Replacing the Wear Ring in a SeaDoo Pump
Put the replacement one in the
freezer overnight. After you get done cutting the old one out, use gentle sand paper
on the inside of the pump housing to smooth out any marks that might have been left in the
pump lining. The new one goes in much easier. If you have to tap it in, use a 2X4 and lay
it across the top of it and tap it in place. You want to do this fast before the wear ring
can come to room temp. I apply some silicone at the base of the pump where the wear ring
will seat for a good seal and it helps it stay in place also.
Cutting the Old Wear Ring Out
Wear Ring Cut Successful
Wear Ring out and ready for the new one
Replacing Pistons and
Rings
Here are a few tips when you are re-doing
the top end on your Watercraft. Make sure the Cir-Clip groves are clean and free of any
flaws. I use a tool that reams the area just right so I know the Cir-Clip will seat in the
groove. The next thing is to file the edge of the ring so that it is not sharp. Where the
rings come together lightly take the edge off without making the ring gap any bigger, and
make sure the ring gap is to the spec's of the manufacture of the Rings. Place the ring
about one inch into the bore and using a feeler gauge measure and record. If the gap is to
tight you can file a little off the ring where they compress. When install the rings onto
the Piston you can put on side of the ring in the grove and then carefully side the rest
of the ring into the grove. Repeat this if you have dual rings. Clean the Cylinder with
warm soapy water and then rinse off and completely dry the cylinder. Then once cleaned I
take a clean shop rag with acetone and wipe the inside of the bore again. You would
be surprised how much boring material stays in the bore after washing it. Now that the
Cylinder bores are very clean oil the walls of the cylinder using your fingers. You don't
want too much oil that it drips out but just a coating of it. Once you are ready to put
the Cylinder back on you can either compress the rings with your fingers or use a large
zip tie and then slide the cylinder over the Piston until the rings are in the bore and
repeat. If you are doing a twin or triple it is a good idea to have someone hold the
Cylinder and help you get it over the Piston easy. Note: Make sure the top of the cases
and the base of the Cylinder are clean of any oil, grease, dirt or old gasket material. I
use Acetone and a clean shop rag to make sure there is no dirt, Oil or grease left on
those area's. Also make sure while putting the Cylinder back on that you don't touch the
base of the cylinder with your fingers. The last thing you want is to transfer Oil on that
area.
Sealant
When applying 1211(my choice for Sealant)
use it very lightly. Just by tapping your finger on the area to be sealed. This puts just
the amount you need. I see when I take Motors apart a ton of Silicone etc. all over the
place in the motor and cases. Remember that these surfaces that get put together should be
flat in the first place so it doesn't take allot of it to do the trick.
Exhaust Coupler
My buddy came over the other day and was
complaining how hard it is to get the after market couplers on the exhaust system. What I
do is spray contact cleaner on the hose or coupler and then slip it right on the other
end, no problems. I use Maxima Contact cleaner but I'm sure any type that has no oil
residue would work fine.
Rotary Valve Timing
You need to make sure you know the
Opening and Closing Timing of the Craft you have. This info is available by emailing me
directly with your Model and Year. Also you need the Duration of the opening. This will
help you achieve the mark you need to align the Rotary Valve. Using a Degree Wheel ($18.95
from us) you put the Zero degree mark at the bottom of the inlet Port of the front
Cylinder. Then follow the Wheel up and around until you get to the Degree mark you are
looking for and this is where you mark the Rotary cases with the mark for the Valve to be
placed. Repeat this step but now align the degree wheel at the top of the Inlet port and
then find the closing and mark the case there. Once you know that you have to get the
Front Piston to TDC (Top Dead Center) I use a Dial Indicator ($46.95 from us) because if
you use a screw driver you can end up as much as 5 degrees off. You want to rotate the
Motor Clockwise and stop once the indicator stops at the highest point. Then you need to
make sure you place the Rotary Valve as close as you can between the two marks. Remember
the valve is Asymmetrical so by turning it over might make it better for you. This will
get the Valve in the right place and keep the performance where it should be on the Craft.
