Okay so I figured it out myself when working on the ski, but for the benefit of others seeking help with the same setup, here's what I learned. To be able to get most everything out of the oil tank, you need to have a rigid straw on the 'suck' end of your pump setup so you can accurately direct the straw to the lowest point in the tank. In my first attempts, I used the flexible tube that came with the pump. Because the tubing was curved slightly, it did not allow me to reach the lowest point in the tank and remove all of the oil. I then took a piece of rigid PVC tubing and attached it to the 'suck' side of the pump. This allowed me very easily direct the straw to the lowest portion of the oil tank. Upon doing so, I was able to pump out a total of 2 qts, 19 oz (including filter change)- which is the exact amount I put back into the engine. After changing the oil, I hooked up the water inlet to the hose, started the motor (the engine warning went off for about 5 seconds until it built oil pressure) and I ran the motor for about 3 minutes before checking the oil level. It showed slightly lower than where it was before the oil change, but is not below the minimum level on the dipstick, so I will run the ski like this for 5 to 10 mins on the lake and allow everything to expand to full operating temp before I check the level again. Changing the oil is not a big deal, like the factory operators manual wants you to believe. The most critical thing is to accurately measure how much oil came out and replace it with the same amount. I used a 'ratio rite' measuring cup- a very inexpensive and accurate cup common with the 2 cycle racers to very precisely measure how much oil came out of the motor and how much I put back in. I hope others find this information helpful. See you on the lake!
Steve Frank
Apex Designs
Mechanical Engineering and Design Services
Engineering, mechanical design, fabrication services | Atlanta GA
