97 SPX slowly filling with water!

[Iron Flight]

If we didn't have skis to tinker with, we'd have no fun at all! Does ANYONE have an explaination for THIS?

My 97 SPX has been a great ski, but the last couple of times I've had it out, it starts and runs OK at first, but if you shut it down it won't restart - it starts and idles, but dies, and won't take any throttle. Today I took the seat off after it did this, and could here a little trickle of water - sounded "tinny", almost like water trickling in the exhaust. Not like water running into the bilge. Frustrated, I tied it up, and went to work on my other ski. After a half hour of getting frustrated on THAT project, I went back to the SPX, and it had about two inches of water in the bilge - and still wouldn't run - fired, but wouldn't keep going. Have I got water leaking into the exhasut, and keeping it from running?

Two skis down - hope the big boat doesn't quit on me next!

[Bill O'Neal]

I think Bryan hit the nail on the head. Check the exhaust hose connection between the muffler hose and the rear thru hull outlet. Sounds like water is leaking into the hull from there.

This means that your ski is injesting exhaust fumes when it is running. This will quickly foul the sparkplugs and make it very hard to restart.

[Iron Flight]

Thanks for the ideas - you guys are great! You idea makes a lot of sense, becasue when I went back again to start it, after having the seat off for awhile, it started right up!

I will check for water leaking in through the exhaust.

[Bryan Glynn]

You may have two problems. First, you definitely have a leak somewhere in the hull. You need to fill it up with water on land and watch to see where it's leaking from - could be the through hull fitting for the driveshaft, could be a crack, could be a bolt - but it's coming in SOMEWHERE.

Seconly, you may have a loose exhaust hose - rev it up on the hose and make sure everything is tight.

[SteveStL]

Typical water leaks, when the hull is sound, is through the seals and bearings along the driveshaft next to the hull thru fitting. Check that area out.

[Iron Flight]

Well, since I'm stuck on my XP, I went back to the SPX for awhile...yes, the first thing I checked was the shaft seal. Looked at it today, running and non-running, and no leakage.

I idled the ski at the dock, and could not sea any obvious exhaust leaks. Inspected the lage exhaust hose and the through-hull fitting for cracks/holes and found nothing. One strange bit though - after shutting it down, I could hear the trickle, and tracked it down to the water box. Took the cap off the water regulator (looks like a RAVE cap), and pulled up and down on the diaphram - was able to stop the trickle. What does that Regulator do, and how is it supposed to work?

And another problem - when I took the ski for a wuick ride, it was running great at about 80% power (no tach, just an educated ear), and all of a sudden it shut down to a "high idle", regardless of throttle. Then it kicked back in again! Did that a few times as I limped home. Did the same thing tied to the bulkhead. Sound like fuel contamination or carbs?

[Iron Flight]

An Update - after a CNN break, I went back out to the ski, which was in the water, tied to the dock for an hour, and it hadn't taken on any H2O in the hull. Put the seat on, started it up, gave it moderate throttle, and rode it around the lagoon for almost a half hour. It would ocasionally cut out/bog down to that high idle (regardless of throttle position, and then just as quickly, cut back in again. It got better with riding. FInally came in, checked the plugs, and they were a perfect chocolate brown. But I still wonder if it's going to run right next time....

After all that, any more suggestions?

How hard is it to check the two water connections under the cylinders - I still wonder if something isn't right down there?