monkeyboy650
superjet
- Location
- st clair michigan
a friend of mine has a 550 that is bone stock outher than a prop, intake grate, and ride plate. what could he do to get some power for cheap????
550 kawi
- Thread starter monkeyboy650
- Start date
monkeyboy650
superjet
- Location
- st clair michigan
its an 87 i belive
monkeyboy650
superjet
- Location
- st clair michigan
anyone, someone has to know sum thing about these things?:Thinkingof_:
Zeon
WNY Crew
- Location
- Buffalo, NY/ Crystal beach, Ontario
monkeyboy650
superjet
- Location
- st clair michigan
yah i know i found that out already, i was just wondering because i never see after market parts for them.
Big Kahuna
Administrator
- Location
- Tuscaloosa, AL
Mill the head, add a waterbypass, find an alum waterbox.
A Factory Pipe Limited (Half Pipe) is the only pipe that made any noticeable gain on that ski unless you port the motor.
Add a Flame Arrestor (Ocean Pro).
disconnect the rev limiter, it is a gas valve, remove the gas line and clip the wires.
A Factory Pipe Limited (Half Pipe) is the only pipe that made any noticeable gain on that ski unless you port the motor.
Add a Flame Arrestor (Ocean Pro).
disconnect the rev limiter, it is a gas valve, remove the gas line and clip the wires.
monkeyboy650
superjet
- Location
- st clair michigan
prolly haveing the head milled, and what does a water by pass do for performance? thanks!
oxnard111
Creative RE Purchasing
- Location
- so Cali, Ventura/Oxnard area
I'm guessing it lets the engine get a little warmer than stock.
monkeyboy650
superjet
- Location
- st clair michigan
mk i dont c any power out of that but ok. how sells a head for tha motor??
Zeon
WNY Crew
- Location
- Buffalo, NY/ Crystal beach, Ontario
optimum running temperatures give the perfect power...running to much water making it too cold is bad... running it TOOO warm is DEFF bad.. you will loose power if its too cold or to warm... tuning it to the right temp makes a huge diff. ESP with B PIPES
monkeyboy650
superjet
- Location
- st clair michigan
yah, how would u tune that in???? it would change all the time:wiggle:
Zeon
WNY Crew
- Location
- Buffalo, NY/ Crystal beach, Ontario
honestly a huge difference is an upgraded motor OBViously.. if you can find an old x2 or somthing for like 3-400 bucks with a 650... do the conversion... well worth the money
monkeyboy650
superjet
- Location
- st clair michigan
yah thats wut i would do, but my friend is kinda lazy, so iwas looking for something he could just bold on..
Zeon
WNY Crew
- Location
- Buffalo, NY/ Crystal beach, Ontario
lol if hes lazy just got buy a superjet and call it a day 
but ya.. i had an old kawi.. i think most people on here have had one... there fun to ride but there is so much more out for newer skis. but there is still a lot out for the old skis just its finding them.
but ya.. i had an old kawi.. i think most people on here have had one... there fun to ride but there is so much more out for newer skis. but there is still a lot out for the old skis just its finding them.
Endo
Non-tree hugger
- Location
- Northeastern Indiana
The water bypass dries out the exhaust. And to add to BK, I have always liked the westcoast exhaust and manifolds....the blue ones that can be cut back. Beyond those things you are into porting and pistons.
monkeyboy650
superjet
- Location
- st clair michigan
yah, ill look into that, i have a superjet and he wants to be able to keep up with me!
Endo
Non-tree hugger
- Location
- Northeastern Indiana
Oh..it's capable if the rider is. But not with just bolt-ons.
RoyalFlush@PCB
Shootin' The Crap
- Location
- PCB
I had good luck with the Coffman's half-pipe on my old 550's. Seems like ages ago----wait, it was!!! :crutches:
- Location
- Mount Albert, Ontario
The biggest improvement you'll make will be by adding an aftermarket pipe to the motor. If you aren't going to do any porting, the half-pipes are generally the best all-around improvement.
I would go with either the Coffman's Climax or Factory Pipe versions.
If you want to mill the head make sure you check the squish clearance in the dome first. On a stock dome, the clearance between the gasket surface into the edge of the dome is usually around .070". You can safely mill off .040" to .050" to bump the compression up to a good level still safe for pump gas.
Another relatively cheap thing you can do is have the pump reduction nozzle bored out. This will give it some more acceleration without sacrificing too much top speed. Some times, depending on what pitch impeller you are running on the 550, the top speed will stay the same or even go up a tiny bit. A stock 550 nozzle measures about 65mm in diameter. When I bored my 550 nozzle I took it out to about 67mm I think. How much you bore will depend a lot on how thick the casting is on your nozzle. You should be able to take the nozzle to a machine shop to have it bored for $40 or so.
This is a great link to the "other" forum that will have a lot more information on the old 550s. Look around in the Vintage Skis part of the forum also.
http://www.pwctoday.com/showthread.php?t=40122
I would go with either the Coffman's Climax or Factory Pipe versions.
If you want to mill the head make sure you check the squish clearance in the dome first. On a stock dome, the clearance between the gasket surface into the edge of the dome is usually around .070". You can safely mill off .040" to .050" to bump the compression up to a good level still safe for pump gas.
Another relatively cheap thing you can do is have the pump reduction nozzle bored out. This will give it some more acceleration without sacrificing too much top speed. Some times, depending on what pitch impeller you are running on the 550, the top speed will stay the same or even go up a tiny bit. A stock 550 nozzle measures about 65mm in diameter. When I bored my 550 nozzle I took it out to about 67mm I think. How much you bore will depend a lot on how thick the casting is on your nozzle. You should be able to take the nozzle to a machine shop to have it bored for $40 or so.
This is a great link to the "other" forum that will have a lot more information on the old 550s. Look around in the Vintage Skis part of the forum also.
http://www.pwctoday.com/showthread.php?t=40122