Accidently ran water through jetski flushport with engine off

USA_boater

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Been awhile since I flushed my 2-stroke jetski and the flushing procedure is the opposite of my boat. Whereas, the engine must be running before water is turned on. Once I figured out I was doing it wrong, I pulled the plugs and sprayed fogging oil in the cylinders and then turned over the motor in hopes to displace and or evacuate any water that might have gotten into the engine. No water came out of the spark plug holes so I was hoping I'm okay?

I did flush the motor properly and it ran fine on the trailer so I'm hoping the bearings and such are fine? After the fact, I checked my service manual and saw the warning not to turn on the water without the motor running.

I plan to do compression test, but for now all I did was use temp gun on the cylinder heads while it was idling and they were all pretty much even and sub 100* at idle on the hose.

I did run the motor after water had been going through it without running before I figured out I made the mistake and removed the plugs to pump out any water as previously described.Can anyone confirm one way or another if this would for sure have done damage or not?
 

Grub54891

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If you ran it after you ran the water through it you should be fine. I'd take it to the lake and give it a good run to make sure any moisture is burned off before you park it for the winter.
 

USA_boater

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Well I flushed & fogged and put the cover on for winter, but I do have a short sleeve wet suit; I guess I could do that but even after I ran water through it, I ran it on the trailer a good while as part of the flushing so I would think that would have done it. Besides, it was flushed on Sunday and I won't be able to take it to the lake until next saturday so it will have sat with moisture for at least a week if it had any. I put a ton of fogging oil into it and then added 8oz of extra 2-stroke oil to the gas tank and ran it like that just to give some extra-rick mixture in case it did get water into the crank bearings.

One time I swamped a different ski and when I pulled it to shore, I pulled the plugs and cranked it and a ton of water came out of the motor...in this case, none came out so unless it all went down intot he crank, I don't see how there could be any since none came out of the spark plug holes? is it possible for the water to have filled the crank and not gone into the cylinders? Even still, if the main bearings had water in them, I'd think running it on the trailer would have caused a failure?
 

USA_boater

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prob 5-7 minutes. Did it twice because the fist time I didn't have stabil in the fuel yet. Wanted to run it again to get the stabil into the carbs.
 

Grub54891

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Run it another 1/2 hour just to make sure it's dry inside the crankcase.
 

USA_boater

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okay I hope sitting for a week won't hurt but yeah I guess I'll take it out on Saturday morning.
 

JimS123

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Do it today. Take off from work and run the snot out of it. Maybe it'll be OK, but if you have to install a rebuilt motor next year you'll wish you had.
 

USA_boater

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Well like I said, I swamped a jetski once and when I pulled the plugs and cranked it, LOTS of water pumped out of it...this one had zero water come out the spark plug holes when I cranked it so I'm thinking it didn't have enough hose pressure to backfill the cylinders. IS it possible there would have been water get into the crank without it also getting into the cylinders? I don't have much leave from work and ut gets dark way before I could make it to the lake after work. I have to take off for the appliance repair guy day after tomorrow so maybe I'll get up and go before they come. But I think one more day isn't going to matter; the motor is aluminum and I sprayed a ton of fogging oil into the cylinders so no way they can rust in a few days with that much oil in there...The ski is 159hrs and 18yrs old...If it ruins it I'll scrap it but I know it ran fine on trailer and had no water come out so the only concern is if any got into the crank but I don't know enough to know if that was possible. If that crank was bathing in water those bearings would have failed immediately...I'll do a compression test on it too.
 

Simoniz

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I dont think thats right. I know you said you would scrap the ski if the engine was ruined, but theres really no need.

You can drown a 2 stroke jet ski engine, even with seawater, but as soon as you do the clock is ticking and you have only hours to sort it out. Water will be in the crankcase, indeed the only way for it to get into the cylinders above the pistons is via the crankcase. It wont ruin the bearings straight away, but you do need to get it out before it has chance to cause rust. All the fogging oil in the world is no substitute for getting the water out.

After turning the engine over on the starter with the plugs out to blow out as much water as you can, you need to take the ski out and thrash it round for a good half hour, to make sure that the engine is completely dry internally. Marine 2 stroke oil will also get rid of any salt under hot running conditions.
 

USA_boater

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Well you guys convinced me so I dusted off my wet suit and went out on a gray , 55* Saturday and ran it for about a half hour. I saw 60mph with 2 people (daughter went) and a full gas tank on it on smooth water...It has run faster before but I significantly enriched the mixture by pouring in some extra 2-stroke oil in the tank as a buffer and it also had stabil; so I think that neutered it some and it is just fine. I will run compression test in the spring, but if the ski was killed it wouldn't have ran okay. I've seen 66mph on GPS and 70+ on speedo in the past with less gas and when I weighed 30lbs less LOL. I re-fogged and put it away for the winter. I was cussing myself and you guys when I froze but at least I now have piece of mind; can anyone confirm running super rich would have impacted performance a bit?
 

Grub54891

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It may have affected performance a bit, but now you have peace of mind that it survived yet another season. Thanks for the update.
 

JimS123

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Our first jetski was a real lemon. It sank 3 times, due to warranty issues and / or improper maintenance by the selling dealer. Each time it ingested water and each time we did the blow out the water and run the snot out of it like others here have recommended.

The first 2 times the motor ran OK. The 3rd sinking killed the engine, even though it was dried out in a matter of hours.

The lesson we learned was never let a dealer touch it and if it does sink trade it in immediately......LOL.
 

USA_boater

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I'm seeing the same thing on my new Mercury outboard...the dealer employees all have different opinions and most don't line up with the factory manual...people are just people (but it has gotten worse with each generation).
 

JimS123

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My issues were not with opinions or manuals, it was poor workmanship or diagnosis. Like having to replace a leaking manifold gasket under warranty and then not torquing down the bolts properly and eventually it came loose and flooded the ski causing it to sink. I never thought I would have had to check a repair to be sure it was done right.

My experience with Merc outboards are that they are pretty well built. We have at least 4 Master Merc dealers in my area, and all have good reputations, so I'm not worried there. My jetski dealer sells honda outboards.....LOL.

Good luck with yours...
 

USA_boater

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Thanks...whether it is opinion or the actual work itself, I see and expect the same kind of thing...responsibility and goodwill is in short supply these days. I'm planning to sell the Ski as I've gotten into boats finally...I've had a wetbike in the 80's and 3-4 different JetSkis since the the 90's...time to move on and those new 4-stroke skis cost too much for the amount of enjoyment I can get vs a boat (fishing, family, etc.). My Uncle is trying to sell me his '05 4-strokes on double trailer with less than 100hrs on them...awesome deal but I'd have to store them and they are just another piece of equipment to take care of an let people tear up...at least with a boat I am in control of it when we take it out LOL. Thanks again for all the help...I think my ski is fine; I'll likely give it a goodbye run in the spring before I put it for sale.
 
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