Good morning buddy! Wow, look at that herd of toys! Far cry from when I first came across your videos and you were in a shed freezing! Production quality has improved tremendously! Well articulated and organized. As always, I appreciate your time and efforts and always enjoy your videos! This was no exception. Best to all!
I sure wish I had the money to own all those toys lol. I've been trying and trying to get better at the editing, I consider myself fairly tech literate but man this video stuff is a notch above my pay grade, it's tough! I'm hoping some of my customers will let me use their jetskis to discuss specifics on each model I come across, as there are definite gems and definite lemons for sure. Thanks for checking in!
@@trythistv Hi look forward to this track down Kawasaki Jet ski ,they are the bizz greetings from sunny Arbroath, Scotland. I enjoy your channel good job.
Got a Kawasaki STX 1100 from 1999. 0 sensors except the oil and fuel level. Only big issue i had, the exhaust pipe had a hole: 100USD. A friend has a way more modern PWC, lots of sensors, 4 stroke. One sensor broke: 500USD. The radiator broke: 2000USD. Had to change some onboard PC related thing: 1000USD. They are more modern yeah, but money wise, one cannot do the case for modern 4 stroke compared to solid 2 stroke old PWCs. Nice video anyway, keep it up!
Simplicity is certainly a valuable thing. Thats why I love my ancient diesel cars, nothing to go wrong with them, sure they aren't as fast as more modern cars but they are great fun to drive. Some of the new PWCs that have the electronic reverse and such are insanely expensive to repair. The motors that control that range from around $1000 to $1800, not to mention if you're hiring a shop to do the work, it isn't an easy task to get to some of the stuff. I do really like my 04 Honda (EFI 4 stroke), that thing has been beat on as a rental for years, sunk more than once, I bought it while it was underwater, and the thing just works. I've spent some money along making it nicer with a new seat cover, freshen up the jet pump, etc but it really hasn't skipped a beat with more than 950hrs on the thing.
It is a ton of fun, it can be a bit addictive, there are so many modifications and various upgrades and options that could be added. It's all a good time though!
I should probably do some kind of update for the newest models and issues I'm seeing. I've been hearing the nanoxcel hull yamahas have been having issues with the hull breaking from the rollers on jetski ports, so be careful with the 2016ish and newer yamahas. Seen it myself about 5 or 6 times. Seadoo has their plastic hulls like the spark and some of the newer GTI models that I'm still on the fence about, I prefer the old school fiberglass hulls personally, but the plastic hulled seadoos seem more durable than the yamaha nanoxcel as it turns out.
A+ presentation 👍,, my sis and I are thinking of going in on an older, used PWC , to compliment the new model sea doo my husband bought. A second out on the lake at once would be double the fun. Thank you for informative content, especially your pace, volume, and tone is appreciated.
Here is a good comparison. My jet ski is a 1995 Yamaha waveblaster I paid $1500 for it, the only expenses I’ve made to it were the oil block off to run premix and a water box to sound better. My friend bought a brand new spark trixx in 2019. His jet ski has already broken due to the plastic body and water damage. My ski is older than me and runs strong. Sure after awhile I might have to replace the engine but I could replace it 5 times over and still pay less than the trixx.
You said it! The sparks are great in some ways, but not all they're cracked up to be for sure. The entire hull is plastic. Literally. Bleh. And maintenence is a nightmare due to the lack of access, splitting the hull isn't too difficult in all reality but by far a bigger pain than popping the seat off of any other ski out there. I picked up an ex-rental Honda for $500, it had over 900 hours when I got it, and is nearing 1000 now, hard hard hours, but runs beautiful, and with a new seat cover and minor fiberglass repairs looks pretty good too. I've got less than a grand into it and it never fails to start and perform exactly the same for anyone I let use it. I service a few rental fleets and have seen these hondas last near forever with daily abuse, one customer has one with near 2000 hours and it still starts right up and doesn't use oil or anything. Deals like that don't come along every day though. If you're just getting a first ski, the older 2 strokes are not unreliable at all if you take the proper precautions (which you have), I made another video regarding the oil injection and what goes wrong 99% of the time with them, and that'll cost you an engine, but you're dead on correct, a sub $10 blockoff kit and no more catastrophic engine failure from a oil line coming loose from age. It'll take years of riding before you'll need an engine, if you want to freshen it up, a top end kit, or some fresh rings and a hone job is cheap, and since you're already premixing, that will ensure no catastrophic failure occurs in the meantime. I've not yet seen a 2 stroke ski fail that was due to purely age or hours. Every single 2 stroke engine I've replaced or rebuilt there was always an oiling failure in one way shape or form that caused the failure.
@@trythistv so basically rebuilt carbs yearly and ensure you are always checking the oil system to keep a 2 stroke alive? I'm going to look at a pair of 1999 yamaha XL750's (2 stroke). One has 208 hours and other 180. Hopefully it's not a bad deal because I don't want to buy something not worth it. I am thinking of offering 2k each instead of asking price of 2.5k
@@KRL_-qn4ix You certainly won't need carb rebuilds every year, especially if when doing your last flush for the year/winterizing you turn the fuel selector off and run out the gas in the lines. Most of my customers with 2 strokes need a carb rebuild every 6-8 years or so, if you run 100% gas (no ethanol) it takes quite a while for it to cause any problems with the carb. You may need to get the carbs rebuilt if you have running issues right after the purchase, like hesitation or stumbling while accelerating or cruising at speed, and the oil lines should be addressed either by deciding to do a blockoff and premix your fuel, or by replacing the lines and using oetiker clamps on them like I discuss in this video: ua-cam.com/video/5qpokTPiNoY/v-deo.html There is info in the description of that video explaining what tools and supplies you need to replace those hoses!
The 701 62T Yamaha engine is a work horse. Take care of it and it will take care of you, and if you notice any abnormal running issues don't ignore it...most issues arise from people who don't pick up on the signs of worn/damaged components and seals.
The best thing you can do with a premix 2 stroke is to make sure you run it out of fuel before you store it. If you can switch of the fuel tap and just run the carby dry. Because of the oil the petrol will evaporate and leave the oil behind which can gum up and block the jets.
Excellent point. True for any small engine honestly. Chainsaws and stuff I'd say dump the gas back into a container and run it until it stops, larger equipment like pressure washers and generators usually have a shutoff, shut it off and run the engine until it stalls on its own, that way the bowl is empty. Goes a long way preventing that nasty gum varnish stuff.
Thanks so much! It took a lot of thought to try to condense everything into this, eventually I'm wanting to do some more in depth videos on different specific machines but time to do so is tough to come by!
I just bought a 1996 Seadoo HX with the 717 Rotax. It’s more jet ski than wave runner, but I love it! I’m 57 and used to ride stand up jet skis. I want to jump waves and submarine and turn sharp and have fun. If I want to ride on a boat, I’ll get in the Bayliner.
Oh the 717s are a great motor! They're nearly indestructible as long as the oiling system works. I'm working on a friend's speedster (sportster? Idk it's one of the seadoo boats) that has twin 717s, and the whole boat was underwater for I'm guessing about 14 years, the previous owner left the drain plugs in and it filled with rain. They did need a bit of work as the rings had rusted to the cylinders, but we honed cylinders and installed new rings and it runs like a champ!
Theres a few good options out there now, sadly they aren't very popular on the lake I'm closest to, but man are they a blast to ride. Always shows me how out of shape I am though lol
That is a great idea, it would be rather difficult, as there are so many factors, as a mechanic I tend to lean toward reliable and easy to maintain as being best, while other folks will look for performance, fuel efficiency or comfort/styling as best. Made in the last 10 years I would say Yamaha is the most reliable, with the older 4 cylinder mr1 engines used until sometime around 2015 as the most bulletproof machines around. I have rental customers with over 1000 hours on those machines with no major repairs mechanically speaking. Best for performance is the supercharged seadoo 1503, which was the 215, 255 and 260hp models, but that extra performance meant supercharger rebuilds every 100hr of runtime to the tune of around $500 a pop. The newer Yamaha tr1 and 1.8lho engines I don't have the same experience with, only seeing machines with around 5-600hrs so far, and so far every single tr1 ski has a major mechanical failure by then. Either jet pump bearings give out, or the engine blows up. Still, that is a long time for any normal pwc buyer, 500hrs would last most any of my non-rental customers for 10 years or more.
I just bought a 1997 Kawasaki STX 1100 2 stroke with 140 hours on it. Thing ran beautiful during test ride. I give $2500 for the ski and trailer from a 75 year old Man that lived on the Lake here in Virginia. Over paid a little but it is prime season and had missed out on a couple from trying to get cheaper. thoughts?
I had a 97 zxi900 for a while, which would be the 2 seater baby brother of what you have. They are great machines. The di models had some weak points related to the cooling of the ECU, but yours should be carbureted, so the main thing to be aware of is the oiling system. The hoses between the pump and each carb/intake can harden and degrade over time and if they come loose it will destroy the engine. I have another video showing just that on a Yamaha 800 I repaired after an oil hose popped off. Run good quality gas, ensure those oil lines are good, replace them if in doubt (I like using oetiker clamps when I replace oil lines instead of zip ties so there is no chance for them to slide off) and enjoy riding!