Always use some Injector oil on the both sides of the valve and replace cover and torque
to 15ft-lbs.
This shows the Dial Indicator in the front Piston
Hole and the Piston is at top dead center (TDC)
This shows the Front Piston at TDC and the Degree
Wheel 360 degree mark at the bottom of the front intake port and then the Rotary Valve set
at the 130 degree for the 580cc Motor.
This is the finish Rotary Valve in the right
location. Remember that you can flip the valve to get it closest to the mark on the Rotary
cover.
Winterizing your Craft
For those of you that
don't ride year round, here is a tip on saving your craft so it's ready to go the next
Season when you go out. First I would like to explain the biggest problem that the
Two-Stroke Motor goes through. While the Motor sits and is not ran there is no new fresh
charge of Oil to coat the Mechanical parts in the Engine. Thus the enemy CONDENSATION
attacks the metal parts and starts to Oxide all of them. So this is what I recommend to
do. First off add Fuel Stabilizer in the gas so while you do the next steps it will get in
the fuel line and the carbs. The Idea to to coat all the parts when you winterize the
motor. Seadoo makes Fogging Oil which is great for this or Maxima penetrating lube is my
choice. I spray a generous amount in each Cylinder making sure the Piston is at Bottom
Dead Center. (This can be done with a screw driver in the spark plug hole and then watch
it go to the lowest point). This will allow the Oil to get into the crankcase through the
transfer ports. Once this is done for each Cylinder I leave the Spark Plugs out and lay a
dry shop rag over the openings. This way the motor can breath. Remember that anything you
can do to eliminate the moisture in the hull compartment will help also. I completely dry
the inside of the hull. If you store your craft inside a closed area it is also good to
let the seat or hood be cracked open. I put a plastic cup there to hold the hood open. If
you store your craft outside and the Rain can get to it spray the lube all over the motor
and then seal the seat closed. I also disconnect the Negative battery cable off. It's a
good Idea to take the battery out and store in a cool, dark dry area, and you can even put
a trickle charge on it once a month to keep it good. Lube all the cables and grease all
the zerk fittings if your craft has them. If it freezes where you live you will want to
mix a 50/50 mix of water and anti freeze and through the inlet water line from the pump
you can pour this mixture in. Then start the craft so that you can get as much of the
water out for only 10-15 seconds. This is like "blowing it out" and most of the
water will come out of the system. But if some stays inside it will have the antifreeze in
it and won't freeze the motor. Make sure to do the fogging Oil last after the waterlines
are done. To Order
a kit
Click Here
This is the drain hose from the cylinders that has
to be clamped so you can fill the cylinders up with the 50/50 Solution
Clamp this hose on your 787 Seadoo motors for the
flush portion of the winterizing procedure
Clamp this hose on the RFI Models
Clamp this hose that goes to the exhaust system on
your crafts
Oil Change on The Seadoo
Pumps
It is in the Manual that you change the Oil in the
Pump each Season. It is good to do this when you are doing the Winterizing for the end of
the Season. This is how to do it. First thing it doesn't matter which Seadoo it is you
basically do the same thing except for the 4 Tec's that don't need this type of service.
Take the VTS or nozzle off the back of the pump first. Undo the steering cable by removing
the 6mm nut and bolt and then pull the bolt out. Then disconnect the water lines to the
pump and then bilge system that are located inside the hull. Remove the (4) 17mm Nuts that
hold the Pump to the Hull. Make sure not to loose the washers or lock washers. Then
depending on the model some pumps are silicone in and some of the newer one's have rubber
seals with grease on them. Either way you need to pull the pump off by pulling straight
back. (If the Silicone is on you may have to make a pulling tool that I have made before.
