Is it bad to run a pwc out of the water?

[poconojoe]

I don't know much about pwc's, but I know it's bad to run a boat engine dry.

I was pulling my boat out at the local ramp and the sound of a high revving engine caught my attention in the parking lot.
There was a guy revving his PWC on it's trailer. Not just idling, revving it, probably red-lining it.

Is this bad, like it would be with my boat? Seems to me it would be.

 

[ThomW]

I don't know much about pwc's, but I know it's bad to run a boat engine dry.

I was pulling my boat out at the local ramp and the sound of a high revving engine caught my attention in the parking lot.
There was a guy revving his PWC on it's trailer. Not just idling, revving it, probably red-lining it.

Is this bad, like it would be with my boat? Seems to me it would be.

Not great. They use water to cool the motor like other marine engines. You can start a PWC out of the water briefly--most manuals say no more than 15 seconds. Any longer and that motor is getting real hot with nothing to cool it.

 

[poconojoe]

Not great. They use water to cool the motor like other marine engines. You can start a PWC out of the water briefly--most manuals say no more than 15 seconds. Any longer and that motor is getting real hot with nothing to cool it.

I thought it was especially bad that he was revving it so much.
It makes me think how people who buy used equipment unfortunately have no idea how the previous owner abused it.
Shameful...

 

[Pruno]

I don't know much about pwc's, but I know it's bad to run a boat engine dry.

I was pulling my boat out at the local ramp and the sound of a high revving engine caught my attention in the parking lot.
There was a guy revving his PWC on it's trailer. Not just idling, revving it, probably red-lining it.

Is this bad, like it would be with my boat? Seems to me it would be.

Amazing, I had almost word for word the exact same experience last week. Only difference was the guy was right behind me at the post retrieval area. Just as you said sitting on his newer PWC on the trailer red-lining it. I could definitely hear the warble of the rev limiter.
i can’t imagine a reason for it, but then again I know nothing about them. But I thought if the impeller is anything like it is on my boat, that thing was toast.

 

[Sea Rider]

Will know when an impeller it's toats when there's 0 water peeing up hard behind the driver..

Happy Boating​

 

[Faztbullet]

Jet ski use aluminum or SS impellers. They are blowing out the exhaust..wont hurt a thing on em unless in excess of a couple of minutes.

 

[dannyual767]

Faztbullet pretty much said it: PWCs use pressurized jet pump water to cool the engine. There is no water pump (with a rubber impeller) like on a propeller driven boat.

I own five Yamaha Waverunners and like Faz said, we're blowing the water out of the exhaust system. Some people do a lot more blowing out than others. I rev the engine a half dozen times and I'm nowhere near full throttle.

30 seconds of engine running with no cooling water really isn't a problem.

 

[poconojoe]

Faztbullet pretty much said it: PWCs use pressurized jet pump water to cool the engine. There is no water pump (with a rubber impeller) like on a propeller driven boat.

I own five Yamaha Waverunners and like Faz said, we're blowing the water out of the exhaust system. Some people do a lot more blowing out than others. I rev the engine a half dozen times and I'm nowhere near full throttle.

30 seconds of engine running with no cooling water really isn't a problem.

Ok, I'm informed!
I just thought it didn't seem too good running it dry.
I never owned one, so I learned something new!

 

[Searay205]

what they are trying to avoid is water in the exhaust passages getting back into the cylinders. Its important not to tow a broken down WAVERUNNER to fast or you can force water up into the exhaust passages and into the engine. again the jet pump when engine running forces water into engine, engine pressure keeps water from entering cylinders. You can never turn your flush water on without the engine running or turn you wave runner off with flush water still on. completely backwards vs a traditional boat motor

 

[poconojoe]

what they are trying to avoid is water in the exhaust passages getting back into the cylinders. Its important not to tow a broken down WAVERUNNER to fast or you can force water up into the exhaust passages and into the engine. again the jet pump when engine running forces water into engine, engine pressure keeps water from entering cylinders. You can never turn your flush water on without the engine running or turn you wave runner off with flush water still on. completely backwards vs a traditional boat motor

Thats very interesting!
Thanks for that information!

 

[QBhoy]

They are just blowing out any water sitting in the system. Nothing to burn out like a water pump.

 

[ryan 98]

Nothing to burn out. And as long as your not getting it too hot it should be OK. But a general rule of thumb is to never red line a totaly unloaded motor. They tend not to like it too much. But I always blew mine out with a few gental revs, like 15 seconds of running. And hey the top end only grenaded on it once. Ah, good old power valve pin of death.

 

[poconojoe]

That's for the replies.
I'm educated now!