Helluva SXR issue...need analysis

[WFO Speedracer]

I have seen quite a few threads about problems with the new SXR cylinders,which reminded me of this X2 craziness,it could be a crack and not a hole and it could possibly only open up when it gets hot,when it cools of its all good! I am only speculating here of course.Of course if I am right I drink Landshark!

 

[djkorn1]

1st. Cut your wires back at the boots. (It takes 10 minutes)

2nd. Drain your gas tank into a 5 gallon bucket and let it sit. Then slowly pour it into another bucket. If there is water, you will see it and then take apart the carbs and clean them. Clean out the tank the rest of the way with rags taped to a stick.

3rd. It that doesn't help, pressure Test.

4th. If thats not it, rip her apart and look for cracks.

 

[WET BOX]

1st. Cut your wires back at the boots. (It takes 10 minutes)

2nd. Drain your gas tank into a 5 gallon bucket and let it sit. Then slowly pour it into another bucket. If there is water, you will see it and then take apart the carbs and clean them. Clean out the tank the rest of the way with rags taped to a stick.

3rd. It that doesn't help, pressure Test.

4th. If thats not it, rip her apart and look for cracks.

X2 :biggrin:

 

[ncarter124]

1st. Cut your wires back at the boots. (It takes 10 minutes)

2nd. Drain your gas tank into a 5 gallon bucket and let it sit. Then slowly pour it into another bucket. If there is water, you will see it and then take apart the carbs and clean them. Clean out the tank the rest of the way with rags taped to a stick.

3rd. It that doesn't help, pressure Test.

4th. If thats not it, rip her apart and look for cracks.

Couldn't agree more. Sorry for barging in here randomly, I'm the buddy that suggested the water in the tank and/or float bowls in the carb(s). I don't know a ton about ski's, but that's my slightly educated guess.

But yeah Rich, do the wires, as they take no time at all, drain the gas and clean the carbs, then pressure test.

 

[ncarter124]

Oh...a buddy of mine sent this to me...he knows a lot about cars and engines, but it sounded like it makes some sense to me:
"Honestly, it really sounds like water in the tank, carbs, or both. Unscrew your float bowls (I assume this is a normal carb setup) and check for water beads. What I am guessing, and this is only a guess, is that somewhere along the line you got water in your tank. As the ski runs, the water beads get smaller (imagine shaking up oily salad dressing)and get into the fuel lines, and therefore the float bowls. The same vibrations happen in the bowls, and then it gets into the motor. This also explains why it runs fine at first, because the water is beaded up really big at first, and isn't going anywhere. I assume that since it runs fine at a certain rpm, that is a harmonic resonance that is agreeable to the ski, and is keeping the water bubbles from geting into the motor.

Again, strictly a guess, but worth a shot."

Makes sense to me except the bowls.

Forget that part. I forgot this is a 2-stroke. Doh! Looks like it runs a Keihin CDKII carb, so yeah, forget the bowls comment.

 

[ncarter124]

Here is a diagram of the carb
http://www.tripleateam.com/water/d/64218-1/Keihin+Throttle+Position.jpg

I see a filter in there that could be clogged (water or just gunk from 2 years of running) as well as a fuel chamber that may have water in it. Rebuild kits are around $35, might consider that just for good measure anyways.

 

[Jetaddict]

Tom, I'll bring the ski in on Friday if that's OK with you....

 

[tom21]

1st. Cut your wires back at the boots. (It takes 10 minutes)we have done this already- I am not a total slacker- seems we both neglected to mention it.

2nd. Drain your gas tank into a 5 gallon bucket and let it sit. Then slowly pour it into another bucket. If there is water, you will see it and then take apart the carbs and clean them. Clean out the tank the rest of the way with rags taped to a stick.

3rd. It that doesn't help, pressure Test.

4th. If thats not it, rip her apart and look for cracks.did this already too. did post that

Forget that part. I forgot this is a 2-stroke. Doh! Looks like it runs a Keihin CDKII carb, so yeah, forget the bowls comment.

they are mikunis but most of the rest of the kawis run keihins.

