RPM on top end.
Checking both Water Control Valves impacted my wife's ski. The valve was clearly leaking and this helped her top end a bit. Chapped my Azz a bit cuz my ski was/is slower and everything I work on makes her ski faster.
After reading a Technical Bulletin provided by a Forum Member regarding hesitation on the 97GTX I went after the rave valves and housings measuring the guide clearance and checking the valves and parts. . Wanna guess which ski this benefited Most??? Yes... my wife's. I machined grooves in the rave valves because I did not want to replace the ones on my wife's ski. I had already modified the valves because I have a 1mm overbore. Well my wife was very happy she no longer has hesitation on the low end and now she blasts off from a stand still and leaves me and my ski behind. After I machined the valves I thought to myself... Why didn't I take the other ski apart and machine those rave valves also? Why? I rationalized that because the 96 GTX didn't have really bad problems with hesitation it didn't need it. Little did I realize until today the 96 GTX needs hell to ! Now the 96 Valves will get machined as well. I surely am learning how to tweak these skis but learning the hard way. Gittin R Done !!
Checking both Water Control Valves impacted my wife's ski. The valve was clearly leaking and this helped her top end a bit. Chapped my Azz a bit cuz my ski was/is slower and everything I work on makes her ski faster.
After reading a Technical Bulletin provided by a Forum Member regarding hesitation on the 97GTX I went after the rave valves and housings measuring the guide clearance and checking the valves and parts. . Wanna guess which ski this benefited Most??? Yes... my wife's. I machined grooves in the rave valves because I did not want to replace the ones on my wife's ski. I had already modified the valves because I have a 1mm overbore. Well my wife was very happy she no longer has hesitation on the low end and now she blasts off from a stand still and leaves me and my ski behind. After I machined the valves I thought to myself... Why didn't I take the other ski apart and machine those rave valves also? Why? I rationalized that because the 96 GTX didn't have really bad problems with hesitation it didn't need it. Little did I realize until today the 96 GTX needs hell to !
Now the 96 Valves will get machined as well. I surely am learning how to tweak these skis but learning the hard way. Gittin R Done !!
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