97 Seadoo sat for 3 years and was flooded with water 3 days ago...

aedude006

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Aug 31, 2016
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Just bought a 97 seadoo challenger jet boat. My first jet boat. It had sat for 2 years and when I went to pick it up the guy had hooked up the hose and started it up and it idled, however he hooked up the hose way before turning the engine on and turned it off way after turning the hose off. I guess this floods the engine with water.. Anyways before knowing about the water I put 10 gal of gas in it and put it on the water, started it up, and it had no power to it at all and sputtered out. trailered it home, and found the water.

I threw a bottle of isoheat in the has tank, pulled the plugs, and turned it over until there was no water shooting out. Couldn't get it to start, so I coated the inside with a little wd40 to sit overnight. Yesterday I had a couple hours and seemed to get some more water out of the engine and out of the exhaust but still couldn't get a start. I am getting spark, tried a little starting fluid in air box, tried a little fresh gas in cylinder, nothing. when I take a plug out and saturate a piece of paper with whatever is shooting out of the engine it doesn't flare up like you would think it should when you take a lighter to it.

Where to go next? drain all gas? take carbs apart? Take exhaust off and clean? Air intake? let it dry some more? any help would be greatly appreciated as this issue is probably time sensitive, thanks for your time!
 

alldodge

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97 seadoo challenger jet boat
hooked up the hose way before turning the engine on and turned it off way after turning the hose off

Yep flooded the motor

pulled the plugs, and turned it over until there was no water shooting out. .... seemed to get some more water out of the engine and out of the exhaust but still couldn't get a start.

I am getting spark, tried a little starting fluid in air box, tried a little fresh gas in cylinder, nothing. when I take a plug out and saturate a piece of paper with whatever is shooting out of the engine it doesn't flare up like you would think it should when you take a lighter to it.

Starting fluid on a 2 stroke is bad news, if it fires you can damage the reed valves.

Where to go next? drain all gas? take carbs apart? Take exhaust off and clean? Air intake? let it dry some more? any help would be greatly appreciated as this issue is probably time sensitive, thanks for your time!

Yes need to remove the plugs and do some more cranking. Don't hook a hose back up to the motor until you get it running again. In most cases you don't even need to connect a hose for a short run.

Here is a guy which explains how he got it out
http://www.seadoosource.com/waterina2stroke.html
 

aedude006

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Aug 31, 2016
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compression is good, has spark, is getting air, and fuel. just not running, not even firing a little. I've turned the thing over a few hours every day the last three days.

Not enough spark? bad mixture? water get in somewhere it is ending up back in the cylinder?
 

FunInDuhSun

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Apr 25, 2010
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I'm no mechanic but I happen to own a 97 Seadoo. The link provided by Alldodge is a good read.
You're mostly doing the right things BUT from your description it sounds like you never heard it run above idle prior to purchase.
If that's the case, I think you need to look a little deeper.
Maybe the seller knew there was an engine problem......and 'accidentally' hydro locked it up.

To fire, an engine needs 3 things. Confirm you have air, fuel and spark first. If they all check out, look at th electronics. 1997 was the first year for DESS and it could be the culprit.
Good luck!
 
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alldodge

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compression is good, has spark, is getting air, and fuel.

when I take a plug out and saturate a piece of paper with whatever is shooting out of the engine it doesn't flare up like you would think it should when you take a lighter to it.

If what is shooting out will not ignite with a match, a spark won't do it either. This is way I mention to keep going and do not use a water hose. Get it dried out, and then try to get it started. The paper and trying to see if it will burn is a good check
 

cablebandit

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Nov 2, 2013
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My 96 Speedster has Dess.

You probably will have to take the carbs off and use a rag or something to wick all the water out of the intake.
 
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