It is (2) 2X4's with holes drilled where the pump nozzle would bolt to and using longer
bolts and washers you can pull the pump off. Make sure the bolts are in enough threads so
you don't strip it out. You can call me if you feel you need talking through it. You can
also pry with pry bars at the bottom of the pump where the springs for the reverse gate
would go. Be careful not to apply too much pressure as you may break that part off. Now
that the pump is out, take it to the work bench and have it sit Impeller side up on a
plastic box (I use a ratio rite cup) then take the (3) bolts out that hold the back cap on
and drain all the oil out of the pump. After about 10 minutes it should be all out.
(Warning that stuff smells, don't do it in the house. At this time I clean the rest of the
oil off the impeller that might of dripped down on it. Then I inspect the Oil for any
water. If water is present I take the Impeller off (Impeller tool required) and then
replace the front double lip seal in the front of the pump. Inspect the entire pump, wear
ring etc. Once it all checks out you can put the pump back impeller side down and put some
of the Seadoo Synthetic pump Oil in the pump until you can see the oil just about reach
the top of the air holes you can see. Apply lock tight on the rubber o-ring on the pump
cone and some around where the cap matches the pump and re-apply the pump cone and tighten
the cap bolts. Do not over tighten these, as the cone is plastic and can get warped. Open
the inspection hole on the cone and put more oil in there. Check your manual for the
amount to put in but about 3oz. will do. When you put the filler cap back on make sure to
use lock tight again, then I sit the pump impeller side up for a few minutes to make sure
there are no leaks. Then install the pump the reverse as how you took it off. If you have
silicone on the hull remove all the old and re-apply new to create an air tight pump
install. The newer pumps have seals that seem to work good also.
Installing Oil Block Off
Plate
OK, Great you just
decided to do a very good addition to your craft. Depending on the craft the oil injection
pump may either be on the front off the flywheel cover for Kawasaki, Yamaha or off the
rotary valve cover for Seadoo and off the lower crankcase for the Polaris. First thing to
do is locate the oil injector and remove the oil lines that run from the oil tank to it.
Then remove the injector completely off. On some you will have to remove studs to get the
plate on. Once you have taken the old injection system off you can install the new block
off plate. I use a little 1211 (Silicone based sealant) on the plate and then bolt it into
place with a little locktight on the bolts. Thats it for some of you. If you elect to you
can remove the oil tank from the craft. Now thats where Seadoo owners come in. You have
two choices. One is to leave the tank in so that the 1/2" oil lines that come out the
bottom and go to the crankcase and the other that comes back on top of the tank can still
lubricate the rotary shaft gear. Of course if you do it this way you have to plug the
1/4" line that went to the oil injector. The other way to do it is to remove the tank
all together and using the two 1/2" clear hoses that go to the oil tank. Connect them
using a 1/2" "T". Both ends that went to the tank now go to both sides of
the "T" and then using a bit of the hose you can put that on the third inlet of
the "T". Now you might want to cut the hose down so the "Oil Filler"
as I will call it now sits right on top of the magneto cover. I zip tie it to the spark
plug grounding lugs if they are there on your craft. Then use a plug to close the third
end of the "T" up and that's it. This is where you will add oil to the hoses.
Only fill the hoses up 75% of the way so the oil can expands as the motor runs. Note: If
you find you are adding oil all the time to the hose then the inner seals on the
crankshaft or the rotary valve seal is leaking and you will have to replace them. Make
sure to use hose clamps, as the oil to the rotary gear is very important. Now for the
Polaris owners. When you take the oil injector off you will have a gear that comes out of
the crankcase area. Take that out and replace it with the part that looks almost the same
in there and repeat the block off plate install mentioned above. Note to make sure the
plate is secure and does not leak or air can get in the cases from there and you can seize
the motor. If you use 1211 on the plate and lock tight on the bolts you should be good. Now
all you have to do is pre-mix your oil in the gas and then you will always have the same
ratio all the time. I like 40-1 unless your plugs are fouling then
use 50-1. Maxima Lubricants are my first choice.
