WetJet / Westcoast Pipes

[ATS_Aaron]

I searched saw a few people running or attempting to run these. I'd like to make a thread (sticky even?) about these pipes since the information out there is pretty limited.

I have one in a SN that I built mainly from scrap parts. It runs pretty good, but could probably be better with some tuning.

Here are a couple pics of it.

Aaron

 

[ATS_Aaron]

What are the basic parts of the WET JET pipe? The pipe comes in 3 pieces (plus harware, gaskets, crush washers, a bracket, etc). The 3 main pieces are the manifold, the head pipe, and the tail cone.

Can I bolt it straight into my SuperJet or Blaster? NO. I have no experience installing it in a Blaster, but I did put one in a SN Superjet. The tailcone has to be cut and rotated so that the exit points towards the stock water box.

What kind of pipe is it? I've seen it called a wet pipe and a dry pipe. More on that in a minute.

What about water routing? In the pictures it looks like it has 42 water fittings/holes.

Most of the holes are for the mounting bracket that secures the HEAVY pipe to the stock cylinder head. I cut and modified my bracket so it works with my Protec Recreational head.

Looking at individual parts -

1. The manifold is pretty simple, but due to an odd casting it doesn't use all the bolts. Seems to be leak free on my ski though. It is set up for single cooling. I'm not sure how easy it would be to add another cooling inlet line.

Here is a pic of the complete pipe and a close up of some text on the exhaust manifold.

Aaron

 

[BombThreat]

Thanks for the info, i bought one of these a while back to install on a B1 but never really got into it. Bought redpipe instead.... I think Ill have another go at it this winter on my spare boat.

 

[ATS_Aaron]

Wet or Dry? You tell me.

The manifold appears to be dray and does not inject any water into the exhaust. The water goes into the manifold and then into the engine.

The head pipe has water going into it at the back near the exhaust manifold from the head and then water come out at the top near the joint to the tail cone. The pipe is jacketed and does not inject water into the pipe. So the first half of the Wet Jet pipe is 100% DRY.

The tail cone has a large water fitting right next to the joint to the head pipe. This sprays directly into the exhaust. There is a small 1/8th fitting that also sprays into the tail cone, I assume this comes directly off the stock 61X head.

There is also a stinger fitting that injects water right at the exit of the tail cone.

So technically speaking it is a wet pipe, but all of the other wet pipes I have seen injected water early at the head pipe, this one waits until ~50% through the exhaust. Someone with more knowledge on pipes and water will have to tell us why.

Aaron

 

[QuickMick]

TesH20Racer tried to install that pipe in his B1.. he said no dice. He even ground the buttons on the side for clearance. I ended up having to weld one of them back up.

 

[ATS_Aaron]

So how do I make it fit my Superjet?

It's actually not hard. I attached a picture of my modified tail cone compared to the stock one.

The tail cone is NOT jacketed. So it's pretty simple welding. I cut my tail cone with a saws-all. Then sanded both halves as flat as I could (doing a better job of cutting flat and even will save you this step). Then I installed the pipe in the ski, including the first half of the tail cone. I then held the last half in place and made a few makes to find my best rotation.

I used some paint removing disks and lots of solvent to get the area near the cut as clean as I could so it could be welded. Then we TIG'd it together.

Aaron

 

[QuickMick]

So how do I make it fit my Superjet?

It's actually not hard. I attached a picture of my modified tail cone compared to the stock one.

The tail cone is NOT jacketed. So it's pretty simple welding. I cut my tail cone with a saws-all. Then sanded both halves as flat as I could (doing a better job of cutting flat and even will save you this step). Then I installed the pipe in the ski, including the first half of the tail cone. I then held the last half in place and made a few makes to find my best rotation.

I used some paint removing disks and lots of solvent to get the area near the cut as clean as I could so it could be welded. Then we TIG'd it together.

Aaron

How did you check your weld?
PT?
MT?
WFMT?
RT?

Full pen or seal weld?
Did you stencile your weld?

am I asking too many stupid questions?

Last question, why are you choosing this pipe over a type 4, riva, protec or the B pipe? Because you have it and you can make it fit?

 

[ATS_Aaron]

A couple of tips:

1. Keep the bracket (part 3 in diagram). This thing is held together with two large clamps (parts 5 and 8). The pipe vibrates enough that it will rotate. The bracket was apparently designed to eliminate this problem.

2. There should be copper crush washers (parts 4 and 7) between the joints. This keeps the exhaust on the inside ;-)

3. Grind off some of the casting on the top of the head pipe. Check my installed pics and notice how it's barely touching the hull. You can avoid this with a little grinding.

Aaron

 

[ATS_Aaron]

How did you check your weld?

I rode it and it didn't crack or fall off....yet

Full pen or seal weld?
Did you stencile your weld?

I don't know enough to answer that one. I think Matt welded it and he doesn't work here anymore.

am I asking too many stupid questions?

Last question, why are you choosing this pipe over a type 4, riva, protec or the B pipe? Because you have it and you can make it fit?[/QUOTE]

Yes. I paid under $100 for this thing. I'll admit that if you shop and wait and shop and wait there are deals to be found on good exhausts, but this was cheap and effective. I have less than 2 hours in the installation and modifications. So it's not that much more hassle than a Factory Pipe.

