Surfriding So this is why my Rickter seemed a bit sluggish...

[shawn_NJ]

I guess I had a backfire? Not sure what the hell happened, but the box is blown open a good 12", and the crack is ABOVE the weld. The weld did not fail. Gonna try to find a welder around here to see if this can be fixed. Debating removing the EPIC ign for an MSD, as I am guessing it is to blame for backfire causing the motor to bomb the waterbox. I would hate to blow up another $250 waterbox. The funniest this is that I rode it for awhile like this. The 865 still ripped, but had a little lag on the bottomend, and bildge was running more then normal...LOL

 

[raytherace]

Does the cooling system can play a role in all that ?? just a question !

 

[icecoled007]

Wow... why is the epic causing backfire issues? Doesn't like the 865?

 

[shawn_NJ]

Wow... why is the epic causing backfire issues? Doesn't like the 865?

The ski has kicked backwards a handful of times trying to start it up. My MSD enhancer ski never did that before. Others have had simliar issues with the epic, so its the first thing I am going to blame. Everything else electrical is 5months old.

Does the cooling system can play a role in all that ?? just a question !

Its a good thought. I would think the 45deg coupler or the long tube would have failed first if it was heat related. I will double check the jetworks valve/headpipe though.

 

[steve-uk]

its very easy to blame the EPIC, backfires blamed on the EPIC have not been casued by the EPIC.... but as you mentioned its easy to blame it, seen it many times and when the problem is found to be something else the loop is never closed

this isnt an EPIC issue... 100%....

... the issue you describe, brian (proformance1) had....it was actually a bad battery ......... pm him....

if you put a stock cdi on you will most likely have the same issue

if you want piece of mind you can always have the EPIC checked over....

id be more upset with the welding on the water box.......

 

[MADMAT]

It was above the weld.

FWIW my ski with MSD and 11 year old 38's is just now starting to backfire once in a while. I think I need to rebuild my carbs...lol...

 

[MASSEY]

its very easy to blame the EPIC, backfires blamed on the EPIC have not been casued by the EPIC.... but as you mentioned its easy to blame it, seen it many times and when the problem is found to be something else the loop is never closed

this isnt an EPIC issue... 100%....

... the issue you describe, brian (proformance1) had....it was actually a bad battery ......... pm him....

if you put a stock cdi on you will most likely have the same issue

if you want piece of mind you can always have the EPIC checked over....

id be more upset with the welding on the water box.......

Mine did this when i fist got my epic and it was found to be a bad battery aswell, also if you havent already,
wrap tape around the mapping plug if that earths out it will play games, after i did this my problems went away and its been my best investment yet!

 

[AtomicPunk]

Its a good thought. I would think the 45deg coupler or the long tube would have failed first if it was heat related. I will double check the jetworks valve/headpipe though.

Over the summer I had a plugged flowcontrol valve and my XScream waterbox got smoking hot after a long ride and it never failed. The coupler and long tube where fine too.

this isnt an EPIC issue... 100%....

I would not put anything at 100%, especially electrical components.....

 

[icecoled007]

Ive never opened a water box before... especially not an aftermarket one. But isn't there baffles inside that might be damaged? Will it be ok to just weld it up?

Just learning.

 

[Twinturbostang]

send it up shawn

 

[shawn_NJ]

its very easy to blame the EPIC, backfires blamed on the EPIC have not been casued by the EPIC.... but as you mentioned its easy to blame it, seen it many times and when the problem is found to be something else the loop is never closed

this isnt an EPIC issue... 100%....

... the issue you describe, brian (proformance1) had....it was actually a bad battery ......... pm him....

if you put a stock cdi on you will most likely have the same issue

if you want piece of mind you can always have the EPIC checked over....

id be more upset with the welding on the water box.......

Steve dont take this the wrong way. But the battery, every wire in the ski, the starter, stator, oem flywheel, whole ebox ect, EPIC, coil, EVERYTHING electrical was brand new OEM in May of this year. I have never had another ski (with an MSD or OEM CDI) try to start backwards...ever. This ski has done it since the first few few rides. That fact that your saying its 100% not the EPIC is kind of extreme. Chris from ATP has contacted me and suggested my EPIC might need a software flash. That sounds reasonable, and I will try that if I decide to keep the epic. I swapped batteries between my two boats a few times unintentionally when they go on the charger, my old RN with the MSD has never backfired or tried starting running backwards.