Depending on which year and model you've got there isn't a ton of common issues, they do usually have an oil level sensor, but that would throw a code immediately. Engine temperature, oil pressure, and voltage are the other main ones. First thing I always check is battery connections. most of them have a phillips head or 10mm, and you CAN NOT ever get those battery wires tight enough with a screwdriver. Use a 10mm wrench or socket and snug them down real good. Past that, check voltage with a multimeter and if the voltage is good, check oil level and viscosity, after that a scan tool is about the next main way to diagnose if there isn't an obvious issue like those I've mentioned
I wish all motors had a closed loop cooling system with a coolant/raw water intercooler. Salt can only mess up one small side and the motor gets antifreeze and lubrication. A small radiator could save the motor if the raw water is blocked and could almost stand alone. From dirt bikes I can say that 2 stroke engines weigh less,produce more power over a shorter rpm range,have fewer parts,are cheaper to rebuild and unless injected pollute enough to be banned from some waters. 4 strokes usually last a long time but cost lots more if it blows up. You get way better mileage, smooth low end power but not much boosted yeehaw and a way better charging system that can support lights,radio, fish finder,bilge pump,bait tanks and such. Watch out! Here comes the electric generation.
You covered all the bases faster than I did in the video! I love closed loop systems, I've got some customers with boats that have closed loop cooling with a heat exchanger and it is so nice, can be a pain to bleed air out of but more predictable than the open loop systems. And the 2 stroke expense vs reliability is dead on too. We see tons of 2 strokes with issues, but generally they are cheap to fix even if it means a whole new engine, while 4 strokes can run for thousands of hours (I just got a 2100 hour turbocharged honda that gave up last year, probably would have kept going had it been abused less as a rental), and boy is it going to be expensive to fix. You may just see that on here sometime this winter, I'm going to tear down the engine I've got and see if I can combine parts from another engine or if it'll need a bunch of new parts to be good again.
@@trythistv Care and feeding of 4 stroke engines would be a great video. There's not really much you can do. Air filter isn't a big deal in the ocean but clearing out the intake after a tip over might be. Other than clean oil and filter it's pretty much listening for valve noise,hard starting or backfires. Personally it's hard for me to distinguish valve clatter from pre-ignition and detonation. I try higher octane and if it goes away hopefully it wasn't valves. How about a hybrid where a small, quiet, thrifty engine charges an electric drive? Silent at the dock and able to run briefly underwater. Still waiting for my affordable submarine.
Awesome information please keep sharing. Are there used Jet Ski dealers that you can recommend? Am thinking of buying a used one for commercial use to be handled by many hands so am thinking of a tough machine. Thank you
I would highly reccomend any model year Honda, or one of the 1100cc 4 cylinder yamahas from around 2010ish, both of those machines are near unkillable. I do a lot of work on rental jetskis, So stress-testing is done by the renters regularly. I can say for a certainty the newer Yamaha TR1 engines are nowhere near as bulletproof as the 4 cyl models, and the Hondas are literally indestructable. I've got one in my yard right now with over 1000 hours on it, it sat underwater for about 4 months, I got the water out and it fires right up and runs like the day it was new. For hard use My first choice would be a Honda F12. The X models are nice to have the extra speed and fun a turbo gives you but it is more maintenence and things to go wrong. I have a ex rental F12 personally (It's the thumbnail before I cleaned it and fixed the seat and everything), it has over 900 hard rental hours on it, was underwater when I bought it, doesn't burn a drop of oil, reliable to a fault. Never fails to run and go. Ever. One of my rental customers has a honda with about 1900 hours, original engine, original jet pump even (that's a miracle) and it fires on the first press of the button, and runs flawlessly. I've also seen the 2010ish Yamaha VX cruisers and related models hit 1100 hours or more with ease. Only thing they really need is to have the air filter removed. the Yamahas tend to rev higher and the filter was designed in a way after a lot of hours it gets saturated with oil mist and restricts the airflow, which then limits power and causes excessive vacuum in the crankcase which makes them burn oil. ditch the air filter and all those problems go away.
@@trythistv Thank you for your very detailed information. I will process it and hope that I will also consult you again when am ready to acquire it. Once again thank you
You are very welcome! I spend nearly all my time working on various PWCs, so I've got a little bit of experience in which ones are more reliable than others! Please come back and let us know what you end up getting!
@@trythistv I have a Honda my self 2004 R12 2 seater non turbo. It's a great machine super reliable. I Picked it up for $3,300 off offer up app on a single 14 ft trailer. 2 years ago it was late in the season. It was very well maintained so I bought it. Took it in for the gas tank recall last year to a Honda motorcycle dealer over here in H.B. California. He asked me where I bought it, because the engine still looks practically brand new. He didn't even try to sell me any stuff or anything extra for it, being so they did the recall for free. You know the dealers are always trying to get a dollar out of you lol. I had the trailer painted and sold it for 450$ this year. So I picked up the ski for like $2850. When all said and done. I am very happy with my Honda very reliable and such a fun machine to ride. Wish I would of bought one sooner.
YES! I do a Pre mix!!!! Meanwhile, I changed both the Start/Stop Box and Starter Solenoid and check led the fuse all new! The starter will engage and turn the motor over when I jump to two poles on the solenoid but I still don't have any power going up to my start switch could this be a bad CDI?
Bro you’re a beast for answering everyone’s questions. Great video! What are your thought on a 2004 Yamaha GP1300R with 50 hrs on it? Guy is asking $3,500 for it.
The gp1300r is a bigger version of the gp1200r and if I recall correctly is fuel injected too. I haven't seen a ton of them, but the 1200pv is a solid unit that makes some good power and the 1300s are essentially the same but fi instead of carb so added displacement, added efficiency. I'd imagine they still have the horrid catalytic converter mess, get a chip and d plate for that asap, the catalyst breaks loose, clogs the exhaust, overheats the engine and melts pistons, getting rid of it is priority #1 for longevity of those engines. Past that, a pump shoe seal kit can help if there is any cavitation (feels like slipping clutch in the water instead of the arm jerking holeshot it should have), 3500 seems like a decent price, the 1200s can get pretty pricey and the 1300s I would think are even more desirable
trythistv I’m a mechanic, but I don’t know anything about jey skis lol. So you’re saying pretty much do a cat delete and chip the computer into thinking I still have a cat on there?
Yes, the d plate replaces the cat media, and since it was such a rudimentary system, and let's face it, a cat on a 2 stroke ski isn't doing a whole lot anyway the chip is to fool the computer that the cat temperature sensor is working. There were no o2 sensors, just a form of egt sensor, which in a water jacketed exhaust likely isn't the most accurate. There is tons of info on the dplate and stuff, they have been an issue since they were brand new
The seating discrepancy I understand. My 2007 Kawasaki STX-15F is a rated 3 person. I had 3 people on it and though we all fit comfortably and it got on plane no problem and handled fine on plane. But once we were going slow and slow in the water, it was incredibly unstable. Almost rolled a few times
Yup, and thats a good sized machine. Seeing a new Yamaha EX Sport with a 3 passenger rating seems like a bad joke, that's gonna be real cramped, and very wobbly at idle.
@@trythistv I have one just like it. His name is Felix. Aka Bdk big dick kitty! All black Bombay cat. Really smart. Always wants attention and food. Very demanding cat. Lol. He will let you know what he wants.
The very early 4 strokes had some weird designs and such, and the super new ones I feel haven't proven as reliable as the 05-15ish era models have. Depending on what you're looking for there are variances too, supercharged seadoos got dramatically better in the 2008 model year when they got rid of those ridiculous ceramic washers, while Yamaha and Honda didn't change much of anything because nothing seems to fail on them.
@@trythistv I'm thinking of buying 2006 kawasaki stx 15ft 53 hours been sitting for 6 months starts but turns off is that a big or small problem that can be fixed
The 1100s are a great platform, their little brother 900cc are great too! Keep an eye on the oiling system, I've seen many kawi triples lost to oiling issues. I've got several destroyed 1100 cases from the oil pump getting a pocket of air in it somehow over the winter.
trythistv I’m buying my first tomorrow.. it’s a 97 zxi1100 beautiful condition.. same with the trailer. It hasn’t been in the water in a few years.. any advice for me?? Things to go through, drain, check..
Main things are the oiling system, if its been sitting for a while the carb jets can tend to plug up and cause a lean condition, beyond that there isn't a lot off the top of my head that is a weak point on the carbureted kawi triples
It'll depend largely on the price, what model it is, and what you're wanting out of it. They made some good units then, but I believe they will all be 2 stroke, which as the video brings out has its pros and cons, being older there will be things that need to be fixed fairly often but thats not a dealbreaker by any means.
If I'm thinking properly the ultra 150 should be a carbureted 1200 triple, if that is the case it'll be a great machine, the ultra 130 was a gigantic pain with the goofy ficht direct injection water cooled ECU nightmare, but the carbed kawis were great units, same oiling warnings apply as I've said to everyone else, lack of oil is the #1 killer of 2 stroke skis, with carburetor issues causing lack of fuel (running lean) likely taking the #2 spot for 2 stroke engine deaths. In the current market 2800 seems relatively fair, it's hard to find a half decent ski right now. Take it for a test ride, power delivery while under way is vastly different than starting and revving up on a hose, if it hesitates, bogs or doesn't reach a good top speed (I would expect mid 60s out of a ultra 150) then you need to be prepared to negotiate for needed repairs or walk away
Yes indeed you are correct! Quite rare I'd say as its technically produced for competition use, But I'm sure some dealers will sell them without the license. I haven't seen one yet though. I'd love to though, standups are awesome!
