X4 787 resurrection (x2)

[Fether4789]

I picked up a 96 xp and a 97 spx and 2 place for about the cost of the trailer. There were parked, unwinterized, in a heated shop in 2014, at some point they were moved to an unheated building. I'd like to determine if they are worthy of resurrection without sinking a bunch into them.​

Do I need to pull the top end to inspect or just fog through the spark plugs and see if they will turn over?

I will bring them home tomorrow. Pictures to follow.

 

[JeremyD615]

Just put a bit of oil in the spark plug holes and see if they will turn freely with the plugs out. If they’re spinning over, your next step will be a compression test. You’re looking for between 140-150.

 

[Ckrawiec]

I picked up a 96 xp and a 97 spx and 2 place for about the cost of the trailer. There were parked, unwinterized, in a heated shop in 2014, at some point they were moved to an unheated building. I'd like to determine if they are worthy of resurrection without sinking a bunch into them.​

Do I need to pull the top end to inspect or just fog through the spark plugs and see if they will turn over?

I will bring them home tomorrow. Pictures to follow.

First and foremost...put a KNOWN good battery in and see if it wakes up at least (no key needed - I assume you have the DESS keys for each)...push the Start/Stop once. If that works, then see if it'll at least try to turn over (with key installed).....they may be very sluggish (take the plugs out to lessen the load on the starter).....go methodically through the skis (free stuff first -> wiring, connections, clean fuel, etc....).

PS: where do find these deals? Damn....2 skis and a trailer for the price of a trailer....EFF ME, I'd take that deal for the parts alone....sheesh!

 

[mikidymac]

First give them a good bath inside and out, I hate working on filthy skis. Castrol SuperClean works really good on the inside.

1. Remove the gray plastic cover at the rear of the engine and spark plugs and see if you can turn the engine by hand first.
1a. If you can move onto step 2.
1b. If you can't put something like marvel mystery oil down the spark plug holes and let it soak for a day or two.
2. With a good strong battery (no jumping or boosting) do a compression check. As said above 150 is perfect and at 120 it's time for a rebuild.
3. If compression is good then a little premix down the carbs and see if it will pop off.
Go from there.

If everything checks out then I would never put it in the water without a full fuel system service, verify the correct two stroke oil is being used and service the jet pump.

 

[Fether4789]

I got them home, they turn over by hand with the plugs out, plugs in they turn over a lot harder. So I guess things are looking good. Most of the wear ring on the xp is non existent. Both impellers have some dings on the leading edge. Hulls have some scratches, but I couldn't find any cracks or repairs. I am missing the spring under one rave valve cap. The next order of business is a good power wash, get a battery & see if they're electrically sound.

Just one question (for now), is the xps oil black? That is what I have in the tanks.

 

[JeremyD615]

You’ve got some work ahead of you! The best thing to clean the inside of the hull with is SuperClean. Just spray it down and scrub a bit and then hose it off. It makes a world of difference!

Depending on how bad the impellers are, you can probably clean them up on the work bench by using a wrench to bend the edge back to shape and a grinding wheel to clean the edge up.

XPS oil is not black. I actually can’t think of any two stroke oil that’s black, so that’s not a good sign at all... Drain those tanks and make sure to do a filter change as soon as possible.

 

[Grnbeano]

XPS synthetic should be Red or slightly brown now. Sea-Doo changed the color slightly

 

[Fether4789]

Got them power washed inside and out, got a battery and some synthetic xps. After finding a few blown fuses and discovering my "charged and ready" battery still need some charging.

The spx spun 150+ psi WOT and purred with a squirt of 50:1 in each plug hole.

The xp solenoid wouldn't even click but she turned when jumped, (only after charging the battery). the button ohm'd appropriately, which had me perplexed. I swapped solenoids and still nothing. Then I bypassed the button (this didnt work before I charged the battery) and she cranked 140psi WOT and also ran with premix in the holes.

Each need:
$70 Battery
$90 carb kit
$30 needle and seat
$15 fuel line
$15 rave gaskets (also need a spring)
$40 wear ring
$20 jet pump svc
$70 vts
$150 impeller
$100 seat cover
$120 storage cover

Xp extras:
$70 Hood
$20 Button
$20 Vts link
$40 Rave cap

The xp has me concerned since it has lower compression and needs an extra $150 in parts. Maybe I'll postpone the cosmetics until next winter.

