Why are my buddy's raves cleaner than mine?

[1648aws]

I own two 1997 GTX's and clean the raves every season. The guilotines are usually quite dirty with carbon and oil and it takes some work to clean. I run Amsoil synthetic.

I don't mind cleaning the raves but here's what ticks me off. My buddy runs two 1996 GTX's. Has owned them for 7 years. The raves have never been cleaned or taken apart in seven years and he runs mineral oil. We're going on an extended Seadoo trip and don't want any problems so I brow beat him into cleaning his raves. He finally took the raves apart two days ago. The guilotines took a one second spray of brake cleaner and after a wipe with a paper towel they looked as if they just came out of the package!! No sticky mess inside the slide openng either!

Any helpful comments so I can stop shaking my head?

Look forward to your comments.

Keith

 

[kustomkarl]

I use seadoo xp-s synthetic and have very little sticky yec on my RAVE valves in my Challenger. It all depends on how you ride the machine too...I am always on the throttle...except for no wake...this means no build up of oil, it shoots out the exhaust. If you go slower more often or just idle it a lot it will build up more rapidly. It's all about usage.

Karl

 

[1648aws]

Hi Karl:

Thanks for getting back to me.

My buddy is still laughing at me that his raves are clean and he uses not only mineral oil, but the cheapest going and doesn't hesitate to mix oils.

I agree with you it is a matter of speed with 2 cycle engines in terms of oil or carbon build up. However, both my wife and I tend to have it pinned all the time unless weather or speed restrictions slow us down. The last run of the season last year was almost 2/3 of a tank of fuel with running wide open with no more than 20 seconds idle speed up to the launch. We even get a good 5 mph faster than my buddy's machines yet both of my machines had very dirty rave guilotines that had to be soaked in "parts cleaner", dried and then wire wheeled.

Could my machines be running oil rich? Is there a dial to check? A test to do?

Thanks.

Keith

 

[kustomkarl]

Nope...just clean them every year and go have fun. Chances are that if your buddies machine has no carbon on the RAVES...it could have low compression too as the oil isn't doing it's job...Oil causes carbon, as well as lubrication. I worry if it has no carbon. That only means his engine isn't getting enough oil. Chances are you'll get the last laugh...you engine will last longer.
I have only seen this for 30 years...what do I know.

Karl

 

[1648aws]

Thanks Karl.

Very comforting to know my raves are normal and it doesn't appear that anything obvious is wrong.

You're absolutely right! Clean the raves every year and go have fun.

Thanks again.

Keith