Winterizing a 717 -- my first time.

[John in Valley Forge]

So I did it this weekend. I hope I did it right.

Hooked up the water hose, started the engine. Ran some gas through it, loaded with extra fuel stabilizer, using a spare tank connected into the SeaDoo's lines. Once it started spewing blue smoke disconnected the tank and let it run out the gas out of the lines. Blasted fogging oil into the air cleaner as it ran. Took out the spark plugs and sprayed the cylinders with fogging oil real good, put them back in.

Pinched off the coolant hoses, per the diagrams in the shop manual, using four locking pliers (the needle nose ones, get em at Home Depot for $3.50 each).
Hooked up a line to a big huge jug of -60 degree marine antifreeze and started pouring it through the system till pink rain out the back drain. There is then a specific order for removing the clamps, which lets the antifreeze get into all the hoses.
Sprayed lube on anything that moves and could possible corrode.

I put some mothballs in nylon netting back and hung it in the engine compartment, Some more in the ski locker and a few dropped in the cupholders (I heard someplace that this discourages critters from taking up residence).

Put the canvas on, gonna throw a plastic tarp over it, drop it off at the yard and hope for the best until March or so.

 

[LouDoo]

Sounds good, I can't think of anything you missed on the motor. Did you change the pump oil? I always do at the end of the season, just in case there is any water trapped in there. Lube the cables. Pull the battery keep it from freezing, and recharge about 2 times a month.

Not so sure about the moth balls, it's going to take a while to get rid of the smell and it's probably going to stay in the cover forever.

I plan on doing mine around the first of Nov. we still have a couple more weeks here.

Lou

 

[John in Valley Forge]

I dont know where I heard the mothball thing, but I admit, by the time I was done trying to hang them up, I was sick of them. I may take them out.

No, I did not change the pump oil. Doesn't that require pulling the whole pump off? I kinda had that down as a springtime job.

Not sure how to get to the cables to lube them, seems like they are all tucked away pretty good. I will crawl around some more.

I took the battery out, will store it in the cool basement. One thing I forgot to mention....when I disconnected the battery. There are a bunch of wires going to each terminal. The negative had two black wires. The positive bundle had 4 red and one black. Why would there be a black wire connected to the positive terminal of the battery?

 

[LouDoo]

Hi John,

You don't have to remove the pump to change the oil, here's a how-to that explains it pretty well, also note Chester's comments.

http://www.seadooforum.com/showthread.php?19338-How-to-change-your-jet-pump-oil!-(with-pictures)

As far a lubing the cables, I really usually just lube the cable ends, then just work the cables back and forth a couple of times to work the lube into the cables, I have been using silicone spray. Not really that big of a deal, I just like to get a little lubrication on the parts that are exposed.

The black wire on the positive cable I can't explain, probably the previous owner either wired or re-wired something, I would put a piece of red electrical tape on the wire to mark it as a positive connection.

Lou

 

[Cid6.7]

In the manual it says to just pinch one hose the bigger one coming from the head if i just clamped that hose and poured AF into the smaller hose until it cam out the exhaust is that fine ?