The impellers look like they have nibbled on something other than water so I dont know if they can be cleaned up or not.


Altogether it is looking like I should be in them for a total of $2,000. That being said, before I start spending money, is there any way to check the integrity of the water jacket? It is unknown how many winters they spent outside, and this winter we had a couple days of sub zero.

 

[etemplet]

Man.... NEVER add up what you spend.

 

[azsxr]

Man.... NEVER add up what you spend.

I thought the was the first rule of Seadoo club

 

[mikidymac]

Exactly, you only ever admit to what you paid for just the ski itself . Rule #1.

 

[Ckrawiec]

Altogether it is looking like I should be in them for a total of $2,000. That being said, before I start spending money, is there any way to check the integrity of the water jacket? It is unknown how many winters they spent outside, and this winter we had a couple days of sub zero.

FREE ski's are never really free ......BUT can you really put a price on FUN!

 

[etemplet]

I just gave a guy a 1997 SPX with titles and registration. After looking at the ski further I told him... Ski is junk. All the parts are there though.... but to me it isn't worth fixing up.

 

[Ckrawiec]

I just gave a guy a 1997 SPX with titles and registration. After looking at the ski further I told him... Ski is junk. All the parts are there though.... but to me it isn't worth fixing up.

Agreed, it's all a matter of perspective.....one man's garbage is another man's treasure.

 

[Grnbeano]

Exactly, you only ever admit to what you paid for just the ski itself . Rule #1.

$800

 

[mikidymac]

$800

See that’s more like it and cheap.

 

[Fether4789]

please dont kick me out!!

1. Sorry for breaking rule number 1.
2. To be fair I haven't bought any parts yet.
3. I figure most of you have a fair assessment of what these old skis will need and by listing everything I'd save you all time from telling me what I need.
4. Thought maybe if I included costs some of you would be kind enough to point me in the direction of less expensive components. I've already found better deals for seat covers and storage covers.

5. What's the best way to get the fiberglass clean and shining? I want to retain the original graphics, and I can live with the sunburn, afterall they're 22 and 23 years old, they shouldn't look brand new.

Thanks!

 

[Fether4789]

Update

SPX
rebuilt the carbs, both popped at 34 and seated at 30
I used the chart I found on here for the stock carb settings.
Fuel lines
Filters
Flushed oil
Replaced wear ring
Cleaned up impeller

Started pretty easy, but stumbles if I open the throttle abruptly, acts like it hits the limiter at maybe 1/4 throttle. Is this attributed to not being in the water?

I have the carbs and jet pump out of the xps, now that I know I didn't waste my money (yet) on the spx I will order parts and get the xps running.

 

[mikidymac]

They will run funny out of the water and hit the rev limiter quickly.

 

[Fether4789]

I ended up rebuilding the starter in the xp, it would only turn over with the spark plugs removed, even then it turned slow. (New battery, full charge) with the rebuilt starter it still won't turn over with the plugs in. I am at a stand still because it fired with premix in the holes and had good compression last summer.

I also noticed a leak at a freeze plug. What is the preferred fix for this? I always saw jb weld as a hack job, but at the same time if i actually weld it, it won't be a weak point as intended anymore.

And help on these 2 issues would be appreciated.

 

[mikidymac]

Weak battery and bad cables are the most common issues after starters.

For the pipe the steel putty is the easiest lazy fix that might last. The correct way is to get the aluminum discs from @racerxxx and have them welded up.

 

[JeremyD615]

Don’t worry about welding the plug. That’s a Welch plug, not a freeze plug. The exhausts were sand castings from the factory, so the plugs weren’t meant to be a weak point, they were just meant to get the sand out after they were casted and then the plug was pressed in to seal the hole.

 

[mikidymac]

Plugs were not pressed in, they were welded sheet aluminum and are very common to corrode and leak water.

 

[JeremyD615]

Yes, I guess I should rephrase! I was saying that you don’t have to worry about welding on the plugs having a detrimental effect on the pipe. That’s the correct way to fix the problem.

The plugs were welded from the factory, but I always thought they were a true “strike-fit” Welch plug that was welded after it was installed. It’s a dome-shaped aluminum disc that’s struck with a hammer or punch to seal itself into the hole, and then the factory laid a bead around it once it was in place. Is that not how it was done?

 

[mikidymac]

No, from the ones that I have ground down it’s just a flat disc. Not pressed in like freeze plugs.