Yamaha is my go-to recommendation with that criteria for a NEW 4 stroke. I like the 4cyl engines more than the 3cyl TR1 but as long as you aren't sinking the tr1 equipped machine and generally abusing it, they are also well made units. If you're looking used, I'd highly recommend a Honda, although parts are getting harder to get as they don't still make jetskis. Low maintenance rules out anything high performance, any supercharged seadoo requires a lot more upkeep in rebuilding the supercharger, you get insane performance as a tradeoff though. The 155 hp seadoos are quite good also, but I'd say yamahas are a hair better as far as being problem free. I'm not a huge fan of the sparks, mainly due to the plastic hull and poor access but they can be decent machines too.
Can't go wrong with a trailer for 500 bucks, if it's got a ski on it that's even better! Waveraiders can be a ton of fun, a very good friend of mine had an 1100 waveraider and the thing was a blast. I'd say the only real weak point is the oil injection system, see this video for an explanation: ua-cam.com/video/5qpokTPiNoY/v-deo.html
Awesome video brother, one question.. what can go wrong if I buy a 2008 sea doo wake 155 that has only 40 hrs on it but was used in the ocean and not regularly maintained? Is it a good buy?
So the 155 is an awesome engine because it doesn't have the supercharger failure potential, being run in salt water won't cause issues with the engine since it is closed loop cooled, but I have seen it cause corrosion buildup in the exhaust, and damage the oil cooler because it sits low in the hull. I would inspect the oil cooler carefully (its below the intake manifold, you may be able to reach in there if your arms are skinny enough) And almost plan on replacing the exhaust manifold, or at least pull the rubber hoses off and make sure the passages are clear, a little borescope or flush some water through the manifold. Past that, the only issue is going to be that bolts could be corroded in and make repairs more difficult.
@trythistv Thank you so much for the insight! I’ll be taking some pictures of what I find. The ski has been sitting down since 2013. Long time, but it was stored in the shade in a garage safe from the elements. That’s why I’m considering it.
Hey man awesome video! Any advice on how to change oil on a 1993 sea doo gts I’m new to all of this and I just bought it used and I don’t want to mess it up!
A 1993 seadoo should be a 587cc 2 stroke I believe, so there isn't oil to be changed in the same way as a car, it'll either have an oil injection pump that adds oil in automatically, or you need to premix oil with the fuel, the same way as a chainsaw, or other 2 stroke engine. You may want to service the jetpump and change the oil in that, which isn't hard, just basically pull the pump off, remove the cone on the back of it, dump out the nasty oil, and put in some fresh gear oil, then reinstall the pump and have fun. Or you could wait until you need a wear ring and do it all at once.
@@trythistv thank u man! Unfortunately I was just told that it doesn’t have the choke cable and that it is hard to find someone that would install that so now I’m not sure if I got ripped off and if I should sell it or try to find someone that could install that!
If you're already missing a choke cable I would ditch the choke system entirely and install a primer kit, it makes starting so much easier once you understand how it works. Totally takes away the frustration of holding the choke, cranking, pumping throttle, cranking more, taking choke off, and all that hassle. Makes it so you pump a couple times on the primer handle, crank and instantly the engine is running, much less wear and tear on starter and everything.
I am new to Jetskis. I do have a boat I maintain. I am looking at a 2006 Yamaha FX Cruiser HO. 220 hours no salt water. Always used in lake Michigan. 1 owner. Is a good 1st machine? Does this have the ceramic washers that you talk about. 3 Kids :) Thanks.
Nope, the ceramic washers is a seadoo specific thing. The Yamahas never had issues like that, but are slightly slower, still, I'd take a Yamaha for the reliability for sure, the 06 FX should be a mr1 based engine, there was a HO and regular version, both are nearly bulletproof. I've seen those engines roll over 1000 hours with just basic maintenance in a rental environment, so you know they got sank and beat on. The only other skis I could compare to that era of Yamahas are the Honda's of similar vintage, but the Honda's are getting harder and harder to get parts for so the Yamahas are a far better purchase because they're still using some of the same stuff in the brand new skis so parts are easy to come by used or new.
In that range I'd be looking for either a yamaha, seadoo, or kawasaki 2 stroke that is carbureted. The seadoo 717 engine and 787 are my favorite seadoo 2 strokes, the 951 carb is ok, the 951 DI I'm not a fan. The kawi 900 and 1100 carb engines are solid units, the DI models are problematic. Yamaha has the PV and non-PV engines, 760, 1100 are non-PV engines, 800, 1200 are PV, the PV motors make more power but do have issues with PVs dropping into the cylinder and destroying stuff. All of them are prone to oiling issues, I've got a video on a 800PV showing a super common failure on ALL 2 stroke PWCs regardless of model and make, ua-cam.com/video/5qpokTPiNoY/v-deo.html I do like blocking off the oiling system and premixing oil so you know you're getting oil, but it is an added step that anyone who fuels up the ski needs to be aware of, and is not an option at all on certain engines due to the oiling setup and fuel systems.
looking at a 2004 yamaha alt 1200 at an auction. most likely its never seen salt water. I live here in oregon. it looks like new. what should i look at. it says non runner. i am pretty handy with getting things running
Biggest things that'd prevent it running is fuel, carbs could be clogged up badly, or there could be damage internally, the oiling hoses tend to pop off and cause pistons to melt, it isn't horrible to rebuild them or replace the engine if needed
Great video man for new pwc owners☝️. I own an 04 polaris virage 2 stroke with direct injection. Is it normal to use one tank of gas and burn through one tank of oil?
That seems like a excessive amount of oil, in theory you should be able to burn about 40 gallons of fuel for every gallon of oil you put in. Is your oil pump stuck fully open? There is a cable that turns a cam on the oil pump to add oil as you pull the throttle, but if the cable snaps or something then it flops to max oil to prevent catastrophic damage from underoiling.
yes, there are little hash marks on the cam on the oil pump and the pump cam that is pulled by the cable, usually the cable has a pair of 10mm nuts locking it into place, and you can loosen them and move the cable one way or the other to adjust to where the hash marks line up with the throttle in the idle position. Using a mirror or some kind of borescope or phone to take pictures will likely be needed because I know I sure can't fit my head down in the hull to check!
Hard to go wrong when trailers can sell for $500+, but it will be a challenge to find parts for a tigershark, artic cat only had a very short run in the PWC game, it'll be even more difficult finding a mechanic familiar with them.
Do you know anything about mini jet boats called Aqua Larks? There 2 seaters with a 30Hp outboard motors. Fiberglass and wood hulls I believe. What's your take on one of those if you have any info or knowledge on one. Thinking about buying one it's from 80s all original looks like all parts are on it. Thanks Joe Go.
I hadn't heard of them until I googled it after seeing your comment, and now I kinda want one. What a neat looking little machine! The only issue I could see is some of the older outboards are getting near impossible to find parts for, but it wouldn't be hard to repower it, would lose the originality but with a modern engine it'd sip fuel and cruise around near silently
@@trythistv The one I told you about sold already. Guy drove from Vegas to Orange County CA to pick it up.2500$. I found another one about 35-40 miles from me for 4000$. All white, remodified with an 800 cc Rotax Bombardiar Seadoo engine. It looks like it halls ass. Sic.
Going from a 30hp outboard to a 100-120ish hp pwc engine would be a serious bump in performance. I'd bet thats the 787 RFI engine, some refer to them as the 800, they're a super solid unit, the only weak point I've seen is sometimes the fuel injectors stick open and wash down cylinders which leads to a blown engine, but replacing the injectors isn't hard, and not awful expensive either.
The 155hp 1503s are nearly bulletproof. Now and then they like a new set of spark plugs (3x ngk dcpr8e, don't use some other cheapie brand, ngks are only a few bucks) and regular oil changes are smart on any engine, but there isn't a whole lot that goes wrong with them. The supercharged 1503s are debatable. The ceramic washers used up until 2008 tended to take engines out, partly due to poor oiling design but the performance bump from the 155s is astounding, and they got a lot better after the oiling upgrades and steel washers used from 08 up. Having said that, I'm on the lookout for an early RXT with a blown engine cheap lol
@@trythistv thanks so much for your response, I does help a lot. Just for clarification, the issue with ceramic washers is only affecting supercharged models, correct? thanks again.
They were a good machine, I owned a 97 900zxi for a few years, the 750xi would be the same hull I believe just slightly less power. The usual issues all apply, rubber parts can dry out and crack, or just harden up and not seal well causing some weird running issues, carbs may need to be cleaned etc. The best modification I ever did to my zxi was removing the choke and installing a primer kit. Made starting that thing so easy it wasn't funny instead of choking and cranking for 20 minutes.
