[don fleming]

My 1988 X2’s 650 twin still seems pretty healthy but was hard to start last fall. Gets just a couple hrs at most per year, have done that for 10 yrs.

Today started on some checkout, found this, any feed back sure appreciated:
- Compression decent using air hose gauge:
Cyl 1 to 70lb furst pulse, then 130
Cyl 2 to 80lb furst pulse, then 150
- Spark looks great
- Removed Carb air cleaner, maybe is the culprit. Its a rigid plate with pores thru it. Can see some light thru it. Had not cleaned it for way long… Soaked in plane gas, scrubbed w/ a toothbrush (without crest..) Without it in place, sprayd a quick shot of starter fluit in carb, engine fired nicely.

Two qstns. Would sure appreciate any feedback:

1) This aircleaner plate, can it be cleaned or better replaced? (I’ve run the dude with > avg oil ratio and maybe it did gum up a bit. Carb barrel under it was not real messy, just a light coat of residue.

2) Is it very easily done to run it from a garden hose connected to water cooler intake hose? Enough water from a hose? If this a stupid qstn, pardon me.

If hose idea doable, can easily test the fuel system in our driveway.

Sure like the forum, & my vintage X2 is a kick too.

Cheers

Don Fleming
Bellevue, Wa.

 

[masonnjit2]

RE: having same problem with 88 x2

hey your posted on my thread saying you are having similar problem.. I have also checked those things. i checked compression.. about 170 in both.... i checked everything... its ok to pour some fuel down carb.. starting fluid is VERY BAD for 2 strokes... i rebuilt my carb and check all fuel lines for cracks or holes.. i think i have narrowed it down to my fuel pump.. i have been searching forums like crazy and have found a lot of people having the same peoblem and the answer is a fuel pump rebuild. i am going to try that tommorow morning and ill let you know how it goes.

i think this is your question? yes you can run the ski on your garden hose. make sure the engine is running before you turn on the water. you can run ski for about 15 min like this.. dont rev it all the way. your pump isnt getting water so it can hurt that if ran to long.

let me know how it goes!!!! Im dying to get out on the water

 

[don fleming]

Hope that works for ya. The fuel pump is so easily removed too, hope thats a solution for me. Makes sense when they're old, they may not provide suffient fuel for startup..(?)

Gotta say I've used Starter Fluid for the 10 yrs I've run it (3 -4 times a yr). Spray it in the plugs openings, not into carb. Curious to here of concerns with this. Cmprssn is still AOK. Sure is easy, could instead use a syringe to draw some premix, squirt it in instead.

I read the manual last nt, answered one of my qstns. Thats a spark arrester plate over the carb, and after soaking, said to used compressed air to clean it, will do so w/ tire hose at Arco station.

Also, may try the garden hose test as described.

Thx Dudes

 

[masonnjit2]

so i replaced my fuel pump and now the ski starts fine.. but now i have a bigger problem. the engine is revving wildly with out me touching the throttle. so i have an airleak somewhere i need to find.. how is your ski coming along>??

 

[don fleming]

Cool, progress 4 U it sounds like.
For mine, I'm gonna set it up in the next week or two with a garden hose to do some testing on it. Now that it looks like I can do most myself (hope), not taking to a shop, I'm in not big hurry. Lakes are still dam cold up here (Seattle) so the JSkiing not decent till later June.

I'll post here when I have an update (& watch for others progress, learn from that too)

 

[JUST-IN-TIME]

find a 38 or 40 carb
and rebuild it

get rid of that stock 28mm junker with the seprate fuel pump

 

[don fleming]

Sure will consider an upgrade but gotta say its running well now so will get some time on it asis. Problem was a gummed up spark arrester, and the battery was weak. New Batt and it turns over fast, starts up and runs well.
Did so with garden hose as manual instructs, now just want the lake to warm up, its being flooded with cold snow melt rivers still(!)

Thx for idears and all
Don - Wa. st.

 

[blegan 2008]

On the hose

Only thing running on hose is good for is checking hoses for leaks & such! Quite often ski will run fine on trailer put it on water & put motor under a load & its sometimes a whole other issue.
Good Luck


P.S. Be careful with the hose