Sea Doo stalls at low rpms...

But runs great from 30% to full throttle. Idles well too, but if you try to go from idle up to 30%+, it will most likely stall. It works best if I start it with the throttle at 30% and just take off from a stand still. I can ride for hours afterwards, as long as I don't let it go back down to idle, and then try to slowly accelerate.

I am assuming it is carburetion. It has been sitting for 5 years without running.

Any ideas before I spend money rebuilding the carbs?

 

I'd call the local Sea-Doo place and try to pick their brains a little. I
know boat mechanics can be pretty secretive about how they fix
stuff....I'd check the jets and diaphragm.

 

Try Some Stuff You Can Get At Napa Called Seafoam Add To Gas It Will Make It Idle And Run Good

 

Actually that is not a bad idea....that stuff seemed to work in my buddies
boat motor....150 merc.....it ran like crap and after putting that threw it
...ran much better and started a lot easier...

 

I will look for that. I have heard of it and it sounds like a miracle additive. But I have heard nothing but good reports on it.

I think I need to rebuild the carbs eventually. They are $45 per carb (two on this bike) and in doing research, there is a small fuel filter in the carb that is first thing to clog and cause this kind of stall.

I will try the seafoam this week before I tear the carbs out...

 

It Will Shock You How Well It Works

 

Instructions say to pour it into the carb while the engine is running...wonder if it will work through a spray bottle?

Then dump the rest in the tank.

I will try to get to the river this week and see if it makes an improvement, then buy the carb rebuild kits if it doesn't. Supposed to do the rebuild kits every other year anyway...it has been at least 5 years since it was done last.

 

To big for a bathtub run???? If you can pour some in the rubber fuel line an fill carbs that way, might work better

 

Good idea...

 

The fuel filters shouldn't be to hard to get to, I'd atleast clean/replace those and try the seafoam

 

I ran the seafoam and it made a little difference. Then bought some rebuild kits for the carbs, yanked them out, and they are SHOT!!! I am completely amazed that the ski ran at all...

I got on ebay and got two nicer carbs for about half the price of new ones. I still have the rebuild kits if i need them. The carbs should be delivered tomorrow (if UPS delivers on Columbus day).

The carbs had bad corrosion inside and out, a couple of broken mounting tabs, and just not rebuildable.

I am REALLY amazed that it ran as good as it did with the carbs in that bad a shape.

 

lol only reason it ran 30% more throttle is because it was finally pushing enough gas to go w/ that massive air leak you had because of the mounting tabs.

 

Could be. I am lucky I wasn't running so lean that I burned up a piston or two

New carbs look really good. The seller actually took the carbs apart so you could see the insides before buying them. They are from minnesota or missouri or somewhere, so they are fresh-water run only. The salty air down here ate the aluminum up fiercely.

I bet I can just pop them on and drive the season out, then rebuild them over the winter.

 

With them being taken apart, the gaskets and things may be shot.
I'd rebuild them now if they are kinda hard to get to, so you won't have to later.

 

Well, I have 2 rebuild kits in the garage. I figured I would just slap the carbs on and see what happens. It only takes 10 minutes to get them off if I need to do the rebuild ASAP.

At this point, I am just trying to get it running slowly so my parents (50% investment is from them) can try it out and see if they want to keep paying for half ownership. I think it is too hi-po for them, and they will probably just flip it over and fall off, lose interest, and I will buy them out of their half. I like the hi-po of this ski. Very fast, squirrelly, and maneuverable. Just like a damned crotch rocket on the water

And, even without being rebuilt, the "new" carbs HAVE to be better than what I had on there...