300/440/550 1986 JS 550 first rebuild thread

[streetking-15]

Right now im tearing down my 550 to repaint it and fix a couple of cracks that developed in the hull. I have photos and will upload soon. I had some questions about redirecting the intake vent on the hood to face backwards. has anyone had any experience with doing so? i could only one pic of someone doing it and i was wondering how it would affect the engine having less air pushed into the engine compartment. something like this.
here are some photos of my ski before the teardown. it was in great condition compared to some but I got it for $600 and i wanted to paint it blue and work on the hood like the above^^

 

[streetking-15]

here is the ski being disassembled.
i had to add stainless ribs to fix the crack in the hull.

 

[streetking-15]

better view of the crack i had to fix. the flywheel teeth are a bit chewed up should i pull the jet pump if im repainting it?

 

[Roseand]

Welcome to the x!
Is that how you're going to fix those cracks? Id recommend drilling out the cracks, and then laying some fiberglass over them.

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[TheCoz43]

I wouldnt pull it if it spins easy. It can be hard to get out. The Kawis pump shoe is glued in the hull. It is the bottom of the ski, no one sees down there and its usually always scratched up.

 

[Words]

Check out my thread http://www.x-h2o.com/index.php?threads/first-ski-build.139833/

I'm almost done my 550 I took step by step pictures they might help. I didn't take my pump out to much work we taped it off and painted around it. I wouldn't recommend going crazy as far as the hood it's going to add up quick and you already paid on the high end for that ski. Lastly I'd take out those metal pieces you put in and do like roseand said cut all the crap out and fibreglass then find a beef it kit on here usually some for sale.

 

[streetking-15]

The rivets I put in with the stainless steel bars seems to make it extremely stiff, but I have the materials on hand to fiberglass it so I think I will. I might just fiberglass the plates in there. At least the long one on the sides and remove the one in the hood-line. And just masking off the pump is what I'm going to do because it doesn't need to be replaced or anything it's still in great condition. Thanks guys! Pic Updates tomorrow, most of the engine is apart and getting it ready to bead blast the exhaust and header for paint!

 

[streetking-15]

Here is the engine disassembly and repainting before

 

[streetking-15]

And after

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[streetking-15]

Anybody know how hard it is to remove the barrels from the engine block? I want to blast that and repainting it also. Is there any bolts holding it on other then the head bolts?


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[kwakhead]

DEFINETLY FIBERGLASS THE CRACKS!!!! Otherwise it will just keep cracking, or leak water through them. Use epoxy resin only, polyester resin, or the stuff u get from home depot or the auto shop won't stick to the smc the 550 hull is made out of. Cheers, make er fast!

 

[kwakhead]

Not hard to remove the cylinders, or "barrels" lol. You just slide them off, keep in mind though, if you have never put pistons back into a cylinder, its fairly easy but if you don't know how, or don't have any patience, look it up on YouTube. And when u paint them, this may or may not sound stupid, but don't get any paint on the cylinders or intake/ exhaust ports.

 

[kwakhead]

Was your cylinders and tape over them, so if anything does get on, you can just peel it off.

 

[streetking-15]

Just got done painting it all actually and I did mask it all off.

 

[streetking-15]

I'm going to scrape off any excess paint on the seals that I've seen just haven't had time yet

 

[streetking-15]

its getting there!

 

[streetking-15]

okay so a question I have with this... I was having problems with my starter just clicking when I would try and start it, I found when I disassembled my engine that the teeth on my flywheel were very worn down. would it be a bad idea to grind the teeth a little so that it wouldn't catch or should i just cough up the money and buy an aftermarket light flywheel?

 

[TheCoz43]

sounds like a bad connection somewhere or battery not charged. Shouldn't be a problem with the flywheel.

 

[streetking-15]

see i thought that too, but its actually clicking and you can feel it in the ski, and the starter spins great when its not on the crank. so i mean would it offset the balance alot if I just nicked off a little from the really bad teeth?

 

[kwakhead]

You've got a weak ground. Garenteed.