- Location
- Asheville, NC
OK ...pretty new to stand up (all jetskis for that matter) jet skis and I just ran across this online: Towing a Jet Ski - how do I prevent filling the engine
with water?
If you read in your manual it states that you cant tow your ski over 5 mph or
engine damage may result (flooding the cylinders via the exhaust por t s ) .
The tow tap (tow-valve) solves this issue and is mainly done to allow people
to tow their pwcs behind boats at speed (above 5 mph).
All skis as far as I'm aware use the pump water flow downstream of the
impeller ,where the water is pressurised, to flow water through the cooling
system.
That is ... they don't have a water pump per se they just bleed pressurised
water off the main pump.
Because the water intake of the ski is far greater i n size than the pump
nozzle outlet it builds pressure by being towed. That is ..water starts to flow
through the pump when towed and has a smaller outlet than inlet so builds
pressure.
Water starts to flow through the cooling system now ... if this pressure gets
high enough it will overcome the gravity of the exhaust port height. Water
pushes ever more upward including the water cooled exhaust passages
...which lead to the exhaust port with an open exhaust valve which leads to
the particular cylinder that has has the open valve ... and the cylinder fills
with water .
A tow tap goes in the main feed line from the pump to the motor and you
close it to tow the craft and keep it safe from "tow flooding" the engine
cylinders via the exhaust cooling passages .
Check your owner 's manual to see if you can tow at speed with the Kawis . . I
don't think you can but check anywa y . . . Yamaha don't recommend towing
over 5mph for this reason.
Even the closed loop cooling system of the Seadoo Runabouts don't keep
them safe from this flooding as they run an open loop cooling through the
exhaus t .
You wont sink them .... but you may flood the engine cylinders with water !
Its kind of like running it on the hose with the engine off ... water is going up
the cooling lines with engine off when you tow it ....
I am a family man and I own a 2001 Superjet. The ONLY time I have a chance to use it is when we go as a family out on the boat. ...Last year I had an old 1995 550sx that I would tow behind the boat and when we got to a nice spot at a beach on the lake we would ancor and the kids and wife and I swim and hang out and I get to ride some. ...It worked out great and I never had a problem. I towed pretty fast ( I had never heard of it being a problem - didn't know it could be?) ... IS it REALLY a problem/concern? ...Is the "tow-tap" the answer? ...should I just not be doing that? other options? ...just go slow ( not really an option ) ....Just ride it I know, but thats not really an option either ...wife doesn't like to drive the boat and we go on the boat together for family time. If the "tow-tap" is the answer... where do I get one?
with water?
If you read in your manual it states that you cant tow your ski over 5 mph or
engine damage may result (flooding the cylinders via the exhaust por t s ) .
The tow tap (tow-valve) solves this issue and is mainly done to allow people
to tow their pwcs behind boats at speed (above 5 mph).
All skis as far as I'm aware use the pump water flow downstream of the
impeller ,where the water is pressurised, to flow water through the cooling
system.
That is ... they don't have a water pump per se they just bleed pressurised
water off the main pump.
Because the water intake of the ski is far greater i n size than the pump
nozzle outlet it builds pressure by being towed. That is ..water starts to flow
through the pump when towed and has a smaller outlet than inlet so builds
pressure.
Water starts to flow through the cooling system now ... if this pressure gets
high enough it will overcome the gravity of the exhaust port height. Water
pushes ever more upward including the water cooled exhaust passages
...which lead to the exhaust port with an open exhaust valve which leads to
the particular cylinder that has has the open valve ... and the cylinder fills
with water .
A tow tap goes in the main feed line from the pump to the motor and you
close it to tow the craft and keep it safe from "tow flooding" the engine
cylinders via the exhaust cooling passages .
Check your owner 's manual to see if you can tow at speed with the Kawis . . I
don't think you can but check anywa y . . . Yamaha don't recommend towing
over 5mph for this reason.
Even the closed loop cooling system of the Seadoo Runabouts don't keep
them safe from this flooding as they run an open loop cooling through the
exhaus t .
You wont sink them .... but you may flood the engine cylinders with water !
Its kind of like running it on the hose with the engine off ... water is going up
the cooling lines with engine off when you tow it ....
I am a family man and I own a 2001 Superjet. The ONLY time I have a chance to use it is when we go as a family out on the boat. ...Last year I had an old 1995 550sx that I would tow behind the boat and when we got to a nice spot at a beach on the lake we would ancor and the kids and wife and I swim and hang out and I get to ride some. ...It worked out great and I never had a problem. I towed pretty fast ( I had never heard of it being a problem - didn't know it could be?) ... IS it REALLY a problem/concern? ...Is the "tow-tap" the answer? ...should I just not be doing that? other options? ...just go slow ( not really an option ) ....Just ride it I know, but thats not really an option either ...wife doesn't like to drive the boat and we go on the boat together for family time. If the "tow-tap" is the answer... where do I get one?