PWC water in bilge?

[81 Checkmate]

Hello. Bought a 1999 GTX Limted ski over the winter for the kids (22&15) bought it off a reliable PWC service mechanic - Serial # ZZN60322E999

Had it out on the lake yesterday,the boy gets on it at the unload at ramp he fires it up in rev as were backing in water. everything good! Let loose of ski and he waits for G.F. to get on Good, their off.
I unload my boat and go out and meet up with them and he is motoring about all seams good!
We go to the beach, they come up and beach the ski, we fished for a bit and my daughter (15) wants to go out, so the boy gets on first then my daughter while the ski is on the beach (back of ski still in water). Now here is where the problem started.

He starts it and hits rev and the ski was stuck in the sand, he tried to move it a few times and it was still stuck so i push them off and it looked as the ski was sitting low in the water and he said it was becouse they had been trying to get on it, so i thought nothing of it. They take off and return quickly and he said it was boging bad and would not run right, push it up on the sand removed seat and it was full of water in the bilge up to the bottom of the motor and over top of the battery!!!
Yike's....... so we push it futher up on the sand went and got his truck and pulled it up on the trailer at the beach and drained all the water out. Yes both plugs were in and tight!!!! And to beat all the boat cop shows up. (Another story)

Drain all water, took it back to cabin and pulled spark plugs turn it over and no water in cylinders! Put plugs in and firerd it up and it started fine, shut down.
When we left to come home i backed into the water and looked inside it and did not see any water coming in. So i brought it home.

Ok i am no ski guy, i would rather be working on my I/O boat! Been reading up on this and have a few things to try before i take it back to him complaining about he sold us a peice of *****!

1. Run on hose for 5 min or so looking for leaks inside.
2. Fill inside of bilge with water and see if water is leaking outside.
3. If all fails it could be the Carbon ring leaking? But need to put in water and run to see it! Cant do untill next weekend.

My question would be, could he have sucked water in the bilge when he started it and tried to back up when it was stuck on the beach?

Thanks

 

[The Rooster]

Re: PWC water in bilge?

Not sure "Checkmate". Sounds like a clamp came off somewhere. But you've got to come clean. What did you do to tick off the water cop ?

 

[Ernest T]

Re: PWC water in bilge?

Can't say for sure exactly what caused the water leak. My guess would be with The Rooster that you have a loose cooling hose inside the ski.

One thing you should never run the ski in less than 2 feet of water. If you are going to beach it, kill the engine before you get to the beach and coast in. Then push the ski into at least a couple of feet of water before you start it. Sand and rocks running through the pump in shallow water will ruin your prop and/or wear ring in short order.

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: PWC water in bilge?

Ok found a return water line coming off the head and theclamp was loose, tighten it up restart it and found another, but it is up under the carbs.
Looked with a mirror and you could see water squirting off and on inbetween the carbs, couldn't tell if there is a water hose there or not. looks like you would have to pull the exhaust and carbs to get to it.

Well just gona take it back to the guy i bought it from and let him deal with.

Bummer, kinda crappy to buy something and it leaks water the first day out!!!!!

 

[The Rooster]

Re: PWC water in bilge?

Glad you zeroed in on that one "Checkmate", now how about that water cop story !!!

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: PWC water in bilge?

Thanks Rooster.

The cop story - We boat at a state park and at this time of the year the boat cops...... well they have not been very busy over the winter ya know. We always have the same ones every year, we call him Rodney The Boat Cop and that really is his name. He is a younger guy and eger to hold to the rules. But all in all a realy nice guy.

Anyway you know at a state park you can't drive a vehical on the grass and let alone the beach! When we discoverd the ski was full of water i told my son that we are not about to tow it back thru a 10 min no wake zone and risk it sinking. So i told him to go get the truck and bring it to the beach. He did and had to drive pass a family that were having a easter grill out! After we get the ski loaded and water drained out ON THE BEACH here comes Rodney busting down to the beach ( Almost running) he comes up to like we are a bunch of teenagers pulling some crap. He said who is driving the truck and my son said me, he said come with me. So they talk for alittle while and come back, cop says your in 4 violations - on the beach, going thru the grass, not at a loading ramp, and not having a boater lic. I said we had no choice the ski would have sunk!
He stands there for a min and says... Well we had some complaints...... Hummm..... walking around the ski .... Hummm.... this could be your lucky day..... Hummmm...... i am going to let this one go and then say's by the way do you have your boaters licience and my son yes do you want to see them. He said no thats ok just dont let it happen again and by the way nice bike hope you all figure the problem out.

One thing was... i wasnt gona let the boy take the rap and i was also not gona pay to have my ski pulled up from the bottom of the lake either. Our water craft stikker was expierd too, march of 2012. I was for sure he would see that. But i think he felt real sorry for us and had a heart.

All in all had a good day on my boat, first time out and she ran great.
Will let you know out come from the mechanic.

Happy Boating !!!!!!

 

[The Rooster]

Re: PWC water in bilge?

I say, Rodneys "The Man" !!!

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: PWC water in bilge?

Update!

Picked up the ski on saturday and the mechanic fixed everything at no charge.

He said most likely cause was - The bailer tubes were sucking water back into the bilge. Your bailer pick up boxes on each side of the bilge inside, then are tubed up to the back where the 90 deg fitting is, then tubed out thru the jet drive. The tubes in jet drive had been pulled in the holes back towards the motor and were actully sucking lake water back into the bilge.
He said these tubes need to stick out 1/4" to 1/2" in order to work right, they create a Vacuum when the ski is at plane and pull water out of the bilge. They were working oppisite.
He also replace the exhaust and intake gaskets as well and said if this didnt fix it he would replace the jet drive inlet hosing that holds the tubes...... What a great guy!
Have not taken it to the lake as of yet but all seams to be fine.

If anyone in the cincinnati area needs a good ski mechanic i would recomend this guy.