Checking the "Squish
Band"
Well this is a topic that everyone
has there own theory on. I find that the squish area is very important. Too much squish
and you lose power and not enough you create detonation. before I give the procedure I
will explain it. First too much, when the piston is in the compression stroke and the
fuel/air charge are being compressed into the dome for the spark to ignite the fuel in the
squish area will not produce power due to the piston is already on the power stroke by the
time it ignites. so all that extra fuel/air mixture is a waste. Now if the squish is too
small as the piston compresses the fuel/air into the dome the heat builds up in the squish
area and the fuel ignites before the spark plug causing a violent explosion in the chamber
called "Detonation" keep this up and before you know it you will have a hole in
the piston or the rings may break and cause major damage to the motor. I can go on but I
think you all get the idea. Now here's how to test it. With the head on you get a piece of
thick solder and going through the spark plug hole maneuver it to the far side of the
cylinder wall and the head. Then rotate the motor by hand so the piston reaches TDC and
then back down. Pull the solder out and measure it and record. Do this for all the
cylinders. The other way is that if you have the motor on the work bench with the head off
you put a small piece of play daoh in the corner of the head and then install it with the
head gasket on and snug the head to the cylinder, then remove the head and record the
results. Now the squish will be determined on a few things. What motor mods you are doing.
What compression ratio and so on, so it's hard to tell you whats the right number. The
best thing is once you get squish you can email me what your doing and what you got and we
can go from there or post it on the forums and see what others have done.
PWC Maintenance after a Ride
So many
times I receive motors and watercraft in the shop and once I take the head off or examine the craft further I see evidence of
Moisture!!! This is the enemy to the motor!!! So I want to give you my procedure for after
riding maintenance to your watercraft. Well back in the early 80's I bought my first
Jetski. It was a 1986 Kawasaki JS550. Before that I rented them for the weekends and even
weeks. Of course that’s when there was many rental places to rent from. Anyway back
to the Maintenance. The first thing I do after pulling the watercraft out of the water is
open the hull drain plug (if you have one) then I start the craft so I can get the excess
water out of the exhaust system. I do this for about 10-15 seconds. A few good bursts of
the throttle will get most of the water out. Then its time to tie the craft down to the
trailer or secure it in the back of the truck. (If you rode in the Ocean this is the time
to flush your craft out for at least 5 minutes. I also like to use a salt terminator while
flushing. I also wash the inside of the hull out. I cover the flame arresstor with a
plastic bag so no water gets inside the motor. Then after you disconnect the hose you can
repeat the steps below). Once I get home I pull the hood off and start the craft again
(10-15 seconds Max). This is to get some more water out of the exhaust and better yet give
the mechanical parts and the cylinder a fresh charge of oil and gas. Then I wipe all the
water out of the hull, grease the zerk fitting if it needs grease and then spray
penetrating lube or WD-40 (what ever you use) all over the motor and insides. This coats
everything real nice, protects it from corrosion and best it makes the motor shine!!! If
you want to at this time you can lube the cables if you need to, I do it every few times
riding, and ever time if I was in the ocean… I then take the spark plugs out and lay
them on the top of the head and then place a dry shop towel on top of the head so nothing
can drop into the plugholes. At this time you're done and ready for that hard earned
drink: ) now if you can I even start the craft one more time the next day. I just want to
make sure that there is no water or condensation droplets forming inside my motor or
around the crankshaft. Fogging the Motor can have the same effect, but I always liked the
way my modified crafts sound…
Getting the Craft ready for
the Season
Well you just took the craft out of storage and
you can feel the blood in the veins ready to go ride!!! The only problem is that the craft
sat for months and needs some TLC to be ready for a full season of trouble free riding...
