Treasure in the Trash: Reviving a 440/550 Kawasaki Jet Ski! 💎🗑️
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- Prepare to dive deep into the world of personal watercraft with the one and only Jet Ski Jim! In this exclusive episode, he's bringing you the inside scoop on what can only be described as the 'Model T's of PWCs' - the legendary 440/550 Kawasaki Jet Skis. Jet Ski Jim unravels the mysteries and tackles the most common pitfalls that these iconic machines often throw at their owners.
Are you a proud owner of a 440/550, or have you ever had the thrill of riding one of these classics? We want to hear your stories! Share your experiences with these vintage watercraft in the comments below. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just curious about these powerhouses, this video is a must-watch for all PWC enthusiasts. So, strap in and get ready for a deep dive into the world of 440/550s! 🌊🚤🛠️ #JetSkiJim #PWCEnthusiast #440550Experience
Happy Independence Day Y’all!
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Here is the Bass Pro Independence Day Sale! bassproshops.vzck.net/c/4259002/1725914/9453. Thank you for supporting my channel.
Need more content like this. Ive been working on these for a long time and still learned a bunch in this video.
I'm glad to hear. Welcome to the channel, and thank you for the kind words.
Stand up skis- the stuff that dreams are made of! Great vid Jim!
Another good episode Jimmy!
Bought a 550 piston port last winter. On summer two trying to get gremelins away to just be able to enjoy hehe. But hey, do enjoy learning and have found so much strange stuff! And still do… thanks a million for the 550 series build!
I had a couple 440 and 550 skis. Switched over to 650 and 750 skis. Had much better luck with them.
wow you must have like 50 years experience with these machines and engines. loved the video keep up the great work!
Great way to start problem solving. No good reason to not stay ahead of maintenance... Thanx !
My younger brother just rescued a 86 js440. Today we cleaned the carb and it fired up but did hesitate at first. This video just taught me how to begin my troubleshooting. 🤙
Great Video ! i'm an old Jet ski Mechanic from the 80's. Built a Bunch of 440's in my day. We used to punch them out to the Biggest 483. i Worked for Dana point Jet ski in California for many Years. started in about 1978.
Worked on thousands of jet skis over the years. 440's & 550's.
the old Black carbs - were Mikuni carbs.
Factory carbs. very reliable. easy to rebuild. diaphragms inside. i Never dipped them in a carb cleaner that i can recall. they were about 32 mm. if i recall.
We used to replace them with a Bigger Carb. from an articat snow mobile. carb.
a Walbro 42-44 mm carb. it was a Nice Bump in Horsepower.
We Built some of the Fastest Jet ski s of that era. 48 Mph. was the Fastest We built 483's to Run.
stock compression on a 440 back then was about 135 psi. if memory serves.
We used to Mill the Heads a lot.
We used to get them up to about 165-180 if Mem. serves.
Wiseco pistons.
advanced the Timing.
Ported intakes & exhaust.
Dana Point Jet Ski Ruled back in the 80's.
Ken Klus - Was the Owner Back then.
i was Wrote up in the newspaper back then. i used to Run the Service Shop For him Back then.
Those were some Great times !
Take care !
Jim, I have a JS300 B2, 1987. Runs perfect for about 1/2 hour, then looses power. Starts every time but starts bogging. Seems temperature related - I’m thinking electrical? Checked all the things you mentioned here, all good. Great video.
Jim, I have a JS300 B2, 1987. Runs perfect for about 1/2 hour, then looses power. Starts every time but starts bogging. Seems temperature related - I’m thinking electrical? Checked all the things you mentioned here, all good. Great video. 6:33
Happy 4th of July 🇺🇸
Going to look at one tomorrow this was the perfect video thanks
Great video, Jim! Did you get all the info, Kris?
You know I'm the one who tells him every thing he says in his videos. I am “Jet Ski Jim” 😂😂😂
Fuel system seems pretty standard to me since that is basically what two stroke boat engines used back in the 1950's and 1960's so very common to what we had back in the day. Didn't see a manual air pump to initially pressurize the fuel tank though. SOP working on the old carbs was to epoxy seal the expanding plugs especially if someone put the carbs in dip tanks. The newer dip solutions are highly corrosive so you have to follow the instructions as for how long you leave things in then (no more overnight soaks) and to do the required water wash afterwards or the solution will continue to corrode away the body around the plugs, threads and pressed in fittings potentially turning the entire carburetor into a porous brittle piece of scrap metal. Some had o-rings, teflon, nylon, etc seals on the shafts too that the dip would eat up requiring the butterfly's be removed so the seals could be replaced.
Reedless designs with creative porting does make compression more critical just like its done with 2 stroke chainsaws, lawnmowers, trimmers, etc. Also makes knowing the correct mix and using it with the best 2 stroke oil more critical. Too little you lose compression, seals and bearing surfaces from wear while too much and you get too much carbon buildup in the exhaust port also causing starting and other problems so no just eyeballing it and hoping for the best results.
Too much is deemed to be worthless trash because folks don't understand how it works and don't have the ability to see its different. Way too much ends up in the dumpster because folks don't understand the technology.
Best!
Great video. I have 2 550 rebuilds I am having such a hard time with. They keep flooding and filling the pistons/crank with fuel.
I've owned a 1980 440 and now have a 1985 440. The 80 threw a nasty electrical bug at me that I never could figure out and ended up selling to someone who thought they could tackle the issue. My 1985 has been great for a few years, but recently started back firing/bogging/running rich/smoking like a chimney. I think it is the crank seals but can't be sure. I love riding my skis but not sure if I want to tackle an engine disassembly and rebuild without being certain. Might be time to trade up for another ski...
Excellent video
Oh man where was this video 1 year ago when I was rehabbing a js550 for the first time? Yo uwould have saved me months of heartache - thanks.
I’d love to see a video like this on the superjet… just basic things looks over/check. I also liked the video on the 650 where you kept it stock but just little tips and tricks to get more speed out of it. Would love to see similar videos on the superjet!
I have been looking for a project superjet for over a year. Someday i will find one and do that for sure. :-)
Great content
Many thanks for messing with Merlin, Paul and Matt. It helps us landlubbers make the connection to motorized watersports.
Loved our 1983 Kawasaki 440 Jet ski (bought new in 83)Did a lot of cool trick things to it and enjoyed for over 10 years.
Good job Jimmy!
Working on my 440 right now. After completely taking it apart and adding new gaskets it still has bad compression. So now we’re trying to see what the cause of it is. Possibly piston rings?
Jim I like the jet ski content, have you considered filming when Merlin ropes you in to an adventure I think that would be some awesome content!
I took my first jet ski ride on a Kawasaki 550 in 1980 ... This week I brought home a 1988 Kawasaki JS440 that's been in storage since 2006. Just got her running, did some Googling, and found you :) Thanks for posting this... I see now that I am not alone!
Thanks for all the information on the 550. I have a 1984 js550 I'm painting, Thinking about moving the pisser returned line as its below the water line now, is this a good idea?
Very happy I found this channel. I have been following Fabrats for years. Picked up a beat to death 550 and some how got it to run. Stuffed the engine and drive into a Jon boat. I was trying to figure out some gremlins with the water supply to the engine. I think this video pointed me in the direction I need to go after I fix the stator that got spun around inside the flywheel. Learned more from this video than anything online.
Awesome video, very informative. Could you do a video of installing and siliconing the pump shoe. My 440 has major cavitation and I wanted to make sure I do the install and silicone job correctly. Thanks in advance
You bet, I will put that on the list. Thank you!
I have owned 550s since 1985 and done many of the things you are talking about,
Hello, grate video our Kaw JS 550 can run for an hour or two & when stopped or turned off it won’t start. It also cuts out at high rpm when hitting the gas and Wouldn’t idle either. We turned up the idle & turned the carb gas in tank screw & got rip of the high end lag & it now idles. Any other ideas or thoughts. Thanks
Thanks for the clear descriptions; helped me out with my 88' 550
Very cool!
You must buy an sx if your going to buy a 550 they were made from 1991 to 1995 if you see a 1990 sx it has the updated driveshaft and pump but still has the old piston port engine id avoid those unless your doing a engine swap or something like that
Great video! Glad I found your channel. I have ‘90 550 that hasn’t ran in a couple years… just went through the carb and got it started but it seems like it still isn’t pumping fuel. I’m wondering if it’s the reserve valve?
That's awesome! Check the compression. If it is above 130psi then do the mods to the carb from the video. :-)
Tested compression with two different testers and getting ~100 from both cylinders. Drained & re-filled fuel tank. Switch the carb back to original spring + bar and JB welded pressed in caps. Installed spark plugs that you recommend. Keep getting inconsistent starting but it’s easiest after it’s been sitting with a little bit of throttle. I’ve gotten it in the water twice and it’s ran good for a short session then bogs - dies - won’t restart.
Nice quality helpful video. Thanks!
Great video with tons of useful info. thanks for sharing
Keep it up Jimmy. Your awesome.
Hi Jim, i have a Js300 and a 650sx, do you think filling the handle pole with expanding foam is a good idea? i notice the 300 is empty with a drain hole near the pivot. Aluminium pole on the 650. Thanks, Simon
No, the hole in the bottom is for the fuel vent line. When the ski was new, a fuel line ran from the check valve on the fuel tank so that as you used fuel it used the void in the handle pole to pull fresh air in. That way if the check valve ever leaked fuel back through it, it would not vent inside the ski and create an explosion hazard.
Great video! I miss my old 550
Had a Frankenstein stand up here earlier this year that needed a complete wire harness.. not sure if the customer found 1 or not..thanks for the knowledge
Great Stuff !!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA 🎉HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY Jimmy and your family salute to all the veterans& troops It was awesome to met you in St.Louis last week had a great time hope to met again one day what another great video I can’t wait to get a jet ski been waiting one sent I was young but guess when the time is right then it meant for me to get one
I had a 550 with 200 lbs compression per hole but got rid of it. I had the BN carb rebuilt but I could never get it to run in the water.
I just bought an 88 440 in LHC, compression is a wee low (90lbs on mag and 100 on pto), I adjusted the carb to factory spec and it's push button start. NGL it does need some work but if I can get 1 ride for the season I'll be happy. The fuel system needs attention someone bypassed the filter and I suspect the carb needs some love. I do want to rebuild the top end and get some work to up the compression.
I've dealt with a 93 Polaris SL750 Triple and tuned those carbs, I can deal with a 88 Kawasaki 440.
LOL, that's awesome. Yeah, if you can deal with triples, that will be cake.
Cheers bro. Nice videos, keep em up :)
Great video man! In my area there isn't such thing as a 440 or 550 for a 100 bucks anymore. There like a grand for a clapped out beater lol.3k for a nice one. Even superjets are through the roof thanks to the discontinue of the 2 stroke version. 3k all day for a beat up 650 sqare nose. 5k for a 61x square nose. I I see round nose sj's for more then a 2023 4 stroke superjet smh. It's insane
Jim. I bought a 550 piston port ski. I had a Seattle dealer rebuild it. It blew up. We communally agreed to let me buy all reed motor parts at cost so I built a NICE reed motor. I got tired of resealing the mains. Steve "Cosmic" Miller(?) had a shop up here and he had some trick Dual Lip, dual spring, Teflon impregnated snowmobile main seals. I religiously leaked down tested my Long block for over a decade, I'd lose
yes, I have used them in the past. They do work great. They are still available for the 650/750/800 engines, I haven't seen them for the 550's in years though...
Jim do you know what compression should be on a stock 550? My 86’ is making 105psi
Does it start and run/idle? If so, then you may need to check your gauge. The piston port engines won't run down under about 120 psi, as there is not enough suction on intake stroke to pull fuel through the carb. Stock is 138-140, but they will run all the down to about 122-125 psi.
@@jetskijim007 I haven’t tried starting it yet. Did a complete rebuild, bottom and top end. However… I cheaped out and didn’t buy new pistons (only the rings). I took the cylinder to a local mechanic to hone it and give a cross hatching. That’s it. Assembled everything back and it’s making 105 in each cylinder.
@@jetskijim007 can I ask for your recommendation on where to start next?
@@tomken5919 Same story, here, had a local guy bore and got all new pistons and crank and I only get 110/115 (stock head).. It runs but tuning has been hell. I can't get it to idle below 1500rpm, is that because of the poor compression?
Hello, Im new to having an any aquatic vehicle in general but have managed to get ahold of a 550 like this one. On the right side of the tail looks to be what I only know to describe as a screw on and off cap. Its about three or four inches in diameter and on mine it wont move. Very stuck. What is it? I simply don’t know what Im looking at. Any help would be greatly appreciated. You can actually see it in the video at 7:27 in the lower left hand corner.
What you are looking at is the fire extinguisher storage compartment. They have an o ring, and they can be very tough to remove. :-)
Awesome video. a lot was already known or common knowledge for me after scowering the FB groups. I’m on my 3rd ski now i get more and more into it. My question is advice for setting the idle while in water , i just resurrected a 86 js300 with a ton of parts (some performance) and got it running awesome however , i can’t seem to get it to idle? i had to bury the idle screw bottoming it out to the point where the ski would really pull ya at idle,,, is it a low jet adjustment i should do next? ski runs fine mid / half / full throttle no issues ! jets are factory set positions and carb was fully disassembled and cleaned
That is a round body carb, and it is different than most round body carbs, It should be internally regulated. Make sure the return line out is not plugged. All the other round body carbs use the external rev limiter to meter the return line back to the tank.
How across the board is that spark plug issue having to much resistance have a 350 banshee having some issues wondering if this may be coming into play
In the motorcycle/atv world of electronics, they have been around a lot longer, so they are much better, i have never seen issues like those. Whenever there are spark issues on bikes, it is almost always ground related. Especially in rust prone areas. You need to check the ground where the coil bolts to the frame, and remove ALL the rust there. Rust is what increases resistance, and there is always rust. More so on bikes that get washed and detailed all the time. :-)
@jetskijim007 awesome thanks so much man I appreciate it! I'm running into the issue of one cylinder is half way running the other runs completely fine this one hits or misses. She will Rev to the moon in neutral but the second she goes under load its bog city so I'm just trying all the odds and ends before I do a break down
Do you build 787 motors?
many many years ago. Haven't built one of those in probably 20 years.. :-)
Where can you get replacement parts?
Unfortunately there isn't any one stop shop for parts. I have over 15 websites I frequent:
Shopsbt.com
Wsmparts.com
Watcom.com
Blowsion.com
Ebay.com
And many more
@jetskijim007 Thank you so much. Appreciate the reply. Love your Channel. G.O.A.T!!
Jim, I have a JS300 B2, 1987. Runs perfect for about 1/2 hour, then looses power. Starts every time but starts bogging. Seems temperature related - I’m thinking electrical? Checked all the things you mentioned here, all good. Great video.
Jim, I have a JS300 B2, 1987. Runs perfect for about 1/2 hour, then looses power. Starts every time but starts bogging. Seems temperature related - I’m thinking electrical? Checked all the things you mentioned here, all good. Great video. 6:33
Jim, I have a JS300 B2, 1987. Runs perfect for about 1/2 hour, then looses power. Starts every time but starts bogging. Seems temperature related - I’m thinking electrical? Checked all the things you mentioned here, all good. Great video.