I was riding my ski at cruising speeds then hit one wave. About 10 seconds after I was back to cruising speed and it started to bog then died. Started back up for about a second then died again. Wouldn’t start back op so I towed it back to shore and when I opened the hood there was a lot of smoke, not steam which is normal. Primed it a few times and tried to start it out of the water and it started right up but then went straight to redline. Pulled the plugs and to my surprise there was smoke coming out of the cylinders (I just though that it might’ve been normal). The next day I tried to start it again and pulled the air filters off. Put some gas in the carbs and it fired for a second probably about one rotation and then kept cranking but there was smoke coming out of the carbs. What went wrong this time? Is it the reeds?
760 smoking out of carbs and won’t start
- Thread starter Rider701
- Start date
john zigler
Vendor Account
- Location
- wisconsin
To me, by your descriptions, I think you have a few things going on / bad.
1st - for an engine to run you need spark, fuel and compression. We need to determine what is missing from this equasion, and trouble shoot from there. By the sounds of it, I "think" maybe you have a fuel issue. (With you adding fuel down the carb, and it started) BUT do not assume this..... Check compression, and spark, with spark testers. Laying the plugs on the head is not accurate. Weak spark will go away under Load. Load = compression.
Smoke coming out of your plug holes is normal if you pull the plugs right after your engine ran.
Couple of things that do concern me;
Smoke in the engine compartment. = This is usually from some sort of exhaust leak. Your ski cannot / will not run with exhaust in the engine compartment as it will choke it self off. You NEED to find the leak and fix it.
You say when you started your ski one time "It went straight to red line" = This sounds like a lean runaway from a lean condition. (As long as your throttle cable is NOT stuck). You need to find out what is wrong here. Do a leak down test to determine if your engine is sealed properly, crank seals, etc. Go through your fuel system completely, rebuild carbs, replace lines, fuel filter, fuel select, check tank pick ups, and so on.
I wish you luck. Please report all findings back here.
1st - for an engine to run you need spark, fuel and compression. We need to determine what is missing from this equasion, and trouble shoot from there. By the sounds of it, I "think" maybe you have a fuel issue. (With you adding fuel down the carb, and it started) BUT do not assume this..... Check compression, and spark, with spark testers. Laying the plugs on the head is not accurate. Weak spark will go away under Load. Load = compression.
Smoke coming out of your plug holes is normal if you pull the plugs right after your engine ran.
Couple of things that do concern me;
Smoke in the engine compartment. = This is usually from some sort of exhaust leak. Your ski cannot / will not run with exhaust in the engine compartment as it will choke it self off. You NEED to find the leak and fix it.
You say when you started your ski one time "It went straight to red line" = This sounds like a lean runaway from a lean condition. (As long as your throttle cable is NOT stuck). You need to find out what is wrong here. Do a leak down test to determine if your engine is sealed properly, crank seals, etc. Go through your fuel system completely, rebuild carbs, replace lines, fuel filter, fuel select, check tank pick ups, and so on.
I wish you luck. Please report all findings back here.
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
To add to this, by smoke or maybe you mean a fuel vapor? coming from the carbs when you pulled the flame arrestor off, that would suggest to me you have a, or multiple, broken reed petals. The engine will also absolutely not run with broken reeds as the fuel charge can now be pushed back up the intake tract while the crank is turning. The reeds are, for the most part, what seal your intake tract from such a thing happening.
Great basic information we all should remember.Thanks John
E350
Site Supporter
- Location
- Sacramento Delta
John, do you sell or recommend a particular spark tester for our CDI ignitions?
john zigler
Vendor Account
- Location
- wisconsin
- Location
- mobile alabama
That will do it !
john zigler
Vendor Account
- Location
- wisconsin
Good for you though, getting in, and figuring out what went wrong.
Cracked cyl is typically from high compression, and running an aftermarket pipe without a girdled head.