I need help! Ski wont stay running...

[Shadow7874]

Well i just got the motor back in my 88' 550 tonight and i must say i was worried. It hasnt ran since the end of last summer, and it wasnt exactly winterized.

Heres the deal, It turns over great so we gas up the tank and gap the new plugs, hook up the hose and try it out. After a good little while we get it to start firing but not stay running. A bit later we actually get water coming out of the cooling line. Then i get it running but i have to keep blipping the throttle constantly or it dies. The last try it ran for a solid 30+ seconds but i had to keep gassing it, and it was backfiring every now and then. My dad thinks it could be something in the timing, but i didnt adjust anything as far as i can recall. Only thing that has been changed was the idle bumped up, but that was after we found out it wouldnt stay running. The ski has always been a dog to start, so it really didnt help having dry fuel lines and an empty fuel filter, but it seems to be getting gas fine now, just wont keep going.

Any ideas??

 

[sxi4evr]

i would start by getting a primer, that makes it wayyyy easier to start these things. then maybe make sure there are no clogs in the carb??? my friends 440 just started doin the same thing the other day, we took a break after riding and when we were goin back out it wouldnt start, you could hear it try, but nothin. prolly gonna look at it tomo to get it ready for the weekend, ill post up if we find anything.

 

[Shadow7874]

I can get it to run, but only if im gassing it, even then it was hard to get it going. How hard is it to install a primer kit, and where can i get one for a good price?

 

[Shadow7874]

I kinda think i might have found out the problem, but i cant check till tommorrow. I know the choke butterfly valve has a hole in it to let some air in when its closed. Does the throttle bf valve have the same thing or is it solid? I didnt think about it, but my throttle cable isnt hooked up so the valve closes 100%, and if there isnt a hole, it wouldnt be getting any air unless im blipping the throttle. Is that most likely my problem? And would that relate to the backfiring? I was kinda revving quicly on off if that would change anything.

 

[Shonuff]

Hook up your throttle cable.

Shoot John Zigler an email and order a primer kit.

http://www.x-h2o.com/member.php?u=147

 

[The Timmer]

hook up throttle cable and set your idle

 

[Shadow7874]

Yeah i went back and looked at the bf valve on the throttle and was pretty much certain thats why its dying. The idle should be good though. How do i adjust the throttle cable or does it really have much room to more, i know i had to adjust the choke a bit, but the throttle cable is different.