ZARDOZ

Hello. Took my 2001 and 2002 Yamaha XLTs out to the lake for the first time this past weekend. Now have 2 XLTs that will not run.

1st is the 2002. Took it out on Saturday and Sunday. It ran well. Pulled it out of the water on Sunday night and took it to the gas station and filled it up. Put it back in the water early Monday morning (in order to be the first on the lake) and when the "start" button is pushed "start" appears in the right hand guage but no sound, no anything except for the word "start." Dead in the water. Somewhat disgusted, I pulled the machine out of the water and it now sits on the trailer. Have done nothing more to it.

2nd is the 2001. It initially refused to start, but with removal and replacement of the plugs, and liberal priming (oil & gas mix), it did start. With continual prompting the machine would keep running, and would restart after being turned off. Encouraged by the machine running, I took it out on the water and 3000 rmp was the max. At that, it would not rise above idle speed. After many attempts, we got it up to about 4000 rpm and 15 mph, but no more. Parked it on Saturday after spending half the afternoon trying to get it to run, and on Monday morning it would not start again. Towed it to the trailer and there it sits. That was the source of my first disgust.

One trailer, two waverunners, no power, no fun.

I would like to fix these myself, but as my next vacation starts on 26 June (which involves water and watersports) I have doubts about whether I could achieve that task by myself in that amount of time. I am considering taking them both to J&J service in Huron Ohio and asking them to work their magic.

Does anyone out there have any help, or advice? I would like to keep these skis permanently and learn more maintenance and repair myself, but I am not sure I am capable of that much education in the next three weeks or so.

Thanks for any help you can give me. Better luck to everyone out there.



Former sea doo owner, will never own one again.

Ernest T

Since the 2002 was running OK the day before, I'd guess that is something simple. Maybe a loose ground, or connection to the battery, or a bad battery. That would be the first things I would check. A loose wire at the start switch could also be a possibility. You can bypass that to see. Other possibilities would be a bad starter solenoid. Once you confirm your cables are tight with no corrosion, and try a different battery, if you still have the "START" signal, but its not turning over, I'd try jumping the starter solenoid.

With the 2001 it sounds like a fuel flow problem, or possibly a bad cylinder. It runs after liberal priming, but doesn't want to keep running you may have a carb problem. I'd check the compression as a first step just to make sure that is OK (should be around 120 psi per cylinder). If the compression is good on all cylinders, my bet would be that you need to go through the carbs. Clean and/or rebuild as the next step. I'd also check the fuel filter, and be sure you are running fresh fuel.

__________________
2008 Yamaha FX HO Cruiser
2010 Hurricane Sundeck 2100

YamaDoo

For the 2002 if it refuses to crank try disconnecting the battery, reconnect and try cranking. I had a 98 Yamaha GP1200 that had a strange electrical glich that it would refuse to crank some times and that was the cure.

ZARDOZ

I gave up on repairing the 2001 & 2002 Waverunners myself. My family and I plan to go on vacation 26 June and I don't have enough confidence in my abilities to fix the problems in that amount of time. Took the machines to J&J Sales & Service in Huron Ohio and said "have at it boys." I'll let you know when I get a report from them.

I'm currently arguing with the prior owner of the 2001 Yamaha XLT 1200, who sold it to me with the guarantee that it "runs perfect." Heck, it would hardly run at all. He says any problems I have stem from my "improper de-winterization" of the Waverunner. As before, the 2001 would not start when it was put in the water. I primed the cylinders with a gas/oil mix, kept trying to start it, and I changed the plugs. It did start. I ran it for a while before taking it onto the lake. When it was on the lake it would only go 3000 rpm w/o any power. I cannot believe that there was any "improper de-winterization" on my part. We'll see what J&J says, as I have specifically asked them if there was any "improper de-winterization" going on w/ the 2001 that led to its problems.

Thanks for your interest in my jet ski woes. So far, in about 2 1/2 years I have owned 5 jet skis, and all 5 have demonstrated some kind of problem, from bogging down to broken timing chain and puked engine. I get so tired of being towed across the lake. Lots of people lately have suggested that I get into a different hobby. I'm still gonna try and stick w/ my Waverunners. Wish me better luck.

Zardoz


former sea doo owner, will never own one again

Ernest T

Next time get a 4 stroke ski.............many less headaches.