Here are the things I do to crafts coming in for the beginning of the season maintenance:
The first and most important item is the battery!!! This is the start and the end of a
good weekend… In the past I used the batteries that you add acid to and then fully
charge them and you're on your way. Now I have switched to the maintenance free battery
and this is why. The first thing is these water craft get in all directions, up and down
and side ways if you know what I mean, so the acid tends to come out of the battery and
mess everything up. Plus these types of batteries need more maintenance than the average
rider wants to give to it, and so on… So if you have to go and purchase a new battery
for the season go with the maintenance free or the Gel Cell filled batteries. They might
cost more money but then the drive to the lake or river is not free either… The next
thing I check is the spark plugs. I replace these with new plugs and make sure the plug
gap is set to the manufacture specs. This info will be in the owner's manual. Also another
word on spark plugs, I have tested all brands of plugs and find that the NGK standard
plugs works the best for the two-stroke watercraft. This is my opinion and doesn't need a
debate of this… Also make sure to use the Resistor type plug if your craft calls for
it. If you don't know then run it anyway… Now it's time for the gas. If the craft was
stored with gas stabilizer you are most likely ready to go. I like to top of the tank with
fresh gas at this point. If you did not add the stabilizer to the gas, it might be in your
best interest to drain the old gas and add new. Make sure you replaced the gas filters or
cleaned them up. Also if you have an oil filter replace that also if you did not on the
winterizing. Check all the hose clamps and zip ties that they are on good, the last thing
you need is for them to come off and cause more down time… Make sure all electrical
connection is secure and properly seated into each other. Lube all the cables if you have
not done so, but it doesn't hurt to do it again especially if you ride in salt water. Make
sure all the zerk fittings are greased on the craft also, this also goes for the bearing
buddies on the trailer. Also it is good to grease the trailer ball hitch. We can't forget
how we get the craft to our favorite riding spots… Now it's time to start the craft
for the first time in a while… There will be a lot of smoke the first couple of times
depending on how much oil is in the cylinders. Once you start the craft without the flush
kit on the motor just let it warm up for about 15 seconds and don’t race the motor
too much, remember the oil seals have been sleeping. Then at this time you can hook the
flush kit up with low water pressure and run the craft until the oil is out of the craft
and it starts right up when you hit the start button… I will come back to the craft
after an hour or more and see if it starts right up, so when we get to the lake I know
it's ready to go… Now for the final checks make sure the scoop grate, ride plate and
other items are secured and enjoy the season!!!
Installing a Primer Kit
OK, The main reason to install a
primer kit is to get fuel directly into the carb without having to wait for the fuel pump
and stock choke to do this. I find that the stock choke is worthless most of the time.
Don't get me wrong, some craft start right away and some craft don't even need a choke,
but most of the crafts out there need it. One of the problems is that a carb will
"lose it's prime" where the fuel pump at cranking rpm's needs to produce the
fuel though the carb and the suction of the draw from the motor has to suck it though the
small idle circuits of the carb. Anyway now that you have the primer kit let me explain
the install. Take the flame arrestors off to expose the stock choke plates of the carbs.
Then make the decision if you are going to take the carbs off or leave them on to remove
the stock choke plates. I say this because when you remove the small screws that hold the
plate on the shaft they might fall into the body of the carb and you dont want anything
falling inside the motor. Plus this way it's a clean and easier install on some crafts.