Hey sir, I’m looking to buy a PWC for somewhere around the $8000 mark. I am a complete beginner so is there any recommendation to which I should buy? Should I buy a new seadoo spark or something of that sort? Please help. Thank you
The sparks are ok, but I wouldn't go much further than saying they're ok. The entire hull is plastic so it's not terribly durable and they are a giant pain to maintain due to no real engine access other than a couple tiny panels to get to the oil filter and filler. Changing spark plugs requires removal of the top deck. Depending on what you're looking for, Yamaha makes some super reliable skis, I'd say you could pick up a super nice vx (deluxe or cruiser depending on your seat preference) with low hours below your budget and have a ski that will last you years and years, or if you want to go fast find a supercharged seadoo, but be prepared to pay more in maintenance, rebuilding that supercharger is no joke, it'll destroy the engine if you don't keep up with the 100hr rebuilds, but with good maintenance they will last nearly forever and be stupid fast
They are quite nice, the TR1 engines in my eyes haven't proven as reliable as the 4 cylinder engines, I've seen rental TR1s throw rods with very low hours from water ingestion while the older 4cyls I've seen over 1100 hours getting flipped and hydrolocked regularly and still running flawlessly. If you aren't abusing it, the TR1 in the EX sport should serve you for a good long time, and the RIDE system the newer yamahas has is very nice as well
trythistv sorry for so many questions lol. I’ve been getting recommended to get the sea doo GTI 90 HP version? What are your thought? And thank you so much for the responses!
No problem at all. the GTIs use the same plastic hull material as the spark, the 90hp would be the same engine, you would be gaining access to the engine under the seat but would have the faults of the spark as far as durability of the hull.
787s are great engines, fuel injection makes them easy to start and removes the hassle of tuning carbs if you ever have any issues. The one thing to watch though is the injectors do tend to randomly go bad and stick open, they start fouling plugs and washing the oil off the cylinder walls and eventually you need a new engine. Replace the injectors with a good set (OEM Bosch not China specials) and you'll get many years of fun out of it
They are fast. They do also likely suffer from some inherent weaknesses too though, the catalytic converters are known to come apart and cause issues so there is a d-plate and chip to remove that, then the power valves need clips or the updated design so they can't drop into the cylinders, the oil lines may have been fixed because the 1300s are fuel injected, but I'd still double check those oil lines, and you may need a pump shoe seal kit if it cavitates. Once you handle those issues, they are very fun machines!
2 stroke: cheaper when it blows up. bad part: takes oil . 4 stroke: when it blows up, throw it in the trash. Plus side: no oil injection. Moral of the story: buy what you can afford and have extra money on deck for WHEN it needs repairs.
Very good points. Longevity is also a big one. A 2 stroke generally goes 100-200 hours before it needs a top end rebuild, wheras my personal 4 stroke Honda has over 950 hours with no major mechanical issues, and some of the rentals I service are pushing 2000hrs on original 4 stroke engines having just had basic oil change and spark plug type maintenance. But yes, once they go, the ski is usually so old and haggard its not worth even thinking of rebuilding or replacing the engine.
I've been very impressed with the 1800 4cyls so far. I've seen the 1500cc tr1 engines have severe issues with longevity but the 1800s so far seem to be solid and reliable while making some amazing power. There were supposedly some issues with the new nanoxcel hulls if the ski was modified and ridden aggressively a lot, the ride plate could crack part of the hull but it hasn't been a widespread issue, just in extreme use cases. I wouldn't hesitate for a minute on any 4cyl Yamaha.
I love 2 stroke skis, they are so cheap and once you understand them they are by far one of the easiest engines to work on. Additionally, because the global population somehow has an adversion to working on things themselves anymore, they are all dirt cheap 😂
They can boogie too! Some of the bigger engined machines really ripped! The smaller machines were so light you could toss them around easily too. Each type has their advantages!
this saltwater eating a boat away in just 2 weeks... that basically makes getting a jetski a no-go for me. i kinda wanted a jetski instead of a sailboat tender... if I'm having to fresh water rinse a jetski that often on a sailboat with a limited amount of fresh water.... it makes it kinda meh. =/
It's an issue with any engine driven craft in salt water, you may get away with not rinsing frequently, but it takes its toll. A friend of mine recently purchased a turbocharged PWC around 10-15 years old, less than 100 hours on the clock, and the wastegate actuator had rusted right off the turbo, which isn't even exposed to any water other than what might get into the hull. If a boats engine is freshwater cooled, it'll have the same corrosion problems, but it won't really manifest as expensive problems for a good number of years. If you intend on buying it and keeping it for 20 years it would be a dangerous game to play not rinsing water out of the cooling system regularly.
@@trythistv i was looking at a 5 year old kawasaki 310x and thinking of keeping it 5 to 10 years as i think in about 10 years i might be a bit old to be riding around on one of these. just anting some fun while it can still be had. i think it might be too heavy for the smaller sized sailboat though.
There's always hidden issues with any used PWC. Buy it as cheap as possible. Whatever the sellers bottom price, reduce it. The money saved plus more will be spent on future repairs.
If you're looking for an older cheaper ski, its hard to go wrong with the 717 or 787 seadoo engines, or the 760,1100, 800 and 1200 yamaha 2 strokes, if you're looking for a 4 stroke, the yamahas are solid as can be, Seadoo non supercharged engines would also be a good choice, Honda has always been been my 1st choice but parts are getting unreasonably hard to find for the hondas anymore, and I can't imagine thats going to get any better.
That'd have the tr1 engine, I've seen rentals go 4-500 hours, and then they tend to give up but that is also very abusive riding being a rental, they're a nice ski to ride and while not being as loyal as the older 4 cylinder Yamaha vx models, or the Honda's which I've personally seen go well past 2000 hours of rental abuse, they will serve any normal person for many many years and have some pretty nifty improvements for easier maintenance
Ok. Buy it. Or don't. Your call. No sense learning anything about it, just go by feel. Or by color! If it's a nice color, buy it, if it isn't a nice color, then don't... Hmmm yeah that would have made a far better video.
The stx12f's are a very solid machine, they had a recall to add a flame arrester in the intake due to the potential of a backfire if you were using ether to try to start it (not a good idea anyway) I've seen the center bearing on the driveshaft separate from the rubber and cause water to leak into the hull, the engine has to come out to fix that, but all in all all my customers that have them rarely need repairs, just keep up with basic maintenance and they're a very solid machine
trythistv thanks 🙏 for your response I appreciated the information so which model is better seedoo Yamaha Kawasaki year 2000 -to 2006 I am looking to buy 1 more for fishing and this is my first time buying a jet ski which is the better in low budget and if you don’t mind to ask you which one you one owner please help and can you make more jet ski videos you have the skills
I mean it's a viable option if you only get out on the water once or twice a year. I've had customers with super nice boats that would only be able to use them once a year, they'd sit for 11 months, and get used one weekend, and at that point renting is going to be way cheaper. Storage, winterizing, maintenance not to mention all the little things that seem to go wrong from sitting. I own an 04 Honda aquatrax with 950 or so hours, and all it ever seems to need is a fresh set of plugs every spring, an oil change and fuel. The pre-2016 mr1 engines Yamahas are similar in terms of never seeming to need anything other than a rider and very minimal maintenance.
Good presentation , tips and advice. I am looking at PWC'S now to buy so this guide really helps plenty.
Good morning buddy! Wow, look at that herd of toys! Far cry from when I first came across your videos and you were in a shed freezing! Production quality has improved tremendously! Well articulated and organized. As always, I appreciate your time and efforts and always enjoy your videos! This was no exception. Best to all!
I sure wish I had the money to own all those toys lol. I've been trying and trying to get better at the editing, I consider myself fairly tech literate but man this video stuff is a notch above my pay grade, it's tough! I'm hoping some of my customers will let me use their jetskis to discuss specifics on each model I come across, as there are definite gems and definite lemons for sure. Thanks for checking in!
@@trythistv Hi look forward to this track down Kawasaki Jet ski ,they are the bizz greetings from sunny Arbroath, Scotland. I enjoy your channel good job.
Got a Kawasaki STX 1100 from 1999. 0 sensors except the oil and fuel level. Only big issue i had, the exhaust pipe had a hole: 100USD. A friend has a way more modern PWC, lots of sensors, 4 stroke. One sensor broke: 500USD. The radiator broke: 2000USD. Had to change some onboard PC related thing: 1000USD. They are more modern yeah, but money wise, one cannot do the case for modern 4 stroke compared to solid 2 stroke old PWCs. Nice video anyway, keep it up!
Simplicity is certainly a valuable thing. Thats why I love my ancient diesel cars, nothing to go wrong with them, sure they aren't as fast as more modern cars but they are great fun to drive. Some of the new PWCs that have the electronic reverse and such are insanely expensive to repair. The motors that control that range from around $1000 to $1800, not to mention if you're hiring a shop to do the work, it isn't an easy task to get to some of the stuff.
I do really like my 04 Honda (EFI 4 stroke), that thing has been beat on as a rental for years, sunk more than once, I bought it while it was underwater, and the thing just works. I've spent some money along making it nicer with a new seat cover, freshen up the jet pump, etc but it really hasn't skipped a beat with more than 950hrs on the thing.
@@trythistv completely agree! Cheers!!
Thanks for the great info. Im just getting ready to jump into this hobby and this was very helpful
It is a ton of fun, it can be a bit addictive, there are so many modifications and various upgrades and options that could be added.
It's all a good time though!
Excellent video! I am looking at new vs. used personal water craft here in 2024! Thank you!
I should probably do some kind of update for the newest models and issues I'm seeing.
I've been hearing the nanoxcel hull yamahas have been having issues with the hull breaking from the rollers on jetski ports, so be careful with the 2016ish and newer yamahas. Seen it myself about 5 or 6 times.
