1996 Polaris SLT 780

savetexomabeaches

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Ok, here we go.. First time PWC owner.. I'm so used to mercruisers, johnson/envinrude/mercury... But my first time with a pwc. This thread will be a single thread, containing all my questions, I will have a lot of them. I am 100% ignorant when it comes to pwcs. So here we are...
PWC is on a trailer...
Is there a manual online anywhere for one of these?
What are the round holes in the back of it by the drive?
Anything I need to check or do before trying to see if this thing starts?
 

alldodge

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Is there a manual online anywhere for one of these?

Might be, check at Green Hulk site, they would know. Can be found for around 25

What are the round holes in the back of it by the drive?

Would be best to take a pic, but one is the jet output, one would be the connection when a hose is used to run it on land. The third should exhaust or cooling water exhaust

Anything I need to check or do before trying to see if this thing starts?

The ski uses oil injection, so make sure you have oil in the tank unless someone has by passed it and your now mixing oil with the gas
 

alldodge

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This is where the drain plug went. Someone has removed the hole drain plug assembly. Search for watercraft drain plug and find one that looks something like this. You can use a different type but it will take some modifications. There should be one on each side

water.jpg

Search for "1996 polaris slt 780 battery" and it will come up with several listings. They typically use motor cycle batteries. If you get it all going good, I would recommend using an AGM battery when the next battery is needed
 

Scott Danforth

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make sure that your motor is in perfect tune and the center carb isnt running lean (common problem on the 780's) if the center carb runs lean, you destroy the center piston in very short order.
 

savetexomabeaches

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Pump was trashed. Have new one but the housing has all this on it.. how to hone it?
 

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alldodge

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Not a Polaris guy but all the pumps I've worked on have a wear ring which is installed. If it uses a wear ring also then no need to hone

fetch
 

savetexomabeaches

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I thought that, but this appears to be one solid piece.. Looking through the service manual, they are just calling it a pump housing.. saying if excessive wear, etc.. place pump housing
 
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savetexomabeaches

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Yes, part 24.. Pump housing extension/wear ring. That is one solid piece though right? Because what Im finding, it places want 150+ for that
 

alldodge

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Your right my bad. Looks like Polaris doesn't use a wear ring, they use an aluminum extension housing. Most others use an aluminum housing and a plastic wear ring which fits inside the housing. So if those nicks are not that bad I wouldn't even hone it. If you hone it then your removing material further away from the impeller. The further the impeller gest away from the housing the less power it has to push the ski
 

savetexomabeaches

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well they arent really nicks.. they are parts from the other impeller melted/slung against it.. i took a pick and was able to pop off alot of them, smooth under it. almost like if you tried to weld onto galvanized metal without grinding it first. you'll get a nice bead, but 0 penetration/welding.. weld will knock right off and still have smooth under it
 

savetexomabeaches

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Ok, so I tried sanding and honing.. nada.. tried to be gentle.. was not happening. so I got the air grinder out and knocked all those suckers off and polished up the inside, slide it over the impeller and smooth fit. no scraping -- got the pump put all back together, greased and installed. Went around and lubed up all my cables and moving parts. Tomorrow, drain gas
 

savetexomabeaches

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Quick question.. This 780 I have, has stock exhaust and stock air intake over the carbs... But this parts 750 has performance exhaust and vortex air intakes over the carbs.. should i leave it stock, or move those parts onto mine?
 

alldodge

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Quick question.. This 780 I have, has stock exhaust and stock air intake over the carbs... But this parts 750 has performance exhaust and vortex air intakes over the carbs.. should i leave it stock, or move those parts onto mine?

Opinion: Don't see an air intake helping, the motor can only draw so much air and unless yours looks restrictive I wouldn't bother. The exhaust would have to be more then just looks for me to change it out. It may be larger in diameter, but it stills goes out the same size hole as the old exhaust
 

savetexomabeaches

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Ok, so I wont even bother switching it over then. I'll prolly just sell all these extra parts incase I need to buy something for mine. btw.. my fuel water separator has some pink stuff in the bottom of it.. Can I spray clean that out with carb cleaner?
 

alldodge

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Carb cleaner should not be an issue, use to do the same thing on my 2000 seadoo without issue
 
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