Sometimes the screws that hold the choke plate in place will break off and you will have
to work harder to get the choke plates out. If you choose to remove the carbs make sure
you have new carb base gaskets. Ok now that the stock choke plates are out and you pulled
the choke shaft out, you are left with two holes where the choke shaft was. This is where
the brass plug and the brass fuel inlet plug in the kit are installed. I use a few methods
to install these depending on single, dual or triple carb applications. There's no reason
to have to take the dual or triple carbs apart (linkage hook up) to install the brass
fittings. I use a long large pare of pliers and between the inside of the carb and the
outside I squeeze the flat brass plug in first. (Make sure not to squeeze to tight as the
carbs are cast aluminum) I use a small piece or rubber or shop rag not to scratch the
inside of the carbs. Then I take a small 1/4" socket that fits over the fuel inlet
part of the brass fitting and then I repeat squeezing it in place. The 3mm or 1/8"
socket works great. If you want you can add a small amount of lock tight to the outside of
the brass fittings before you install for that perfect install, but they should press fit
right in place. Now that you have the hardest part done re-install the carbs or if you
left them on it's time to install the main fuel line. I cut into the reserve side of the
fuel line coming out of the gas tank and install the 1/4"X1/4"X1/8"
"T" in-between the fuel line and zip tie into place. (Do this as close to the
primer plunger so the plunger does'nt have to work hard to draw the fuel in, plus you use
less primer fuel line) Then find where you are going to install the primer plunger and
install that there. I usually install it where the old choke cable was, of course you have
removed that already also. Use some silicone on the front and back of the primer plunger
for that great install. Now it's time to hook up the 1/8" primer fuel line to the
fuel line "T" that you installed earlier and slip one end of the primer line on
the 1/8" side of the "T" and zip tie that. Then route the primer fuel line
to the primer plunger and cut that piece to fit on the angled fitting off the plunger and
zip tie that. (that is the suction in). Now slip the primer fuel line on the straight
outlet of the plunger and zip tie. Then route down to the carb and install on the
brass inlet fitting and zip tie that. If you had a single carb your done. Just make sure
to secure the primer fuel line so it doesn't flop around while you ride. If you have dual
or triples bring the primer fuel line down in-between the front two carbs and install the
1/8"X1/8"X1/8" "T" supplied in the kit to the primer fuel line.
(Install the "T" so the fuel will evenly flow to both carbs and if triple place
the primer fuel line in so that it is a straight shot to the next 1/8" "T"
you will use.) Once you have the primer fuel line on the 1/8" "T" zip tie
that and then plumb the fuel lines to the other brass inlet fittings for dual carbs and
then zip tie and your done. If you have triples after you plumbed the primer fuel line to
the front carb you still have the second 1/8" "T" to install and then plumb
to the middle and rear carb and zip tie all. You should be done with the install at this
point. Make sure nothing has fallen into the carbs and then re-install the flame arrestors
to there original places. It might take a few pumps to get the primer plunger primed, but
once down your ready to go. Now here's another tip on starting your craft. I always try to
start the craft with out and primer used first. If it does not start within 5 seconds then
I squirt a little fuel into the carb about one or two pumps does the job. You don't want to
flood the carbs either. Enjoy!
"POP-OFF" 101
The "pop off" is the pressure
that the needle is held into the seat... There is a brass seat with a certain size hole in
it. The needle usually made of a viton tip sits in the seat and holds the fuel back from
entering the metering side of the carb. There is a arm that holds the needle down in the
seat until the diaphragm in the carb gets pulled towards the other side of the arm and
causing the arm to raise and allowing the needle to open. The seat is where the fuel comes
into the carb fuel reservoir. On these types of carbs the intake manifold pressure sucks
the diaphragm in on the carb and that is what pushes the arm that allows the needle to let
the fuel in... As you change flame arrestors and make other changes to the motor the
amount of pressure needed to open the needle changes thus the pop-off change... To change
the "pop-off" you can change the spring that pushes the arm up to hold the
needle down. Mikuni makes 4 different springs and they go by colors. You have gold (115
gram), dull silver (95 gram), black (80 gram), and shiny silver (65 gram). Each spring has
it's pressure amount that it will apply to the arm. Now in order to get the "pop
off" number the brass seat plays a roll also. The size of the hole plus the size of
the spring will make the p.s.i. that need to obtain. Mikuni has 5 different sizes of
seats. They are 1.5, 1.8, 2.0, 2.3, and 2.5. An example of how it works is take a 1.5
N&S with a 115 gram spring and the "pop off" should be 55 p.s.i. Change the
spring to a 65 gram spring and it changes to 32 p.s.i. Now there is another way to
change the "pop off" a little without changing the spring or the seat and that is
by lowering or raising the control arm. I like to leave it level to the base of the carb
but you can move it up or down a few millimeters. You will need a good "pop off"
tester to do this right. You can check the tool catalog in the carb tool section for it.