Seadoo has their plastic hulls like the spark and some of the newer GTI models that I'm still on the fence about, I prefer the old school fiberglass hulls personally, but the plastic hulled seadoos seem more durable than the yamaha nanoxcel as it turns out.
A+ presentation 👍,, my sis and I are thinking of going in on an older, used PWC , to compliment the new model sea doo my husband bought. A second out on the lake at once would be double the fun. Thank you for informative content, especially your pace, volume, and tone is appreciated.
Having more people riding is always more fun, and there are plenty of great options out there to find a reasonably priced 2nd ski.
instablaster...
Something is seriously wrong if you go through a tank of oil with every tank or 2 of fuel...
Here is a good comparison. My jet ski is a 1995 Yamaha waveblaster I paid $1500 for it, the only expenses I’ve made to it were the oil block off to run premix and a water box to sound better. My friend bought a brand new spark trixx in 2019. His jet ski has already broken due to the plastic body and water damage. My ski is older than me and runs strong.
Sure after awhile I might have to replace the engine but I could replace it 5 times over and still pay less than the trixx.
You said it! The sparks are great in some ways, but not all they're cracked up to be for sure. The entire hull is plastic. Literally. Bleh.
And maintenence is a nightmare due to the lack of access, splitting the hull isn't too difficult in all reality but by far a bigger pain than popping the seat off of any other ski out there.
I picked up an ex-rental Honda for $500, it had over 900 hours when I got it, and is nearing 1000 now, hard hard hours, but runs beautiful, and with a new seat cover and minor fiberglass repairs looks pretty good too. I've got less than a grand into it and it never fails to start and perform exactly the same for anyone I let use it. I service a few rental fleets and have seen these hondas last near forever with daily abuse, one customer has one with near 2000 hours and it still starts right up and doesn't use oil or anything.
Deals like that don't come along every day though. If you're just getting a first ski, the older 2 strokes are not unreliable at all if you take the proper precautions (which you have), I made another video regarding the oil injection and what goes wrong 99% of the time with them, and that'll cost you an engine, but you're dead on correct, a sub $10 blockoff kit and no more catastrophic engine failure from a oil line coming loose from age.
It'll take years of riding before you'll need an engine, if you want to freshen it up, a top end kit, or some fresh rings and a hone job is cheap, and since you're already premixing, that will ensure no catastrophic failure occurs in the meantime.
I've not yet seen a 2 stroke ski fail that was due to purely age or hours. Every single 2 stroke engine I've replaced or rebuilt there was always an oiling failure in one way shape or form that caused the failure.
@@trythistv so basically rebuilt carbs yearly and ensure you are always checking the oil system to keep a 2 stroke alive? I'm going to look at a pair of 1999 yamaha XL750's (2 stroke). One has 208 hours and other 180. Hopefully it's not a bad deal because I don't want to buy something not worth it. I am thinking of offering 2k each instead of asking price of 2.5k
@@KRL_-qn4ix You certainly won't need carb rebuilds every year, especially if when doing your last flush for the year/winterizing you turn the fuel selector off and run out the gas in the lines.
Most of my customers with 2 strokes need a carb rebuild every 6-8 years or so, if you run 100% gas (no ethanol) it takes quite a while for it to cause any problems with the carb.
You may need to get the carbs rebuilt if you have running issues right after the purchase, like hesitation or stumbling while accelerating or cruising at speed, and the oil lines should be addressed either by deciding to do a blockoff and premix your fuel, or by replacing the lines and using oetiker clamps on them like I discuss in this video: ua-cam.com/video/5qpokTPiNoY/v-deo.html
There is info in the description of that video explaining what tools and supplies you need to replace those hoses!
The 701 62T Yamaha engine is a work horse. Take care of it and it will take care of you, and if you notice any abnormal running issues don't ignore it...most issues arise from people who don't pick up on the signs of worn/damaged components and seals.
The best thing you can do with a premix 2 stroke is to make sure you run it out of fuel before you store it. If you can switch of the fuel tap and just run the carby dry. Because of the oil the petrol will evaporate and leave the oil behind which can gum up and block the jets.
Excellent point. True for any small engine honestly. Chainsaws and stuff I'd say dump the gas back into a container and run it until it stops, larger equipment like pressure washers and generators usually have a shutoff, shut it off and run the engine until it stalls on its own, that way the bowl is empty. Goes a long way preventing that nasty gum varnish stuff.
Is this advice any good?
Yes, a good and informative video young man. A thumbs up from me.
Thanks so much! It took a lot of thought to try to condense everything into this, eventually I'm wanting to do some more in depth videos on different specific machines but time to do so is tough to come by!
I just bought a 1996 Seadoo HX with the 717 Rotax. It’s more jet ski than wave runner, but I love it! I’m 57 and used to ride stand up jet skis. I want to jump waves and submarine and turn sharp and have fun. If I want to ride on a boat, I’ll get in the Bayliner.
Oh the 717s are a great motor! They're nearly indestructible as long as the oiling system works.
I'm working on a friend's speedster (sportster? Idk it's one of the seadoo boats) that has twin 717s, and the whole boat was underwater for I'm guessing about 14 years, the previous owner left the drain plugs in and it filled with rain. They did need a bit of work as the rings had rusted to the cylinders, but we honed cylinders and installed new rings and it runs like a champ!
@@trythistv that’s amazing! I was eyeballing a boat like that on C-list. I am so impressed with these crafts and motors!
great explanation, thanks for taking the time.
Glad to help! Thanks for watching!
Great presentation, I highly appreciate it as I am looking into getting some used ones. Thank you.
Thank you! I've got some more stuff coming, I've got a few specific models I'm going to be doing videos on very soon
Thanks for some great insights for a newby like me.
Came for the Jet Ski info. Stayed for the kitty cat.
George does command a certain level of attention :)
Awesome video!!! Thanks for the information👍🏼
Nice video looking to buy a new stand up 😂👍
Theres a few good options out there now, sadly they aren't very popular on the lake I'm closest to, but man are they a blast to ride. Always shows me how out of shape I am though lol
trythistv lol 😂
Excellent video. Very informative. Learned a lot.
Glad it was helpful!
Please do a video of the Recommended PWC for the last 10 yrs. im shopping and not brand specific. What are your top 10
That is a great idea, it would be rather difficult, as there are so many factors, as a mechanic I tend to lean toward reliable and easy to maintain as being best, while other folks will look for performance, fuel efficiency or comfort/styling as best.
Made in the last 10 years I would say Yamaha is the most reliable, with the older 4 cylinder mr1 engines used until sometime around 2015 as the most bulletproof machines around. I have rental customers with over 1000 hours on those machines with no major repairs mechanically speaking.
Best for performance is the supercharged seadoo 1503, which was the 215, 255 and 260hp models, but that extra performance meant supercharger rebuilds every 100hr of runtime to the tune of around $500 a pop.
The newer Yamaha tr1 and 1.8lho engines I don't have the same experience with, only seeing machines with around 5-600hrs so far, and so far every single tr1 ski has a major mechanical failure by then. Either jet pump bearings give out, or the engine blows up. Still, that is a long time for any normal pwc buyer, 500hrs would last most any of my non-rental customers for 10 years or more.
Thanks man not a bad video 👍
Great video! Very helpful thank you! This saved me from a real bad purchase... 😘
Oh boy, that sounds ominous! Glad it helped you out though!
Well done! 👏
Awesome video!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
Great video! Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it! Just in time for lake season!
Thanks for the great advice 😀😀
Glad to be of help!
Thankyou 👏👏👏
I see now that a 2 stroke is out the picture for me
I just bought a 1997 Kawasaki STX 1100 2 stroke with 140 hours on it. Thing ran beautiful during test ride. I give $2500 for the ski and trailer from a 75 year old Man that lived on the Lake here in Virginia. Over paid a little but it is prime season and had missed out on a couple from trying to get cheaper. thoughts?
I had a 97 zxi900 for a while, which would be the 2 seater baby brother of what you have. They are great machines. The di models had some weak points related to the cooling of the ECU, but yours should be carbureted, so the main thing to be aware of is the oiling system. The hoses between the pump and each carb/intake can harden and degrade over time and if they come loose it will destroy the engine. I have another video showing just that on a Yamaha 800 I repaired after an oil hose popped off. Run good quality gas, ensure those oil lines are good, replace them if in doubt (I like using oetiker clamps when I replace oil lines instead of zip ties so there is no chance for them to slide off) and enjoy riding!
Good video, I have a warning light come on after a few minutes, Yamaha 4 stroke
Depending on which year and model you've got there isn't a ton of common issues, they do usually have an oil level sensor, but that would throw a code immediately.
Engine temperature, oil pressure, and voltage are the other main ones.
First thing I always check is battery connections. most of them have a phillips head or 10mm, and you CAN NOT ever get those battery wires tight enough with a screwdriver.
Use a 10mm wrench or socket and snug them down real good. Past that, check voltage with a multimeter and if the voltage is good, check oil level and viscosity, after that a scan tool is about the next main way to diagnose if there isn't an obvious issue like those I've mentioned
I wish all motors had a closed loop cooling system with a coolant/raw water intercooler.
Salt can only mess up one small side and the motor gets antifreeze and lubrication.
A small radiator could save the motor if the raw water is blocked and could almost stand alone.