 

[Proformance1]

Yeah mine was most likely battery related. After placing the battery on a manit charger for longer than a half hr, the battery showed full charge, and good, then the red light came on showing internal short in the battery, swapped it out, and it was fine. 5th battery failure this year, although I have 5 skis so.... Put stock CDI in with old battery and it still backfired. I have video if anyone wants to see it back fire with stock CDI and ebox open. I will have more in the future as the story is not complete yet, but I have decided to only tell what I know so far. Hopefully no speculation or finger pointing. There could be another issue someplace in the future and I think I may be having mini backfires now upon starting with an MSD Enhancer and new battery. I wiped memory accidentilly on the Epic trying a flash so its off for reflash with Chris. Once I pull everything down and inspect, reeds, carbs, etc I will know more. All was new except Stator, and battery, it was a month old AGM at the time, but I have fialed quite a few BF's with it so I must have compromised a plate.

 

[ntrsspray]

I was there when all this went down. Poor guy drives all the way down to Brigantine. All happy because I was going to beat up his ski lol.

The starting issue was wild and it was hiccuping almost like bad fuel but how does a water box blow out when all the rubber couplers stay intact. Almost like raw fuel ignited in the box to blow it out. Happens in nitrous drag cars. Unless the gauge of aluminum of the box it that thin?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[shawn_NJ]

Mine did this when i fist got my epic and it was found to be a bad battery aswell, also if you havent already,
wrap tape around the mapping plug if that earths out it will play games, after i did this my problems went away and its been my best investment yet!

Thanks I will try taping the programming plug.

 

[OCD Solutions]

Thanks I will try taping the programming plug.

ScottS and myself found some nice little plastic caps that fit over the programming lead of the EPIC and have had them on since brand new. Scott has had, and is still having all the same problems as you. The only component on his ski that he has not changed is the rectifier and that is next on the hit list.

All his problems go away when he plugs up the oem or msd cdi as well.

It is more fair to say that the EPIC is not causing the problem but rather highlighting ones that already exists.

Not sure if its an isolated experience or not but be sure to inspect your wrist pin bearings a little closer after all the kickbacks.

 

[scottie mac]

FWIW, you might want to make sure your tank check valve isn't jacked up. I have seen faulty check valves keep the tanks from venting and when the tank gets hot, it forces fuel thru the carbs. So, when you go to start it up, the ski backfires because of an over abundance of fuel in the motor. Not saying this is your issue, just an FYI. This is one of the reasons I usually crack my gas cap when my skis sit for a long time.

Scottie

 

[shawn_NJ]

FWIW, you might want to make sure your tank check valve isn't jacked up. I have seen faulty check valves keep the tanks from venting and when the tank gets hot, it forces fuel thru the carbs. So, when you go to start it up, the ski backfires because of an over abundance of fuel in the motor. Not saying this is your issue, just an FYI. This is one of the reasons I usually crack my gas cap when my skis sit for a long time.

Scottie

Scottie maybe I misread this but, the check valve allows air to vent INTO the tank, allowing the carb pumps to suck it into the motor without collapsing the tank. It does not vent out of the tank to stop over pressurization? Did you mean needle valves leaking fuel into the motor?

 

[shawn_NJ]

ScottS and myself found some nice little plastic caps that fit over the programming lead of the EPIC and have had them on since brand new. Scott has had, and is still having all the same problems as you. The only component on his ski that he has not changed is the rectifier and that is next on the hit list.

All his problems go away when he plugs up the oem or msd cdi as well.

It is more fair to say that the EPIC is not causing the problem but rather highlighting ones that already exists.

Thats where I am at. I hate wreching on skis, I just want to slap a part on and be done. I am going to bet that putting an MSD or stock CDI on this all goes away. I dont want to go down to Daytona in Jan with an untested and unreliable boat. If the EPIC is highlighting an issue on a completely 100% brand new otherwise STOCK OEM electrical system.....where is the issue really? LOL?

Not sure if its an isolated experience or not but be sure to inspect your wrist pin bearings a little closer after all the kickbacks.

Not an isolated experience.....

 

[Matt_E]

Scottie maybe I misread this but, the check valve allows air to vent INTO the tank, allowing the carb pumps to suck it into the motor without collapsing the tank. It does not vent out of the tank to stop over pressurization? Did you mean needle valves leaking fuel into the motor?

I seem to recall that the one-way should be venting pressure from the tank if it exceeds 5psi.

 

[shawn_NJ]

I seem to recall that the one-way should be venting pressure from the tank if it exceeds 5psi.

Cool. Learn something new every day. I would have thought if it pressurized enough to vent outward the check diaphragm would have been compromised.