The big question I get all the time is what should my "pop off" be??? Well I'm
not here to give you the magic number, because once again each craft is different
depending on the modifications down to it. Here is a chart to show the changes:
|
N&S / Spring |
115 gram |
95 gram |
80 gram |
65 gram |
|
1.5 N&S |
55 p.s.i. |
43 p.s.i. |
38 p.s.i. |
32 p.s.i. |
|
2.0 N&S |
32 p.s.i. |
25 p.s.i. |
21 p.s.i. |
18 p.s.i. |
|
2.3 N&S |
22 p.s.i. |
20 p.s.i. |
17 p.s.i. |
15 p.s.i. |
|
2.5 N&S |
19 p.s.i. |
17 p.s.i. |
14 p.s.i. |
12 p.s.i. |
Hope this helps you understand the hole
"pop off" thing...
Trouble shooting 101
OK, I get 100's of emails that are
so hard to help with because the info is inadequate, so I decided to do this tech
article... There are three items it takes for the craft to run, that is Spark, Fuel and
Compression, so lets cover the first one Spark... OK, The first thing is to see if you
have Spark (Fire). Now most of you put the spark plug on top of the head and then hit the
start button and then see spark and your convinced you have spark when in fact you might
still have an ignition problem... I have this $13.95 spark tester that allows you to check
the strength of the spark and also the color of it. These are very important because if
you have a weak or faulty ignition once it is in the cylinder head where you cant see it
you may lose the spark under the load of the compression. This is why I use the spark
tester to make sure I have a good strong spark... Now the next thing is the fuel... What I
do it make sure that the carb is getting fuel... You can do this a few ways... The first
way is by taken the flame arrestor off and visually looking down the throat of the carb
you see fuel going in the carb through the carb circuits... Another way is to choke the
top of the carb with your hand and by pressing the start button this should draw fuel into
the carb and then you would know if the motor is getting fuel also... The third way is to
pull the return line off the carb and then press the start button and you should see fuel
pump out of the return line of the carb... The last item is compression, this is easy to
check with a compression gauge, just putting your finger over the top of the spark plug
hole might be a quick check but it is not the final answer... You need to know the
compression of all the cylinders... These are the first items you need to check and put in
your emails and or posts to get good help out there... Now I understand that if you have
all three components the craft should run, but be as they are you still might have other
issues that would have to be checked after the first three... Good luck out there...
Motor Leak Down Test
You know I get emails and calls all the
time. The customer says, "My Motor was just rebuilt and it seized within 1 hour of
riding, or something like that. The idea is that many Saturday Mechanics and some shops
rebuild a motor and never even leak test it!!! I can't believe that they don't??? Anyway I
figured it would make for good reading on how to do it real easy...
Well the first thing you need to do is
block off the exhaust manifold port and the carb inlets. I like to install the exhaust
manifold and the carb intake manifold for this test. I made aluminum plates that fit over
the studs and holes and using a thin piece of rubber I seal them off. Then install spark
plugs in their holes and tighten. Now on the pulse line coming off the cases is where you
pump the air into the motor. I made a gauge that has pressure and vacuum and added a fuel
barb so I can put that on the pulse line, and then a fitting where I
can pump air into the motor with a compressor. I pump 6psi in and then walk away for at
least 15min. Once I come back it better now moved more than 1 PSI or I then check for a
leak... Checking for a leak is not that tough. pump the pressure up to 6 PSI again and
then spray soapy water around the areas that are suspect. Most of the time it is right
where you blocked off and then you have to do a better job and
repeat the test. Hope this helps... If you need a kit made for your craft just contact
me...
Changing the Head on Your
Craft
Many of you Modify or
change the Head out of your Watercraft. I wanted to cover a few issues on doing it right
so you have no issues. First lets talk about pulling the head off. Depending on the craft
you will have to take off the Exhaust System brackets like on a Yamaha. Once you have the
brackets loosen the head bolts or nuts off from the outside in. (The opposite way you
torque them down) Doing it this way will help any warping to the head that might happen.