From dirt bikes I can say that 2 stroke engines weigh less,produce more power over a shorter rpm range,have fewer parts,are cheaper to rebuild and unless injected pollute enough to be banned from some waters.
4 strokes usually last a long time but cost lots more if it blows up. You get way better mileage, smooth low end power but not much boosted yeehaw and a way better charging system that can support lights,radio, fish finder,bilge pump,bait tanks and such.
Watch out! Here comes the electric generation.
You covered all the bases faster than I did in the video! I love closed loop systems, I've got some customers with boats that have closed loop cooling with a heat exchanger and it is so nice, can be a pain to bleed air out of but more predictable than the open loop systems.
And the 2 stroke expense vs reliability is dead on too. We see tons of 2 strokes with issues, but generally they are cheap to fix even if it means a whole new engine, while 4 strokes can run for thousands of hours (I just got a 2100 hour turbocharged honda that gave up last year, probably would have kept going had it been abused less as a rental), and boy is it going to be expensive to fix.
You may just see that on here sometime this winter, I'm going to tear down the engine I've got and see if I can combine parts from another engine or if it'll need a bunch of new parts to be good again.
@@trythistv Care and feeding of 4 stroke engines would be a great video.
There's not really much you can do.
Air filter isn't a big deal in the ocean but clearing out the intake after a tip over might be.
Other than clean oil and filter it's pretty much listening for valve noise,hard starting or backfires.
Personally it's hard for me to distinguish valve clatter from pre-ignition and detonation. I try higher octane and if it goes away hopefully it wasn't valves.
How about a hybrid where a small, quiet, thrifty engine charges an electric drive?
Silent at the dock and able to run briefly underwater.
Still waiting for my affordable submarine.
Very helpful thanks man 💪🏾
No problem! There's more PWC videos in the works soon!
thank you so much
Great video
best advice, seadoo bad engine blow, yamaha good engine last
Awesome information please keep sharing. Are there used Jet Ski dealers that you can recommend? Am thinking of buying a used one for commercial use to be handled by many hands so am thinking of a tough machine. Thank you
I would highly reccomend any model year Honda, or one of the 1100cc 4 cylinder yamahas from around 2010ish, both of those machines are near unkillable.
I do a lot of work on rental jetskis, So stress-testing is done by the renters regularly.
I can say for a certainty the newer Yamaha TR1 engines are nowhere near as bulletproof as the 4 cyl models, and the Hondas are literally indestructable. I've got one in my yard right now with over 1000 hours on it, it sat underwater for about 4 months, I got the water out and it fires right up and runs like the day it was new.
For hard use My first choice would be a Honda F12. The X models are nice to have the extra speed and fun a turbo gives you but it is more maintenence and things to go wrong. I have a ex rental F12 personally (It's the thumbnail before I cleaned it and fixed the seat and everything), it has over 900 hard rental hours on it, was underwater when I bought it, doesn't burn a drop of oil, reliable to a fault. Never fails to run and go. Ever.
One of my rental customers has a honda with about 1900 hours, original engine, original jet pump even (that's a miracle) and it fires on the first press of the button, and runs flawlessly.
I've also seen the 2010ish Yamaha VX cruisers and related models hit 1100 hours or more with ease. Only thing they really need is to have the air filter removed. the Yamahas tend to rev higher and the filter was designed in a way after a lot of hours it gets saturated with oil mist and restricts the airflow, which then limits power and causes excessive vacuum in the crankcase which makes them burn oil. ditch the air filter and all those problems go away.
@@trythistv Thank you for your very detailed information. I will process it and hope that I will also consult you again when am ready to acquire it. Once again thank you
You are very welcome! I spend nearly all my time working on various PWCs, so I've got a little bit of experience in which ones are more reliable than others! Please come back and let us know what you end up getting!
@@trythistv I have a Honda my self 2004 R12 2 seater non turbo. It's a great machine super reliable. I Picked it up for $3,300 off offer up app on a single 14 ft trailer. 2 years ago it was late in the season. It was very well maintained so I bought it. Took it in for the gas tank recall last year to a Honda motorcycle dealer over here in H.B. California. He asked me where I bought it, because the engine still looks practically brand new. He didn't even try to sell me any stuff or anything extra for it, being so they did the recall for free. You know the dealers are always trying to get a dollar out of you lol. I had the trailer painted and sold it for 450$ this year. So I picked up the ski for like $2850. When all said and done. I am very happy with my Honda very reliable and such a fun machine to ride. Wish I would of bought one sooner.
YES! I do a Pre mix!!!!
Meanwhile, I changed both the Start/Stop Box and Starter Solenoid and check led the fuse all new! The starter will engage and turn the motor over when I jump to two poles on the solenoid but I still don't have any power going up to my start switch could this be a bad CDI?
Bro you’re a beast for answering everyone’s questions. Great video! What are your thought on a 2004 Yamaha GP1300R with 50 hrs on it? Guy is asking $3,500 for it.
The gp1300r is a bigger version of the gp1200r and if I recall correctly is fuel injected too. I haven't seen a ton of them, but the 1200pv is a solid unit that makes some good power and the 1300s are essentially the same but fi instead of carb so added displacement, added efficiency. I'd imagine they still have the horrid catalytic converter mess, get a chip and d plate for that asap, the catalyst breaks loose, clogs the exhaust, overheats the engine and melts pistons, getting rid of it is priority #1 for longevity of those engines. Past that, a pump shoe seal kit can help if there is any cavitation (feels like slipping clutch in the water instead of the arm jerking holeshot it should have), 3500 seems like a decent price, the 1200s can get pretty pricey and the 1300s I would think are even more desirable
trythistv I’m a mechanic, but I don’t know anything about jey skis lol. So you’re saying pretty much do a cat delete and chip the computer into thinking I still have a cat on there?
Yes, the d plate replaces the cat media, and since it was such a rudimentary system, and let's face it, a cat on a 2 stroke ski isn't doing a whole lot anyway the chip is to fool the computer that the cat temperature sensor is working. There were no o2 sensors, just a form of egt sensor, which in a water jacketed exhaust likely isn't the most accurate. There is tons of info on the dplate and stuff, they have been an issue since they were brand new
Thanks 👍
Glad to help, hope the video helps you pick out a good machine!
Thanks bro
The seating discrepancy I understand. My 2007 Kawasaki STX-15F is a rated 3 person. I had 3 people on it and though we all fit comfortably and it got on plane no problem and handled fine on plane. But once we were going slow and slow in the water, it was incredibly unstable. Almost rolled a few times
Yup, and thats a good sized machine. Seeing a new Yamaha EX Sport with a 3 passenger rating seems like a bad joke, that's gonna be real cramped, and very wobbly at idle.
awesome Cat!
He's quite the character thats for sure!
@@trythistv I have one just like it. His name is Felix. Aka Bdk big dick kitty! All black Bombay cat. Really smart. Always wants attention and food. Very demanding cat. Lol. He will let you know what he wants.
Thanks for the video. I am definitely going 4 stroke. Is there a particular year benchmark to go with. Ex. 2007 and up or 2010 and up?
The very early 4 strokes had some weird designs and such, and the super new ones I feel haven't proven as reliable as the 05-15ish era models have.
Depending on what you're looking for there are variances too, supercharged seadoos got dramatically better in the 2008 model year when they got rid of those ridiculous ceramic washers, while Yamaha and Honda didn't change much of anything because nothing seems to fail on them.
@@trythistv I'm thinking of buying 2006 kawasaki stx 15ft 53 hours been sitting for 6 months starts but turns off is that a big or small problem that can be fixed
No 4 strokes for me! My 96 Kawasaki zxi 1100 still going strong and easy to maintain
The 1100s are a great platform, their little brother 900cc are great too! Keep an eye on the oiling system, I've seen many kawi triples lost to oiling issues. I've got several destroyed 1100 cases from the oil pump getting a pocket of air in it somehow over the winter.
trythistv I’m buying my first tomorrow.. it’s a 97 zxi1100 beautiful condition.. same with the trailer. It hasn’t been in the water in a few years.. any advice for me?? Things to go through, drain, check..
Main things are the oiling system, if its been sitting for a while the carb jets can tend to plug up and cause a lean condition, beyond that there isn't a lot off the top of my head that is a weak point on the carbureted kawi triples
Eric Osborne make sure the Oiler works great or just straight pre mix the 2 strokes
Is a 98 WaveRunner a good purchase
It'll depend largely on the price, what model it is, and what you're wanting out of it. They made some good units then, but I believe they will all be 2 stroke, which as the video brings out has its pros and cons, being older there will be things that need to be fixed fairly often but thats not a dealbreaker by any means.
Thoughts on a 2003 kawasaki ultra 150? Guys selling it for 2800$ obo
If I'm thinking properly the ultra 150 should be a carbureted 1200 triple, if that is the case it'll be a great machine, the ultra 130 was a gigantic pain with the goofy ficht direct injection water cooled ECU nightmare, but the carbed kawis were great units, same oiling warnings apply as I've said to everyone else, lack of oil is the #1 killer of 2 stroke skis, with carburetor issues causing lack of fuel (running lean) likely taking the #2 spot for 2 stroke engine deaths. In the current market 2800 seems relatively fair, it's hard to find a half decent ski right now. Take it for a test ride, power delivery while under way is vastly different than starting and revving up on a hose, if it hesitates, bogs or doesn't reach a good top speed (I would expect mid 60s out of a ultra 150) then you need to be prepared to negotiate for needed repairs or walk away
@@trythistv thank you very much
There’s 1 2 stroke in production it’s in the Yamaha superjet
Yes indeed you are correct! Quite rare I'd say as its technically produced for competition use, But I'm sure some dealers will sell them without the license.
