Sinking Superjet

[flyinb501]

What’s up guys. My ski ('01 SJ) has been taking on a ton of water lately when it’s just floating, or pulled halfway up on shore. I spoke with my mechanic on the phone and he said he thinks it’s the drive shaft seal. He said he’d have to pull the motor to replace it, and I’m looking at a day’s worth of labor. Any of you guys had this problem? What do you think? I think I need to take care of this one myself because I’m pretty low on funds… Thanks in advance!

 

[FX-Rex]

You can fill it with water on the trailer and watch for water to see where its leaking (not too high, don't flood the engine). Most likely from the steering cable.

 

[stanton]

sounds like midshaft housing. i would recommend a mechanic rebuilding the housing.
if you do all the work yourself seals and bearing are only 40$ or so. new housings are around 150 i think

 

[butti]

usually if its the midshaft housing the pump will cavitate also..

 

[Speleopower]

Look at the little plastic elbow fittings on your stock scupper water line if that is still stock. I had a pin hole in one of the fittings and my ski took on a lot of water and almost sunk one day when I left it sitting for an hour.

Also, make sure the stock scupper hose line goes up as far above the waterline as possible. When I took my motor out one time I left the stock scupper line laying on the bottom and water just ran into the ski from the scupper...oopss.

Before doing the hard work check on the stock scupper fittings and hoses. I was about to do the hard work of pulling the motor, checking the midshaft and all that stuff when it turned out all it was was a plastic elbow that really didnt' need to be there in the first place.

Scott

 

[flyinb501]

Look at the little plastic elbow fittings on your stock scupper water line if that is still stock. I had a pin hole in one of the fittings and my ski took on a lot of water and almost sunk one day when I left it sitting for an hour.

Also, make sure the stock scupper hose line goes up as far above the waterline as possible. When I took my motor out one time I left the stock scupper line laying on the bottom and water just ran into the ski from the scupper...oopss.

Before doing the hard work check on the stock scupper fittings and hoses. I was about to do the hard work of pulling the motor, checking the midshaft and all that stuff when it turned out all it was was a plastic elbow that really didnt' need to be there in the first place.

Scott

Sweet I will do that, and cross my fingers that is the problem!


butti,

how do you know if it is cavitating? The ski seams to be running well for the most part, besides occasionally sucking up water. I may go back to the stock airbox...

 

[Idok]

does your ski still have the stock siphon?
'

if so, make sure the hose didnt pop off at the firewall......

 

[WaveDemon]

and I’m looking at a day’s worth of labor.

is he saying he's going to bill you a days worth of labor? F that guy!

the motor doesn't need to be removed to change a midshaft. You just unbolt the motor and move it forward a bit. you may need to remove part of the exhaust and a cooling line from the bulkhead to give you room. don't unbolt any cables, electronics, or fuel lines. unbolt the midshaft and replace.


a person who knows what they are doing will get this done in under an hour.

 

[tom21]

seriously dude? I think not. you have to move the battery box at best and the fuel tank would make it very easy. When jumpin james convinced mr strut his bearing carrier was shot it was super difficult to remove as the ski had been taillanded a few times to where the subshaft was hammered on the driveshaft so hard - well lets just say it was not easy to get it off there. it had also move the subshaft in about 3/4 inch.

make your life easier and take off the pto cover and look to see if the rubber part is pulling away from the outter aluminum housing.

to me the easier way to do it would be to put the ski in the water9maybe even on the trailer and see if water is getting in. you may have to start it, if a hose is off it will fill pretty quick.

always know what the problem is BEFORE you attempt to repair it.

 

[Idok]

is he saying he's going to bill you a days worth of labor? F that guy!

the motor doesn't need to be removed to change a midshaft. You just unbolt the motor and move it forward a bit. you may need to remove part of the exhaust and a cooling line from the bulkhead to give you room. don't unbolt any cables, electronics, or fuel lines. unbolt the midshaft and replace.


a person who knows what they are doing will get this done in under an hour.

thats how we do it here too...

 

[WaveDemon]

thats how we do it here too...

werd

 

[flyinb501]

to me the easier way to do it would be to put the ski in the water9maybe even on the trailer and see if water is getting in. you may have to start it, if a hose is off it will fill pretty quick.

always know what the problem is BEFORE you attempt to repair it.

Yeah the water is coming in when the ski is not running, and it seems to be filling up pretty quickly. It does still have the stock siphon I believe. It doesn't fill up when the ski is running so I'm assuming the stock siphon is working...

 

[SUPERTUNE]

Look at the little plastic elbow fittings on your stock scupper water line if that is still stock. I had a pin hole in one of the fittings and my ski took on a lot of water and almost sunk one day when I left it sitting for an hour.

Also, make sure the stock scupper hose line goes up as far above the waterline as possible. When I took my motor out one time I left the stock scupper line laying on the bottom and water just ran into the ski from the scupper...oopss.

Before doing the hard work check on the stock scupper fittings and hoses. I was about to do the hard work of pulling the motor, checking the midshaft and all that stuff when it turned out all it was was a plastic elbow that really didnt' need to be there in the first place.

Scott

Scott,
If your talking about the plastic 90* degree fitting on the siphon line with the pinhole, guess what... IT is supposed to be there!
The pin hole is there to stop a reverse siphon and keep from filling the ski up when stopped.
Chuck

 

[Speleopower]

I do understand why there was a pin hole NOW :twak:. Never thought of that. So much to learn. I'm guessing the elbow should have been at the very top of loop before the line goes down to the siphon basket. If that is correct I must have changed it at some point and put the elbow with the hole down low when working on the ski. After all of that I tossed that little elbow!!! :Flush:

Still he might want to check to make sure the elbow is at the correct location.

Thanks for the info. Now who has a spare elbow with a pin hole???? Scott

 

[tom21]

I might have some in the parts pile.

 

[yamanube]

Sounds like it is filling pretty fast? Can you see (or feel) where the water is coming in from with the ski just sitting in the water? Dry out your engine compartment, back it into the water and feel around the bearing housing. May also want to check your hull for cracks.

 

[keegan]

mine is doing the same thing right now...i can see that my seal on the midshaft is clearly f'd up...

 

[flyinb501]

Haha alright this is so stupid... Last weekend when I was out riding I took the hood off, and let it sit in the water to try and see where the water was coming in. Figured it out. I recently took my stock dash off and never covered up the rivet holes so water was pouring in through those. I still think the midshaft housing may be leaking too though because I'm not sure those small holes account for all the water that was coming in, and I have noticed a little cavitation I think. Also, I discovered an exhaust leak at the manifold so I'm replacing that gasket tomorrow and siliconing those holes.

Oh and I learned this weekend that it is a bad idea to not run your PTO cover haha...