__________________
2008 Yamaha FX HO Cruiser
2010 Hurricane Sundeck 2100

ZARDOZ

Last year I had a 2006 Sea Doo GTI 4-stroke. With less than two months of ownership timing chain broke at 47 hours = bent rods and bad valves. $2,500.00 repair = selling the Sea Doo for what I could get out of it = $2,500.00 loss at least. That's why I despise Sea Doo.

I have equal luck with 2-strokes and 4-strokes, and that is bad. I don't abuse the skis, and in fact somewhat pamper them, as my major wavejumping days are long behind me.

Maybe I need a karma cleansing.

Z

former sea doo owner, will never own one again

YamaDoo

Freak engine failures like that can happen on any brand. There was a guy here who bought a brand new Yamaha FX and his engine blew a hole through the crankcase his second time out on the water.

My method of getting a reliable two stroke has been to buy them already blown. That way I have a mechanic do a full rebuild as well as go through the carbs and I then I know I am good to go. Buying a used PWC especially a 2 smoker is a craps shoot. Usually you 7 out.

I see how these people treat their machines. They capsize them, run sand through the pumps, etc.

ZARDOZ

Hello out there. I'm back from my vacation and can give you an update. As was mentioned, the problem with the 2002 Waverunner starting was a simple bad connection. I took that ski with me to Kelley's Island OH for the past week and a half and it performed without a problem It was always a little hard to start, it needed to be choked, but it always started and did not break down. Much better than my luck last year.

As to bad luck, the 2001 XLT 1200 that I purchased the first week of April has proven to be another stroke of bad luck. The ski was guaranteed to "run perfectly" by the seller but a close inspection reveals that two oil lines were off, all three cylinders are scored, and one cylinder only has 50 psi compression. I know, I can hear all of you saying "never purchase a ski w/o trying it out first" but this one was guaranteed. I have tried to negotiate with the seller but he will not cooperate so I will have to file a lawsuit based on breach of warranty against him this week. At least the cost of repairs do not exceed the $3,000 small claims court limit here in OH (but it's pretty close). I had the ski in the water for less than one half hour, and the mechanics at J&J say that the damage to the ski could not possibly have occurred that quickly. Wish me luck in court, and in collecting any money even if I receive a judgment.

I'll let you know how things go.




former sea doo owner, will never own one again.

YamaDoo

Interesting, unless he wrote on paper that he guarantees the machine for a certain period of time I really do not see how you have a case against him. It is always "buyer beware" when buying a used anything. Be it a car, motorcycle, or PWC for that matter. Keep us updated anyways.

This only backs up paragraph two of post 7. Buy them already blown or do a thorough inspection and test ride. Never trust a seller.

ZARDOZ

Dear YamaDoo:

When someone makes a statement of fact about a product or item they are selling that statement of fact becomes a warranty, or guarantee, of quality. If you make a statement that a product or item "runs perfect," then that becomes a guarantee that the item does indeed run perfectly. The best way to avoid such guarantees is to not make statements of fact about your item.

In my case the Waverunner was described in the sales listing as "runs perfect." I saved the listing and can use it as an exhibit in my lawsuit. Further, the seller stated that the ski would run perfectly upon direct inquiry, as in early April of this year there was not an opportunity to test the ski in water. If the ski had run well for even a brief time the seller may claim that the buyer did something wrong, or the ski malfunctioned after it was sold. However when the ski never runs well at all after the sale, due to scored cylinders, blown cylinders, or the like, the ski did not and could not run perfectly and the warranty has been breached. That was the case in my situation, the ski never, ever ran correctly after I purchased it, and all of the various and sundry problems the ski exhibits could not have occurred in the brief time that I had it in the water trying to get it to run.

I saved the seller's listing and all of the correspondence, which will greatly help. The bottom line is that if you make a statement of fact about an item, and a buyer relies on that statement of fact in buying the item, the statement of fact becomes a warranty, and if the statement of fact is wrong or incorrect there is a breach of the warranty, which gives rise to a legal action. If you buy something and there is no statement of fact(s) made, or if it is sold "as is," then it is very difficult go back against the seller. But when the seller makes statements of fact about the item, then those statements can be the basis of a lawsuit.

I will keep you posted as things develop.




former sea doo owner, will never own one again.