Once the head is off you can clean the old head or replace with the new, but before that
you need to clean the surface of the Cylinder off. I use a new razor blade to get the old
gasket off and then I use Acetone to clean the rest of the Cylinder. Now when your ready
to re-install the Head make sure it is very clean also. Install the new Head Gasket on top
of the Cylinder making sure that it is on the right way. One trick is that the larger
holes on the Gasket will always be on the opposite side of the exhaust manifold or where
the cooling water comes in from. Most Gaskets tell you Up and Exhaust side. Now that you
are ready to put the Head on and then install the bolts or nuts and torque. Make sure to
follow the Manufactures recommended installation requirements like Seadoo says to add
anti-seize on the threads of the bolts. On the cap nuts I install alittle lock tight. Now
when you install the bolts/nuts torque them half of the total and then on the second time
around torque to the final number... If you need your torque spec you can email me for
them...
Installing Gaskets
I get allot of calls on gaskets. Do I
put sealer on them??? Don't I??? Well this will answer the question here. This is what I
do... The rule I go by is as follows. All exhaust gaskets like the exhaust manifold, head
pipe and all other gaskets in the exhaust pipe use 1211 to seal the gasket. Not a ton but
just enough so you see the gasket is now shinny. That will be good. Some of you that use
too much sealant guess where it goes??? In the exhaust gases area and also in the water
jackets. This could hinder the amount of water going though the motor depending on the
motor. Now on the base gasket I don't use anything on the gasket. The key to this is to
make sure that the two sides of metal are VERY clean!!! I use Acetone or Contact
Cleaner... Now on the carb side it is OK, to use 1211 for a good seal so that no air leaks
occur. Plus it bonds the carbs to the intake manifold better... NOTE: The most
important thing is to make sure the old gasket and dirt, oil is gone and the parts are
Clean!!!
Checking the Timing on a
Watercraft
Here is how to check
the timing of your Watercraft. The first thing you need to do is make the timing marks on
the PTO. First mark TDC (top dead center) and then mark the timing mark on the PTO or
coupler. This info can be found in your shop manual. Once you have those two done you can
hook up a strobe light that can work at 6000 rpms. You also need a tach so you check the
timing at idle and at the specific rpm that the manufacture suggests. Now once that is set
and you are ready to start the craft. Holding the timing light straight above the marks
you can see the marks and if they match the TDC center mark you made on the fixed side of
the cases as a reference point. There are also pointing tools you can buy also, but I find
as long as you have the marks where you need then you can make sure the timing is right.
If the timing is off follow the instruction in the service manual to correct the problem
before any damage is done to the motor. If you find a problem contact your local shop or
call me for so insight... Note: If you run your craft more than 15 seconds hook the flush
kit up to the craft
Changing Out the PTO
This past season has been
the most times I have replaced either the driveshaft or the PTO or both on many
watercraft. It can happen from sucking a rock or rope into the pump or even just due to
the lack of grease that you are supposed to put in that area. This is going to focus more
on the Polaris Watercraft due to the fact they are more prone for this to happen than
others plus they are a bit harder to do. OK the first thing you have to do is take the
motor out of the craft. This is a tough chore on the Polaris if any of you have had to do
this, you know what I mean. Once the motor is out you can pull the Driveshaft out from the
pump section and replace it with the new one. Most of these are the "floating"
type shafts. Just make sure to grease up both ends of the shaft splines. Then its time to
take the PTO off. I know some of you would somehow lock the motor so you can wrench the
PTO off, but I do it this way. I pull the Magneto Cover off the craft and then install the
Flywheel Puller so it can hold the front secure. then using the spline tool and a breaker
bar I pry the PTO off. Easier said than done sometimes. Some might have to apply some heat
to the PTO to help it loosen, but be careful not to overheat it as the rear seals are
right there... Once you have the old PTO off you are ready to install the new one. Make
sure the threads are clean and apply lock tight to the threads and then torque to the
factory specs. Re-install the motor and you're ready to go.
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