DaveF

I have been trying to get this ski working all summer, I can get it to start if I choke the carb, and plug the hole on the choke plate to force the fuel into the carb. It will then stall, once I start to open the choke. It simply stops getting fuel, no matter what I do with the throttle. Now the weird part is that once in a while, I can get it to start (w/ normal choke), and run just fine (idles just fine). I try again later, & it just will not start. Arrrg.
I have rebuilt the carb 2 times. Cleaned it and blown it out several times. I have tried bypassing all the fuel lines. Fuel filters are clean. Both spark plugs spark fine. I have replaced the pulse line. I can feel the air pulsing through the pulse line to the fuel pump. Engine compression is 150 in both cylinders (and holds). Fuel consistently gets to the fuel pump, but not the carb chamber. I even took a carb from a 1987 550 and put it on this ski. It ran for about 2 minutes in the water and died, and never started again.
I bought this ski last year, and it ran great all summer. At the end of the summer this started to happen. It sat in a shed for the prior 10 years, and is in absolutely mint stock condition.
Any fresh ideas?

Jimbro

Hmm my guess would be that you may have a clog in or air leak. Maybe even that one of your lines going to your carb is set up wrong. If it's running in the water for a while and it stops and you can't get it running again than test for spark. What happend to mine is similar but one of my coils went out on me right on the spot. The only other thing id say you could try is replace all of the lines and use good lines not some crappy "get you buy for a short while stuff"

If it's been sitting for a while than Id replace all the gaskgets otherwise you'll get a dry rot and that may be an issue too.

DaveF

Well Jimbro, you nailed it. After yet another carb cleaning, we decided to replace the gasket between the base of the carb and the engine intake. The gasket was wet, which did not seem right. After months of frustration, it now runs great, and was riding it all day yesterday. Yee-hah!

Jimbro

Cool good to hear that you fixed it. I think with mine I'v had every problem under the sun with it so when mine is running good than I feel very satisfied.
Sounds like your very happy. Funny thing is I had the same problem you had too Stupid crap like that can ruin a trip or cause a lot of anger.