I haven't seen one yet though. I'd love to though, standups are awesome!
Nice mercedes in the background
Thanks! I love my W123!
I'm a beginner looking to buy a reliable, low maintenance, 4 stroke jet ski. What brand/s jet ski would you recomend?
Yamaha is my go-to recommendation with that criteria for a NEW 4 stroke.
I like the 4cyl engines more than the 3cyl TR1 but as long as you aren't sinking the tr1 equipped machine and generally abusing it, they are also well made units.
If you're looking used, I'd highly recommend a Honda, although parts are getting harder to get as they don't still make jetskis.
Low maintenance rules out anything high performance, any supercharged seadoo requires a lot more upkeep in rebuilding the supercharger, you get insane performance as a tradeoff though.
The 155 hp seadoos are quite good also, but I'd say yamahas are a hair better as far as being problem free.
I'm not a huge fan of the sparks, mainly due to the plastic hull and poor access but they can be decent machines too.
"You may disappoint your friends"
.... well ain't karma a Bitc#!
Good info👍
Thoughts on a 96 Yamaha waveraider 700, just picked one up for 500 bucks, with trailer.
Can't go wrong with a trailer for 500 bucks, if it's got a ski on it that's even better! Waveraiders can be a ton of fun, a very good friend of mine had an 1100 waveraider and the thing was a blast. I'd say the only real weak point is the oil injection system, see this video for an explanation: ua-cam.com/video/5qpokTPiNoY/v-deo.html
Awesome video brother, one question.. what can go wrong if I buy a 2008 sea doo wake 155 that has only 40 hrs on it but was used in the ocean and not regularly maintained? Is it a good buy?
So the 155 is an awesome engine because it doesn't have the supercharger failure potential, being run in salt water won't cause issues with the engine since it is closed loop cooled, but I have seen it cause corrosion buildup in the exhaust, and damage the oil cooler because it sits low in the hull.
I would inspect the oil cooler carefully (its below the intake manifold, you may be able to reach in there if your arms are skinny enough)
And almost plan on replacing the exhaust manifold, or at least pull the rubber hoses off and make sure the passages are clear, a little borescope or flush some water through the manifold.
Past that, the only issue is going to be that bolts could be corroded in and make repairs more difficult.
@trythistv Thank you so much for the insight! I’ll be taking some pictures of what I find. The ski has been sitting down since 2013. Long time, but it was stored in the shade in a garage safe from the elements. That’s why I’m considering it.
Hey man awesome video! Any advice on how to change oil on a 1993 sea doo gts I’m new to all of this and I just bought it used and I don’t want to mess it up!
A 1993 seadoo should be a 587cc 2 stroke I believe, so there isn't oil to be changed in the same way as a car, it'll either have an oil injection pump that adds oil in automatically, or you need to premix oil with the fuel, the same way as a chainsaw, or other 2 stroke engine.
You may want to service the jetpump and change the oil in that, which isn't hard, just basically pull the pump off, remove the cone on the back of it, dump out the nasty oil, and put in some fresh gear oil, then reinstall the pump and have fun. Or you could wait until you need a wear ring and do it all at once.
@@trythistv thank u man! Unfortunately I was just told that it doesn’t have the choke cable and that it is hard to find someone that would install that so now I’m not sure if I got ripped off and if I should sell it or try to find someone that could install that!
If you're already missing a choke cable I would ditch the choke system entirely and install a primer kit, it makes starting so much easier once you understand how it works. Totally takes away the frustration of holding the choke, cranking, pumping throttle, cranking more, taking choke off, and all that hassle. Makes it so you pump a couple times on the primer handle, crank and instantly the engine is running, much less wear and tear on starter and everything.
I am new to Jetskis. I do have a boat I maintain. I am looking at a 2006 Yamaha FX Cruiser HO. 220 hours no salt water. Always used in lake Michigan. 1 owner. Is a good 1st machine? Does this have the ceramic washers that you talk about. 3 Kids :) Thanks.
Nope, the ceramic washers is a seadoo specific thing. The Yamahas never had issues like that, but are slightly slower, still, I'd take a Yamaha for the reliability for sure, the 06 FX should be a mr1 based engine, there was a HO and regular version, both are nearly bulletproof. I've seen those engines roll over 1000 hours with just basic maintenance in a rental environment, so you know they got sank and beat on. The only other skis I could compare to that era of Yamahas are the Honda's of similar vintage, but the Honda's are getting harder and harder to get parts for so the Yamahas are a far better purchase because they're still using some of the same stuff in the brand new skis so parts are easy to come by used or new.
Thank you so much for the very quick reply. That is what I wanted to hear!
hey man, I’m looking at getting a jet ski for the lake house; I’m looking for a used jet ski for around $2000, what would be a good option?
In that range I'd be looking for either a yamaha, seadoo, or kawasaki 2 stroke that is carbureted.
The seadoo 717 engine and 787 are my favorite seadoo 2 strokes, the 951 carb is ok, the 951 DI I'm not a fan.
The kawi 900 and 1100 carb engines are solid units, the DI models are problematic.
Yamaha has the PV and non-PV engines, 760, 1100 are non-PV engines, 800, 1200 are PV, the PV motors make more power but do have issues with PVs dropping into the cylinder and destroying stuff.
All of them are prone to oiling issues, I've got a video on a 800PV showing a super common failure on ALL 2 stroke PWCs regardless of model and make, ua-cam.com/video/5qpokTPiNoY/v-deo.html I do like blocking off the oiling system and premixing oil so you know you're getting oil, but it is an added step that anyone who fuels up the ski needs to be aware of, and is not an option at all on certain engines due to the oiling setup and fuel systems.
looking at a 2004 yamaha alt 1200 at an auction. most likely its never seen salt water. I live here in oregon. it looks like new. what should i look at. it says non runner. i am pretty handy with getting things running
Biggest things that'd prevent it running is fuel, carbs could be clogged up badly, or there could be damage internally, the oiling hoses tend to pop off and cause pistons to melt, it isn't horrible to rebuild them or replace the engine if needed
Great video man for new pwc owners☝️. I own an 04 polaris virage 2 stroke with direct injection. Is it normal to use one tank of gas and burn through one tank of oil?
That seems like a excessive amount of oil, in theory you should be able to burn about 40 gallons of fuel for every gallon of oil you put in. Is your oil pump stuck fully open? There is a cable that turns a cam on the oil pump to add oil as you pull the throttle, but if the cable snaps or something then it flops to max oil to prevent catastrophic damage from underoiling.
trythistv thanks for the reply man. Is there a way to adjust that!
yes, there are little hash marks on the cam on the oil pump and the pump cam that is pulled by the cable, usually the cable has a pair of 10mm nuts locking it into place, and you can loosen them and move the cable one way or the other to adjust to where the hash marks line up with the throttle in the idle position. Using a mirror or some kind of borescope or phone to take pictures will likely be needed because I know I sure can't fit my head down in the hull to check!
Thoughts o qn a tigershark 770 starts up for $700 bucks including a trailer ??? 😊💯
Hard to go wrong when trailers can sell for $500+, but it will be a challenge to find parts for a tigershark, artic cat only had a very short run in the PWC game, it'll be even more difficult finding a mechanic familiar with them.
Do you know anything about mini jet boats called Aqua Larks? There 2 seaters with a 30Hp outboard motors. Fiberglass and wood hulls I believe. What's your take on one of those if you have any info or knowledge on one. Thinking about buying one it's from 80s all original looks like all parts are on it. Thanks Joe Go.
I hadn't heard of them until I googled it after seeing your comment, and now I kinda want one. What a neat looking little machine! The only issue I could see is some of the older outboards are getting near impossible to find parts for, but it wouldn't be hard to repower it, would lose the originality but with a modern engine it'd sip fuel and cruise around near silently
@@trythistv The one I told you about sold already. Guy drove from Vegas to Orange County CA to pick it up.2500$. I found another one about 35-40 miles from me for 4000$. All white, remodified with an 800 cc Rotax Bombardiar Seadoo engine. It looks like it halls ass. Sic.
Going from a 30hp outboard to a 100-120ish hp pwc engine would be a serious bump in performance. I'd bet thats the 787 RFI engine, some refer to them as the 800, they're a super solid unit, the only weak point I've seen is sometimes the fuel injectors stick open and wash down cylinders which leads to a blown engine, but replacing the injectors isn't hard, and not awful expensive either.
@@trythistv Thanks for the info on that engine for future problems it may cause.
What's your opinion of the Rotax 4 stroke 155HP engine, does it require lots of maintenance, is it reliable? thanks!
The 155hp 1503s are nearly bulletproof. Now and then they like a new set of spark plugs (3x ngk dcpr8e, don't use some other cheapie brand, ngks are only a few bucks) and regular oil changes are smart on any engine, but there isn't a whole lot that goes wrong with them. The supercharged 1503s are debatable. The ceramic washers used up until 2008 tended to take engines out, partly due to poor oiling design but the performance bump from the 155s is astounding, and they got a lot better after the oiling upgrades and steel washers used from 08 up. Having said that, I'm on the lookout for an early RXT with a blown engine cheap lol
@@trythistv thanks so much for your response, I does help a lot. Just for clarification, the issue with ceramic washers is only affecting supercharged models, correct? thanks again.
