how to troubleshoot a jet ski *101*

[Antizerg]

K guys i just figured out i got a JS kawasaki 440 1988. It was pretty much a gift and no battery included so im gonna buy a 12 volt battery(it is 12 volt right?) to try to start this bad boy up but im gonna need some assistance from you guys first. Ok so when i first start it up i heard i need to hook a water hose to it to help it run? man im totally lost here guys, but once i get this thing moving i plan on giving direct details/pictures of what im experiencing and maybe we can all get through this project together :Banane01: but so tell me EXACTLY what i gotta do, i mean talk to me like ive never done this before...because quite frequently ive never have!. And we will go from just getting this thing to start up first. so first two questions is...is it a 12 volt? and the main question is, whats up with the coolant department? does this thing need a water hose to help make it run?! and how do i check my oil levels! or even change it at that matter(same deal as a car) welcome to teaching me how to troubleshoot a jetski 101.

 

[wydopen]

K guys i just figured out i got a JS kawasaki 440 1988. It was pretty much a gift and no battery included so im gonna buy a 12 volt battery(it is 12 volt right?) to try to start this bad boy up but im gonna need some assistance from you guys first. Ok so when i first start it up i heard i need to hook a water hose to it to help it run? man im totally lost here guys, but once i get this thing moving i plan on giving direct details/pictures of what im experiencing and maybe we can all get through this project together :Banane01: but so tell me EXACTLY what i gotta do, i mean talk to me like ive never done this before...because quite frequently ive never have!. And we will go from just getting this thing to start up first. so first two questions is...is it a 12 volt? and the main question is, whats up with the coolant department? does this thing need a water hose to help make it run?! and how do i check my oil levels! or even change it at that matter(same deal as a car) welcome to teaching me how to troubleshoot a jetski 101.

its a two stroke...you mix 2CYCLE oil with the fuel at 50/1.....dont worry about hooking up a hose yet..you can run it for 20sec or so at a time out of the water...the battery is a 12 volt...yo should read up on how a 2stroke works...itds the same typeof motor as a weedwacker or older mx bike...DONT PUT STRAIT GAS IN IT

 

[DAG]

yes 50/1 gass and a 12v.

prime the fule lines, i find the easy way to do this is to fill the take 1/4 or more full and take a squirt bottle with the 50/1 mixed gass but make sure the bottle is 100% clean. Fill it with gass and start out with 1 squirts(not mist) into each carb, and then more to 2 squirts. hit the starter while holding down the throttle and tell us what happens. does it turn over? does it fire? dose it make a click sound?

 

[Antizerg]

k guys day 2. i finnally found out what type of battery size i needed, it was a 16CLB(see i learned something already)..on a side note what does the numbers and letters accutally mean...ok back to the point, i got the 50:1 cycle oil and im gonna get the gas tommorow or the next day. the issue is the battery i got needs to be filled with acid and i gotta charge it up, so thats gonna delay the process of accutally first starting this beast...but now comes the dummie questions and when you guys photoshop skills and mechanical skills will work me wonders. you say spray in the carbs well guess what:cheer: i dont know where that is and where to spray!. so my handy camera i took pictures of my engine about 7 different angles...so will someone plz tell me what to prime! i really appreciate it guys and i hope this journey is just as fun for u guys, because i bet it would make u guys feel good when i eventually get this thing running because i will have u all to thank for it :woot:

 

[Antizerg]

2 more pictures..thanks alot guys i really appreciate yalls help!
P.S. i need to know where the "carbs" are to prime! lol im such a newb

 

[Endo]

Hope these help. Sorry about the typing had a cat"assisting".

 

[Antizerg]

yea they help thanks! can someone make me a diagram of all the parts! and if i charge up my battery using a 2amp charger is that ok?

 

[onesojourner]

that rectangle sitting above the motor is the flame arrester. take that off the carb is under it/ spray the gas in the 2 inch hole.

 

[Antizerg]

ok guys another cool question, this is a more specific model...my engine is a js 440...they started makin these ski's in 1979...could i use any year engine to replace the one i got as long as its in the same model...i mean how much differences is there within these years..mine is a 88..because just incase i need to replace this thing i wonder what years i can accutally use...or is rebuilding this thing more easier?

 

[douglee25]

I would advise against running that motor at 50:1. Personally I would run that at 32:1, but that's just me.

Doug

 

[thrllskr]

I was there once too - a lot of the guys on here helped me out.

I'd try to pick up a shop manual for that. Check ebay first, then check with a Kawi dealer. Getting shop manuals was very helpful for me.

I also took a two-stroke engine class - it wasn't as good as I thought (more hands-on work than technical information) but it got me comfortable working inside my ski.

 

[tor*p*do]

yea they help thanks! can someone make me a diagram of all the parts! and if i charge up my battery using a 2amp charger is that ok?

go to www.kawasaki.com and the parts diagram is online under owner info, parts diagrams

 

[tor*p*do]

I would advise against running that motor at 50:1. Personally I would run that at 32:1, but that's just me.

Doug

you must enjoy changing oil soaked plugs!
my kawi runs great on 50:1, fouls plugs at 45:1 and bogs at 40:1

 

[kurtwolff]

you must enjoy changing oil soaked plugs!
my kawi runs great on 50:1, fouls plugs at 45:1 and bogs at 40:1

I believe the Piston Port motor (440 and 550 non-reed engines) recommend a richer mix - on the front by the gas cap it has the recommendations depending on weather, but I think 40:1 for normal temperatures is fine on a 440 - richer when it's cold out.

 

[douglee25]

you must enjoy changing oil soaked plugs!
my kawi runs great on 50:1, fouls plugs at 45:1 and bogs at 40:1

I set up all my motors to run on 32:1. I never foul plugs from being oil soaked. Talk to Team Scream, I believe he does the same. If your ski fouls plugs going from 50:1 to 40:1, equivalent to 0.64 ounces of oil/1 gallon of gas, something is wrong with your ski.

Doug

 

[tor*p*do]

SBT shows 50:1 for all kawis FWIW. http://www.sbtontheweb.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14465

I run a little rich, but not excessively, and my ski seems to sputter and choke on richer mixes than 50:1. How do you set up for 32:1?

 

[Endo]

With the newer oils you can run a little less. As far as setting up a motor to run a heavier mixture. You just have to be a little tighter on you tuning...you don't have as much fudge room to hit the "sweet spot". But if everything is tuned right going a little heavier on the oil usually mean a small richening on the bottom (very small). Or at least that has been my experience. I hate to say it by I'm kind of old school here and run 40:1 even though I am running full synthetic. Probably could go to 50:1 but....just not that trusting I guess...or it could be my habit of riding it like I stole it!!!!!

 

[douglee25]

Ring clearance, carb setup, and cooling setup will all be tailored accordingly to run 32:1.

Doug

 

[Antizerg]

ok guys i got my battery charing up now..i think im probably doing that all wrong but oh well, will get the job done..but anyways. lets just say i do get this thing running for more then 20 seconds...where do i hook up the warer hose at!@

 

[Antizerg]

ok guys i got the battery in and hooked up, when i try to start it up the shaft spins and vapor smoke comes out of the exhaust..which is sort of a good sign, but the problem is im not getting any spark, i put a spark gun tester thing on the wires connecting to the two spark plugs and it indicates im gettin no power to the spark plugs. Meaning its the other peice. I got a picture of the situation and maybe u guys can give me some troubleshootin tips and tell me what this peice is exactly. and how much does they normally run to replace. and the third pic is i think the transmission, has a unknown plug, do i put oil into this?

Side notes: im not getting spark to the spark plugs.