Routine Maintenance for SJ

Midlake Crisis

Site Supporter
Location
Bakersfield, CA
I am loving my new to me '90 SJ and want to make it last. My Jetboat has several items that need to be greased and oiled to keep it running, and I don't want to neglect anything on my little jet. What routine maintenance needs to be done to keep the SJ running strong? Does the jet drive take grease or oil somewhere?
 

Midlake Crisis

Site Supporter
Location
Bakersfield, CA
Seriously?

Is it really that easy? The impeller / drive doesn't need any lubrication or anything? Nothing to grease besides the trailer bearings?

Also - after running in fresh water is it necessary to flush it out, or to blow out the water left in the cooling/exhaust?
 
Always blow the water out, you dont need to flush after running fresh water.

Grease the Zirk fitting on the intermediate bearing housing.....

Grease the driveshaft splines when you pull the pump out to change out the prop... if it still has a stock impeler.
 

Midlake Crisis

Site Supporter
Location
Bakersfield, CA
Yep

Don't forget to clean and lube the impeller chain.

Yep, religiously. Every time my chain gets jerked I will lube it.
:rolleyes:

Sorry if these are dumb questions, but I am on my own without you guys. I have never owned a ski before, and don't have a manual (yet) or any experience with PWCs, and I just don't want to crater a good piece of hardware by overlooking something simple.
When I bought my jet boat in '05 I was in the same position, first boat, no experience, no guidance. I have learned a lot about jet boats since then, including the fact that it is important to grease the thrust bearing on the jet drive occasionally. I learned this by encountering the severe damage caused primarily by myself and the previous owner both neglecting this basic maintenance item:

325211_-_November_005.jpg


Tearing down and rebuilding my jet drive was a great experience, but it was expensive, time consuming, and kept me off the water for a while. If there are things I need to do to keep that from happening with the ski I want to know!
 
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Mark44

Katie's Boss
Location
100% one place
w

I like to have my kids disassemble and vacuum them out after every use.

New turf also.:biggthumpup:

Mark44
 

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meatball

User Title Unavailable
Location
Maryland
1990-1993 hulls use a different midshaft housing and dont have a grease zerk fitting, dont worry about it.

Only thing you have to do between seasons is winterize with fogging oil, and MAYBE every once in a while replace the grease in the pump cone (I havent put enough years or hours on mine to require it, I would say every engine topend rebuild do it... nearly never).

Make sure you flush it after every ride, and I rinse the compartment down every time and also spray on some T-9 or silicone spray. WD works but it also eats rubber components. Past that, fix whatever may break, and premix it up!

Oh, and get a Clymer manual for 1993-1996 yamaha PWC's (1993 is the same as 1990, and that manual covers more skis)
 

romack991

homebrewed
Location
Warsaw, IN
post your location and try and find some ridding buddies as well. even if no one lives in your immediate area, its nice to make a 3-4 hr drive once a month or so to have people to ride with and learn from.
 
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