Correct. the 155s have no real weak points to be especially aware of.
Thoughts on a 1996 Kawasaki 750 super sport Xi?
They were a good machine, I owned a 97 900zxi for a few years, the 750xi would be the same hull I believe just slightly less power. The usual issues all apply, rubber parts can dry out and crack, or just harden up and not seal well causing some weird running issues, carbs may need to be cleaned etc. The best modification I ever did to my zxi was removing the choke and installing a primer kit. Made starting that thing so easy it wasn't funny instead of choking and cranking for 20 minutes.
is that an old rolls royce in the background ?
Not quite, it's one of my 82 Mercedes diesels. I've had them for years, slowly been fixing them up as we drove them!
Hey sir, I’m looking to buy a PWC for somewhere around the $8000 mark. I am a complete beginner so is there any recommendation to which I should buy? Should I buy a new seadoo spark or something of that sort? Please help. Thank you
The sparks are ok, but I wouldn't go much further than saying they're ok. The entire hull is plastic so it's not terribly durable and they are a giant pain to maintain due to no real engine access other than a couple tiny panels to get to the oil filter and filler. Changing spark plugs requires removal of the top deck. Depending on what you're looking for, Yamaha makes some super reliable skis, I'd say you could pick up a super nice vx (deluxe or cruiser depending on your seat preference) with low hours below your budget and have a ski that will last you years and years, or if you want to go fast find a supercharged seadoo, but be prepared to pay more in maintenance, rebuilding that supercharger is no joke, it'll destroy the engine if you don't keep up with the 100hr rebuilds, but with good maintenance they will last nearly forever and be stupid fast
trythistv Thank you so much! Have you heard anything about the WaveRunner sport ex? It’s Yamaha too and I could buy a new one in my price range.
They are quite nice, the TR1 engines in my eyes haven't proven as reliable as the 4 cylinder engines, I've seen rental TR1s throw rods with very low hours from water ingestion while the older 4cyls I've seen over 1100 hours getting flipped and hydrolocked regularly and still running flawlessly. If you aren't abusing it, the TR1 in the EX sport should serve you for a good long time, and the RIDE system the newer yamahas has is very nice as well
trythistv sorry for so many questions lol. I’ve been getting recommended to get the sea doo GTI 90 HP version? What are your thought? And thank you so much for the responses!
No problem at all. the GTIs use the same plastic hull material as the spark, the 90hp would be the same engine, you would be gaining access to the engine under the seat but would have the faults of the spark as far as durability of the hull.
What is your opinion on the seadoo SPX I beleive it has the 787 engine
787s are great engines, fuel injection makes them easy to start and removes the hassle of tuning carbs if you ever have any issues. The one thing to watch though is the injectors do tend to randomly go bad and stick open, they start fouling plugs and washing the oil off the cylinder walls and eventually you need a new engine. Replace the injectors with a good set (OEM Bosch not China specials) and you'll get many years of fun out of it
@@trythistv I think the spx has the 787 but has a dual carb set-up
Does the carburated set up still use the injectors?
Thoughts on a 2005 gp1300r ?
They are fast. They do also likely suffer from some inherent weaknesses too though, the catalytic converters are known to come apart and cause issues so there is a d-plate and chip to remove that, then the power valves need clips or the updated design so they can't drop into the cylinders, the oil lines may have been fixed because the 1300s are fuel injected, but I'd still double check those oil lines, and you may need a pump shoe seal kit if it cavitates. Once you handle those issues, they are very fun machines!
2 stroke: cheaper when it blows up. bad part: takes oil . 4 stroke: when it blows up, throw it in the trash. Plus side: no oil injection. Moral of the story: buy what you can afford and have extra money on deck for WHEN it needs repairs.
Very good points. Longevity is also a big one. A 2 stroke generally goes 100-200 hours before it needs a top end rebuild, wheras my personal 4 stroke Honda has over 950 hours with no major mechanical issues, and some of the rentals I service are pushing 2000hrs on original 4 stroke engines having just had basic oil change and spark plug type maintenance. But yes, once they go, the ski is usually so old and haggard its not worth even thinking of rebuilding or replacing the engine.
Yamaha 1800fx cruiser 2017?
I've been very impressed with the 1800 4cyls so far. I've seen the 1500cc tr1 engines have severe issues with longevity but the 1800s so far seem to be solid and reliable while making some amazing power. There were supposedly some issues with the new nanoxcel hulls if the ski was modified and ridden aggressively a lot, the ride plate could crack part of the hull but it hasn't been a widespread issue, just in extreme use cases. I wouldn't hesitate for a minute on any 4cyl Yamaha.
I love 2 stroke skis, they are so cheap and once you understand them they are by far one of the easiest engines to work on.
Additionally, because the global population somehow has an adversion to working on things themselves anymore, they are all dirt cheap 😂
They can boogie too! Some of the bigger engined machines really ripped!
The smaller machines were so light you could toss them around easily too.
Each type has their advantages!
this saltwater eating a boat away in just 2 weeks... that basically makes getting a jetski a no-go for me. i kinda wanted a jetski instead of a sailboat tender... if I'm having to fresh water rinse a jetski that often on a sailboat with a limited amount of fresh water.... it makes it kinda meh. =/
It's an issue with any engine driven craft in salt water, you may get away with not rinsing frequently, but it takes its toll. A friend of mine recently purchased a turbocharged PWC around 10-15 years old, less than 100 hours on the clock, and the wastegate actuator had rusted right off the turbo, which isn't even exposed to any water other than what might get into the hull.
If a boats engine is freshwater cooled, it'll have the same corrosion problems, but it won't really manifest as expensive problems for a good number of years. If you intend on buying it and keeping it for 20 years it would be a dangerous game to play not rinsing water out of the cooling system regularly.
@@trythistv i was looking at a 5 year old kawasaki 310x and thinking of keeping it 5 to 10 years as i think in about 10 years i might be a bit old to be riding around on one of these. just anting some fun while it can still be had. i think it might be too heavy for the smaller sized sailboat though.
The cat appears out of nowhere lol
George is very stealthy 😁
Yea just don't do it unless it's cheap
There's always hidden issues with any used PWC. Buy it as cheap as possible. Whatever the sellers bottom price, reduce it. The money saved plus more will be spent on future repairs.
I’m looking to buy my first ski. Who in your opinion makes better motors and overall skis. Yamaha or seadoo?
If you're looking for an older cheaper ski, its hard to go wrong with the 717 or 787 seadoo engines, or the 760,1100, 800 and 1200 yamaha 2 strokes, if you're looking for a 4 stroke, the yamahas are solid as can be, Seadoo non supercharged engines would also be a good choice, Honda has always been been my 1st choice but parts are getting unreasonably hard to find for the hondas anymore, and I can't imagine thats going to get any better.
trythistv thanks for the reply brother. I was strongly considering the 2020 Yamaha ex sport.. only thing is that they are out of stock everywhere!
That'd have the tr1 engine, I've seen rentals go 4-500 hours, and then they tend to give up but that is also very abusive riding being a rental, they're a nice ski to ride and while not being as loyal as the older 4 cylinder Yamaha vx models, or the Honda's which I've personally seen go well past 2000 hours of rental abuse, they will serve any normal person for many many years and have some pretty nifty improvements for easier maintenance
2 strokes are lighter and they look way better than the modern 4 stroke heavy pigs
I just want to know about buying a used jet ski I don't need a dissertation
Ok. Buy it. Or don't. Your call. No sense learning anything about it, just go by feel. Or by color! If it's a nice color, buy it, if it isn't a nice color, then don't... Hmmm yeah that would have made a far better video.
Hey 👋 I am looking to buy a 2008 or 09 Kawasaki stx 12ft can you give me information about this ski I will Appreciate it
The stx12f's are a very solid machine, they had a recall to add a flame arrester in the intake due to the potential of a backfire if you were using ether to try to start it (not a good idea anyway) I've seen the center bearing on the driveshaft separate from the rubber and cause water to leak into the hull, the engine has to come out to fix that, but all in all all my customers that have them rarely need repairs, just keep up with basic maintenance and they're a very solid machine
trythistv thanks 🙏 for your response I appreciated the information so which model is better seedoo Yamaha Kawasaki year 2000 -to 2006 I am looking to buy 1 more for fishing and this is my first time buying a jet ski which is the better in low budget and if you don’t mind to ask you which one you one owner please help and can you make more jet ski videos you have the skills
So just rent? Lol
I mean it's a viable option if you only get out on the water once or twice a year. I've had customers with super nice boats that would only be able to use them once a year, they'd sit for 11 months, and get used one weekend, and at that point renting is going to be way cheaper. Storage, winterizing, maintenance not to mention all the little things that seem to go wrong from sitting.
I own an 04 Honda aquatrax with 950 or so hours, and all it ever seems to need is a fresh set of plugs every spring, an oil change and fuel. The pre-2016 mr1 engines Yamahas are similar in terms of never seeming to need anything other than a rider and very minimal maintenance.
Yawnfest