Tom, I'll bring the ski in on Friday if that's OK with you....

sounds good to me

I would have thought to check the fuel and carbs but the way this presented was not consistent, it would run good for a few rides and then not. it will run good until it warms up then not. where does the water go when it runs good for the day or two. now it runs like crap all the time, so maybe but I am still skeptical. I hope it does have water but I still thinks its a little deeper. which is why Rich posted so we had some more ideas on what to look at while were going thru the fuel and swapping coils. I don't have a stator to swap in or that would be on the list as well. we had planned to start simple and work our way up.:shrug:

thanks for all the advice. guess we'll see on friday if there is water in the tank.

 

[ncarter124]

they are mikunis but most of the rest of the kawis run keihins.

Aah, my bad. Good luck with it! I think myself and about 10 others would love to hear what it is if you get it fixed. I know I'm curious/stumped.

 

[tom21]

everyone does it. hell, I have to look twice half the time to make sure on some of em.

I hope it is simply water in the fuel, I could use a simple fix at this point in the season.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

everyone does it. hell, I have to look twice half the time to make sure on some of em.

I hope it is simply water in the fuel, I could use a simple fix at this point in the season.

Ha ha you maka me laff simple shoeshine boy lol!

 

[rubbertoe]

think your looking way to hard into this,its probably water in the fuel.i dont know how many times this problem has tricked me into looking in the wrong direction.

 

[Jetaddict]

Rubbertoe, thanks for bringing this thread back from the dead!!
FINAL ANALYSIS THANKS TO TOM:
water got in the fuel line (along with some other gunk and sand) then plugged up the carb filters. Simple solution! You're right.
I also found that a lot of the sand looked like it may have came from when I replaced my stock handlepole with an AC aluminum one. The breather tube that goes into the pole from the tank was no doubt ingesting some sand it worked its way into the tank. I rectified the problem by yanking the tube, cutting it down, and rerouting it into the engine compartment per some recommendations people threw at me. I left the valve in the tube to prohibit water from coming in if the compartment got flooded. I always thought that there was no way that water could go down that tube due to pressure, but I think with all the subbing and a couple of times I partially sunk the ski, it somehow worked its way through.
I ran it the rest of the summer and up through October, and its running like a champ!

 

[chasingdaylight]

442-7700



:nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono:


:
:wizard: :wizard: :wizard: :wizard: :wizard:

 

[dbrutherford]

I blew and engine once because of water in the gas. The rear rod sawed the engine in half. I would never believe it was water in the gas except I siphoned all the gas out into clear plastic jugs. There was this cloudy milky white hair conditioner looking stuff floating around in the gas until it all settled and turned into water after a few weeks. It was from repeated subs and that crappy water seperator crap Kawasaki put on the X2.

 

[betrezra]

solved

Glad you solved it.

I was thinking head gasket.

Never thought you could dump sand down a vent line into the gas tank? Who knew?

Cracks in the cyls? Wow never heard of that..... that would be VERY hard to diagnose.

:wizard:

 

[Shonuff]

Woohoo!

 

[Jetaddict]

I blew and engine once because of water in the gas. The rear rod sawed the engine in half. I would never believe it was water in the gas except I siphoned all the gas out into clear plastic jugs. There was this cloudy milky white hair conditioner looking stuff floating around in the gas until it all settled and turned into water after a few weeks. It was from repeated subs and that crappy water seperator crap Kawasaki put on the X2.

Semen??

:icon16:

That's exactly what it looked like in my filters/tank..like someone splooged into my tank....

 

[dbrutherford]

Yeah it was the weirdest looking stuff. I know for a fact it was water in mine but not sure why it was all cloudy and white. Once it all settled down to the bottom of my containers I put the siphoned gas in, you could tell it was water. It was clear then and the gas was that yellow tea color.

I asked my college chemistry professor at the time and he said he had no clue. Compounds of the same molecular makeup will dissolve in each other. Liek alchol and water, gasoline and oil, ect.

It cost me a low hour engine and a few weeks of sumer time riding. Then again it was just a 650 and that ski was my first and it had the associated steep learning curve attached to it. After crashing into my friend, it eventually got cut up and thrown away.

 

[tom21]

i'm starting to get the same issue on my sxr. looks like its time to pull the motor and fuel tank to check if the neck is cracked.:sad2: