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Just bought my 2002 Honda Aquatrax F12-X turbo
Test rode it today in 40-degree Seattle water and LOVED IT! It is WAY too much machine for me and I didnt have the balls to open it more than half way - this thing is a ROCKET!
Ok, that aside, this is my first JetSki - I have rented a bunch of times, rode many SeaDoos, but this one I have to take care of. Not a new boater, or new to speed either - I built and raced Twin Turbo cars upwards of 240mph, sail, have a Zodiac, etc...
My first question is regarding flushing. The factory manual, as is usually the case, must have been written by chimps!
Let's just say that my hose valve and my jetski are on OPPOSITE sides of my house - this was a PITA! First time out, I guess I didnt have enough hose pressure and the motor would not 'pee'. Tried revving it a few times (I have to do this on my outboard for the termastat to open) to no avail, then shut it down. Waited about a minute, then tried again with higher hose pressure and it peed OK, a bit warm at first (hot, but not steaming) but then everything seemed OK.
Ok guys, this flush procedure and a lack of a normal easily accessable hose attachment is idiotic. There have got to be some better ways of doing this.
For instance, cant I just tip the ski nose up and leave the hose running with the engine off? Can water still back-flow that way? Seems like a design flaw to me...
Any other gotcha's I should know about as a new Ski owner? I know parts for these things are $$$ and I would like to avoid the common mistakes. From reading this forum, I gather that putting the drain plugs back in is a good idea
Another thing, the manual says that I need to get a "generally avalible" pump for sucking the oil out of my ski. I have never had to suck oil out of anything - it is usually drained... What does the group suggest? Where do I get a pump best suited for this? And yet another thing - where do I get oil filters? Will the filters at my local FLAPS work for this, or do I need to order them? If so, where would you suggest? Is synthetic engine oil OK to run in these?
Ok, that aside, this is my first JetSki - I have rented a bunch of times, rode many SeaDoos, but this one I have to take care of. Not a new boater, or new to speed either - I built and raced Twin Turbo cars upwards of 240mph, sail, have a Zodiac, etc...
My first question is regarding flushing. The factory manual, as is usually the case, must have been written by chimps!
"Turn on engine, then turn on hose. Do not turn on hose first or you will flood and destroy your motor. Turn on your hose, but not too hard because pressure can destroy your motor. Do not run engine for more than 15 seconds without water or you will destroy it. When done, shut off the hose and rev the motor to 4000RPM to shoot the water out of the exhaust."
Ok guys, this flush procedure and a lack of a normal easily accessable hose attachment is idiotic. There have got to be some better ways of doing this.
For instance, cant I just tip the ski nose up and leave the hose running with the engine off? Can water still back-flow that way? Seems like a design flaw to me...
Any other gotcha's I should know about as a new Ski owner? I know parts for these things are $$$ and I would like to avoid the common mistakes. From reading this forum, I gather that putting the drain plugs back in is a good idea
Another thing, the manual says that I need to get a "generally avalible" pump for sucking the oil out of my ski. I have never had to suck oil out of anything - it is usually drained... What does the group suggest? Where do I get a pump best suited for this? And yet another thing - where do I get oil filters? Will the filters at my local FLAPS work for this, or do I need to order them? If so, where would you suggest? Is synthetic engine oil OK to run in these?
mulitpourpose lubricant to lubricate the turbo, waste-gate actuator, and all other engine components that may get/be wet. This product is widely used by the Honda contingent with great success. Also, there is no "drain plug" on this engine to remove for oil drainage, therefore we must use a "pump" to suck it out through "2" different areas on the ski. The first is the obvious front oil reservoir where you add the oil. The second is far less obvious under the turbo inlet in the rear of the engine. It is a much smaller cap that can easily be lost if dropped, so be cautious when removing/reinstalling. Some actually attach safety wire to it in case it is fumbled. I did. The oil pumps are available through marine shops and Internet sites, as well as aftermarket. Use the search feature on this site to find oil extractor brands, etc. I would stick with OEM oil filters, and I think most of the Honda owners would agree. There has been post about oil filter integrity, and Honda OEM seems to pretty high on the quality list. Fully synthetic oil is ok to run in these machines, as long as the initial break in period is completed (2002, so I assume yours is). hondapartsdirect.com is a well used site to buy parts from, but test them first and derive your own opinion as I have never used them ( I use a local dealer who is very kind to me). Buy yourself at least 2 sets of extra spark plugs, as we all know the Honda's have a bad habit of fouling for no specific reason. Work on the water is to try Advance Auto parts for the best pricing on them as they are expensive. Sorry for the long post, but wanted to give as much info as I could in a short amount of time. I'm sure there will be more put to your questions. Enjoy.
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