Oh yeah, this is NOT on my good ski, it's on a loaner that we let friends ride. That seems to be the consensus between the people that have this pipe. It never goes on their good ski, it ends up on a loaner/spare.

Aaron

 

[ATS_Aaron]

How heavy is that thing?

23 lbs.

How much power does it add?

The 1995 Wet Jet Kraze with this pipe and a 46mm carb was rated at 75hp. The 1995 Superjet 61X with Yamaha pipe and 44mm carb was rated at 63hp. I'd be willing to bet that most of the increase came from the pipe and not the +2mm on the carb. I think +10hp is a safe bet.

How do we make it better? I suspect that reducing the amount of water at the top of the tail cone and or at the stinger will effect performance...but I'm not sure how much.

Alright, I spilled my guts with how much I know about these. Anyone else?

Aaron

 

[kevbo]

Those Westcoast/Wetjet pipes work as well as any, but installation quality is critical. The small V-band clamp will break if its not perfect.

 

[ATS_Aaron]

I forgot one more installation tip. I had to flip one of my e-box mounting brackets over and modify the other. I moved the E-box towards the right side of the ski (when standing in the tray).

Also I am only using half of the Wet Jet bracket. It's enough to reduce vibration. By cutting off the part of the bracket that attached to the tail cone I was able to rotate the tail cone to a more favorable position to meet up with the Superjet water box/clear the tank/and enough room between the hull and stinger nozzle.

Aaron

 

[JetManiac]

Good info about this pipe, I have one from a raider that I parted that was run without the tail cone mod.

If anyone wants to try one, I have one:

http://pwctoday.com/f13/wet-jet-pipe-fits-yamaha-650-701-70-a-228112.html

 

[Tanman]

Well I have one I am planning on running thanks to Crab so I'm up to bat once my ski is out of paint and re-inforcement. I'll see how i can do and this isn't my loaner ski so I hope I can get the ponies!!

 

[SUPERJET-113]

How did you check your weld?
PT?
MT?
WFMT?
RT?

Full pen or seal weld?
Did you stencile your weld?

am I asking too many stupid questions?

Yes, you are Mick...lol
Its just a old exhaust pipe.

I know what your talking about, I went to college for a year and a half for NDT. Also along with that was metalurgy/welding classes.
We worked with all the principles.
Live sources of Iridium-192 and Cobalt 64 live was pretty interesting to be around!

Anyways, good info on the Wetjet pipe, didnt mean to thread jack.

 

[Yohns Kustom Fabrikation]

Also these pipes can have different inside diameters. The Kraze pipe I have, while looking to be identical from the outside, have slightly larger chambers inside. I have both types I will post pics.

 

[ATS_Aaron]

I had mine out of the ski tonight. I should have taken pictures. I noticed that I did grind on the cylinder some in the bolt areas above the exhaust manifold flange (I think a stock exhaust bracket bolts there). I did that so that I could rotate the pipe as close to the cylinder as possible to increase hull clearance.

Aaron

 

[FX-Rex]

Also these pipes can have different inside diameters. The Kraze pipe I have, while looking to be identical from the outside, have slightly larger chambers inside. I have both types I will post pics.

I've noticed that there are two different colors, one is blue and one is black. Which one is which?

 

[FX-Rex]

Oh and here is another thread which discusses how this pipe fits in Blasters and Sjs
http://www.x-h2o.com/threads/49598&highlight=wetjet+pipe

 

[Big Kahuna]

Wet or Dry? You tell me.

The manifold appears to be dray and does not inject any water into the exhaust. The water goes into the manifold and then into the engine. This is how all aftermarket pipes are setup. Esp the B Pipes.
The head pipe has water going into it at the back near the exhaust manifold from the head and then water come out at the top near the joint to the tail cone. This section serves the same purpose as the FPP B Pipe head pipe. (WET)

The pipe is jacketed and does not inject water into the pipe. So the first half of the Wet Jet pipe is 100% DRY. Did you plug the exit fitting and run water into the jacket to 100% determine if it did or did not inject water into the chamber? All Pipes have some form of waterjacket.

The tail cone has a large water fitting right next to the joint to the head pipe. This sprays directly into the exhaust. I would at this point say you have a WET Pipe. A dry pipe will typically have a waterjacket that covers 100% of the pipe. IE Type 4 or 9, water enters at the bottom by the coupler and exits right at the stinger with an injection port to add water to the exhaust as it leaves the pipe into the hose that leads to the waterbox

There is a small 1/8th fitting that also sprays into the tail cone, I assume this comes directly off the stock 61X head.

There is also a stinger fitting that injects water right at the exit of the tail cone.

So technically speaking it is a wet pipe, but all of the other wet pipes I have seen injected water early at the head pipe, this one waits until ~50% through the exhaust. Someone with more knowledge on pipes and water will have to tell us why.

Aaron

It looks like it injects water at different intervals to control the tuning of the pipe.