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Hey,

The jetski has been running great all summer. Took it out today after a month of not using it (went on vacation) and it started up fine.

I noticed the battery light and warning light were flashing. Figured the battery was low on juice. Let it idle for a little bit and it went away. Checked the pissers and let the wife take it out. She came back with no issues and let me ride it.

I took it out and ran it for about 5 minutes at about 63mph. (Ive had it faster but it wouldnt go any faster today). Turned around and came back. About half way back it died in the water. Engine would not turn over (sounded like a low battery.) Turned off ignition and turned it back on and it fired up roughly.

if I didnt give it gas it would not start. When it did start- i ran it at 5mph for a few minutes and then it sounded fine. Took off and it ran at 25mph and then died again. I was like WTF! It wouldnt turn over again so I turned off ignition and let it sit for a few seconds and then turned it back on and it started back up. I checked the front pisser and no water.

I was too far away from the dock to swim it back, and no one else was on the water. So I fired it back up and ran it back at 2mph.

Opened the engine bay when i got back- and the motor was very warm to the touch. Not hot, but definitely abnormally warm.

Went and got the truck and then started the jetski up and rode it up on the trailer. Looked down and the pisser was peeing.

When i got home, I ran a compression test, all cyl were at ~120psi (only reved it up half way.)

I normal'd up the spark plugs and fired it up with the flush hose running. All pissers were running. Engine instantly cooled off. 2 of the 3 cyl are very cool to the touch. the rear cyl is a little warmer than the front two.

I checked the rear pissers and all 3 were peeing. 2 of the three were warm water, the 3rd (left most) is cold water. The left most pisser seems to go to the warm cylinder.

Is this normal or do I have a blockage? How do I clear it?

Thank you soo much for any advice!

 

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Well, I retraced the cylinder coolant lines. I mis-traced them. All fluids are running through fine.

I went ahead and removed the head to check for debri. Here is what I found.

#3 (which was the warm cylinder) looks fine, no burning/scoring.
#2 also looked fine.
#1 (front cyl) looks really scored. Like someone took a heavy duty brillo pad to the cyl head. On the top edge of the cyl its worn down and I am baffled as to how its holding its compression. Its going to need to be replaced. ;( Looks like it was running lean.

Wife is very disapointed. Her birthday is this weekend and she wanted to have all her friends come to the beach for a party and ride the jetski. I hated telling her that the jetski was almost dead.

It still runs, holds compression- but i know its going to fail soon. Cyl wall is scored too.

Question is now, what to do. How hard is it to replace a piston- and is it even worth it?

Should I just sell it off to someone who would make a project out of it?