About sank my ski...won't start...next steps?

Marker Motorsports

Marker Motorsports

Grip it and Rip it!
Location
Oceanside, CA
Hey guys,

Almost sank my ski getting towed back this week. Now my ski won't start. Need to flush is badly. I pumped tons of water out of the intake. Seems to be dried up now. nothing coming out of the head with plugs out while cranking. Brand new plugs. Just won't fire. Ebox seal was a little loose. If box gets wet am I screwed? Battery is full. I have spark. New plugs. Cranks, but just won't fire. Please help.
 
Powerhouse

Powerhouse

okay
Location
Florida
Starter fluid down the carbs always helps me..
Also, take a torch to the plugs, to get them really hot, them put them in the head while they're still hot, it helps them from fouling..
 
dmpus

dmpus

Location
Boynton Beach
I sunk my brand new ski a few months ago, and guys here helped a lot. Here are the steps again:
1. Do it as soon as possible
2. Remove plugs and turn ski upside down.
3. drain all the water
4. disconnect tank and empty and clean completely from the bad fuel left.
4. crank the motor upside down a few times without spar plugs upside down.. a lot more water will come out
5. Spray some starter fluid in the cylinders, dry out and clean plugs, worm them up and put them back hot.
6. crank engine again, it should start right up if motor is all good. If it doesnt work the first time, pull out the plugs, spray some more starter fluid clean make them hot and try again. If engine does not give a single sign of life then you have a problem :(..
7. with flush system running water through it, run the motor for a while and keep spraying fogging oil in the carbs just as much as you don't stall it.
8. Drive ski back to lake or ocean ASAP with full tank. Run the whole tank with really hard riding to burn out everything else left in the motor.
9. Put bilge pumps and don't repeat the same mistake :).

P.S. forgot to mention, when you try to crank the motor for the first time, help it with little starting fluid spray directly in the carbs while cranking. The whole task require 2-3 enthusiastic friends for moral and physical help :)
 
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227

227

Its all about the surf!
Location
Oceanside, CA
Curtis Did you get water inside your motor when towing? ie when you removed the plugs and cranked did water come out like a guiser? If so you will need to roll the ski upside down and back SEVERAL times before you get all the water out. Remember a piston is the shape of a drinking glass when upside down and holds water so rolling it once never does the trick. If you are still getting water on the plug electrode after rolling then you have to roll a few more times to get the water completely out.
 
Marker Motorsports

Marker Motorsports

Grip it and Rip it!
Location
Oceanside, CA
Ok Great advice guys. I haven't tried to roll the ski upside down yet. My steps were somewhat as described above but never rolled over. I will get some buddies over here tomorrow to roll it over on the trailer. The ski was out of gas when it filled probably half way with water. My dual bilges stopped working for about a minute and then saved me.

Anyways my process.

Pulled the plugs. Crank with plugs out and tons of water was coming out with a mix of fuel. I cranked it a ton of times. I got new plugs, checked for spark, and it was good. I used starter fluid in the carb and in the cyclinder, plugs back in and cranked. It almost started, I mean it even started for a second and then died. I dried and heated the plugs again and starter fluid and still no go. I sprayed the engine with fresh water just so it wouldn't corrode. Got the engine dry again. I notice my seal on my ebox was a little loose. Took that apart, to find some new corrosion from the water getting in. Cleaned it up and resealed super tight. As of right now, I took the carb off, and I am going to switch carbs in the am and try and get it fired up. If not, it looks like I am going to recruit some friends and roll it on its side. From what I have read I need to get it in the water tomorrow and run a tank through it. Thanks for the help All.
 
wydopen

wydopen

onthepipe
Location
Goleta the Goodland
if your ski has been sitting overnight with salt water in the bottom end its pretty much ruined...if your crank isnt seized already its going to let go in the near future...tear it down and see if the crank is salvageable..its better than having it let go @ wideopen and take out your cases or something...

#1 rule with riding in the ocean is NEVER let your ski sit with water in the motor... unfortunately u learned that the hard way...

u need to flip the ski over nearly everytime u swamp it...you can easily do it with one person...if i was you id be doing it right now...
 
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Freakrider

Freakrider

X247
Location
Tampa Bay area
wydopen said:
if your ski has been sitting overnight with salt water in the bottom end its pretty much ruined...if your crank isnt seized already its going to let go in the near future...tear it down and see if the crank is salvageable..its better than having it let go @ wideopen and take out your cases or something...

#1 rule with riding in the ocean is NEVER let your ski sit with water in the motor... unfortunately u learned that the hard way...

u need to flip the ski over nearly everytime u swamp it...you can easily do it with one person...if i was you id be doing it right now...
Click to expand...

X2 sorry but he's right...
 
Marker Motorsports

Marker Motorsports

Grip it and Rip it!
Location
Oceanside, CA
ok got the ski upside down and now water came out of the heads. On day one i get tons of water out of it. I coated everything with fresh water and dried last night and added wd40. Whats my next step? premix in the head and heat the plugs and try again?
 
Marker Motorsports

Marker Motorsports

Grip it and Rip it!
Location
Oceanside, CA
yeah coated with fresh bc things in the bay were starting to corrode after salt water in it for 3 days. I only follow advice people give me on here bc i dont know :):):):). Got the ski upside down. still fouling plugs, but no more water coming out. almost fired last try. gonna keep going
 
tightithrash

tightithrash

Zack Bright. I Thrash.
Site Supporter
Location
Oceanside, CA
dont put alot of gas down the cylinder. like a cap full is good. if you have starter fluid i would use it. squirt in the cylinders, squirt the plugs and squirt down the carbs. it should fire.
 
Marker Motorsports

Marker Motorsports

Grip it and Rip it!
Location
Oceanside, CA
great news. new plugs. fuel in the cyclinder starter fluid over everything i got it fired after 3 days of work. holy crap, sinking is lame. ADVICE now? put it on the trailer and go run it?
 
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