water in my fuel filter instead of fuel.

[Dirtbikes4fun02]

my ski has been givingme problems with surging. i assumed fuel or spark.

i added a see through glass fuel filter to the fuel feed line right before the carbs so i could monitor what was going on.
i added this filter yesterday, and emptied out the sediment bowl. i then filled the seadoo up with 93 and went to the lake today.

the new filter was half full of fuel and was working like it should when i left to go to the lake today.

after about an hour of "off and on" riding. the damn skit kept feeling like it wanted to roll over, so i assumed the hull was full of water from all the spins and turns i was just doing. so i beached the ski to see how much water was in it and to see if the siphons were working. the hull had a good bit of water in t, but when i looked at the new fuel filter it was half full of water instead of fuel. but the ski still started and ran with little to no sputtering. i checked the sediment bowl and it was full of water too with lil bit of gas mixed in.

what could possibly cause that to happen? and the water in the fuel could easily explain my surgng/sputtering and rpm dancing problem.

 

[Dirtbikes4fun02]

when i say the new filter was half full of water. i mean, it only fills up half way, the other half is air. so there was zero visible gas in there, but half full of water only. but it would still crank and run real good.
im sooo confused. lol

 

[Dirtbikes4fun02]

there is a couple quick pix. i can take more later if needed

 

[LouDoo]

Hi,

That's a tough one. The ski shouldn't be running at all with that much water. Maybe you have discovered an alternate fuel source, I'd call Obama.

The only way that I could imagine that much water could get into the gas is if the water in the hull is high enough to get into the gas tank, and that would be a lot of water. If you have that much water in the gas, or really any water, you should not run your ski, you run the risk of engine damage.

I've never been impressed with the Seadoo bailers, I put a Rule PWC, automatic bilge pump in my ski, good insurance for about $ 65.00. I also left the bailers hooked up.

Lou

 

[Dirtbikes4fun02]

here we go. i am home now and not trying to post from my droid like i was doing earlier. that helps explain all the typos. lol

i dont think it should be running either. you can clearly see from the pix, there is NO fuel in the filter housing. its all water. but just a bump of the starter and it runs and runs pretty good.
it was surging and buckin purdy bad in the upper rpm's last weekend and now this weekend (with the new filter added), it did it for a lil while today but almost cleared up completely as the day went on with just a lil skip here and there. until i thought i flooded the hull with water from all the spins and stuff i was doing and it kept wanting to roll over. so thats what prompted me to beach it and pull the seat and check the siphons. the hull had just enough water to touch the bottom of the motor and completely submerge the siphons. it was enough to make the ski a lil unstable sitting still, but definately not enough to cause any harm...

here are a few better pix of the filter.

please help me out. i am pretty sure this has been my problem all along. i just couldnt see it until now... i feel like i am sooo close!
also to find this

 

[Bills86e]

Maybe your gas cap was off? You should empty the tank & swab system clean. Your ski could go lean from a droplet in carb and burn a piston!

 

[Dirtbikes4fun02]

nah the gas cap was on good and tight. i am thinkin i should look into the tank vents real good. but i really dont know which one does what.

 

[LouDoo]

There's 2 vents, one just under the rub rail near the gas cap, which has a one way valve, I'd start there and one up high under the front cover, with no valve. Take the valve out and see if its working, never heard of one going bad, but like my Dad always said "the farmer's mule never died before either". I have heard of these getting clogged, but can't see how being clogged would draw water in.

Also check and see if a fuel line or vent hose has come loose or broken and fallen into the hull.

Lou