Really enjoyed your 550/650 rebuild series. I know little about 2 strokes and even less about jet skis but really impressed with your knowledge and willingness to share. Keep it up. 👍
These videos are so helpful. Nobody runs the older skis in Japan where I live so getting advice is really hard. Thank you for taking the time to make them and share your knowledge.
Thank you for sharing! I’ve learned more from this channel already than every google search, facebook page or forum I’ve been on combined! I just got my first couple skis one 650sx and a couple 300sx’s. I can wait to get the 300s running and start modifying them all. They are in such good shape almost don’t want to modify them but it all looks so fun!
Really appreciate the videos. There is definitely a void between your generation that was on the pinnacle messing with these skis when they were new and my generation that's pulling them out of the bushes in a million pieces.
I started working on PWC'S in 1991 for public when I quit working on bikes and atv's In all these years would you believe even though working on them I have never in my life ridden or tried to ride a stand up ever.
not to worry. All the 440/550s are now stashed away. the later barges are easy to ride. Dominant foot back, one foot forward to keep weight in the tray. Apply throttle smoothly. You turn the bars like a tiller, not like motorcycle handlebars. No counter steering. Accelerate through the corners, never cut the throttle while in a corner. Makes you fall off . lol.
Jim, this build is exactly what I've been dying on the forums about since I got my 650 and spent rickter money restoring and modernizing the ski last winter. I would love to get in contact with you and get some of your insight when it comes to my ski and all things standup
Yes, all the same tricks on the X-2. Make sure you cut the hood, they are very restrictive on the airflow from the factory. I have a video on the x-2 as well.
When were checking the CDI module what wires were you putting your ohm meter onto? Unfortunately the wires were off camera. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.
Cool stuff. I'm assuming this is also the case with a 95 550SX ignition with the resistor plugs and plug caps? I already got rid of the resistor plugs, do you think there is more to gain possibly by getting rid of the resistor caps? Any recommendations on any particular non-resistor caps that are good? This is for a ski racing in the Vintage 550 Limited class. Thanks Jet Ski Jim!
Good morning ,wuld líke how to meassure the cdi and triger because have one that doesnt start I donde have a manual that gibe me the meassures,thank you
I dont know if this fact or not. But a old man once told me years ago the game wardens would carry old AM radios and they would let them know if they were close to someone fishing whith crank phone.??? Are those CDI's any good? Again just asking? Recognize the red wires. The smoke reminds me of the first polaris pwcs with aluminum box on top battery and people use wrong battery or not use plastic isolatorused and smoke wires all way down to stator.
Hey Jim. Just found your channel. Big fan of you and Merlin. Question for you. I have a 1987 Funjet jet boat made by d&d marine. Has the 60hp Suzuki. They also made wet bikes. Wondering if you know where I could get an impeller for it? Let me know if you can help. Thanks!
Call Glen at impros.com, If anyone can help you, He can. Tell him Jet Ski Jim Sent you. :-), He has a wealth of impeller knowledge, and has been in the industry over 25 years...
Hey Jim love what you do but I have a question I know your not a wizard but my two stroke 125 dirt bike has spark but won't start how could I tell if the cdi box is bad or if its the stator but I don't know how to tell if that's bad either I just wanted to ask cause you had a bad cdi an it made me think of it I rebuilt the top end but now it won't start I've never had spark an fuel an still no start hope you see this an give me your opinion
The biggest issue I see on dirt bikes is where the coil bolts to the frame. That is a grounding connection. They rust. So if you unbolt the coil, and bolt it back down without sanding the coil and frame, it traps rust between them. You still get spark, but it is weak. Otherwise, It is tough to troubleshoot stator/igniter issues on old bikes.. They both could be bad, Or the stator is sending a rogue signal, or the flywheel magnets have gone week, and triggering late. Not fun, but be persistent, you will figure it out. :-)
no, unfortunately not. The market has swung dramatically in the last few years. Before covid they were priced from $1500 to $2500, while during covid, values doubled. This year I watched a lot of them sit for sale at $1500, and saw many Superjets available as well. Availability of more desirable ski's drive prices down.
Thanks. The ski in question is in excellent condition and comes with single trailer for 2k. I guess on the fence due to age of ski and questionable parts availability. Thank you for your time
oreilly's, carquest, Napa, etc. they are the crimp on ones. If you are happy with the way it is currently running, stick with the 8's, but at least run the B8ES, not the resistor plugs....
Jim, I am not sure if you have time for replies, but I just got a '88 650SX and was running great at start of summer and then would stop starting after running for awhile and now won't start at all. Checked plugs and wasn't getting any spark. purchased replacement CDI and still no spark. I checked the power wire coming from the magneto that connects to the the CDI with an automotive tester with ground and it lit up like a Christmas tree....but as soon as I connect the magneto to the CDI I get nothing. I'm totally frustrated. Is the magneto not pushing enough power out to the CDI? Does that happen?
Yes, it sure does happen. The red wire or the purple wire (depending on what year you have, it will have one or the other) from the stator/magneto, you need to set your volt meter to AC voltage, put 1 lead on the wire, and the other to ground and crank the engine (spark plugs out). If it doesn't crank to at least 14 volts, the CDI will not throw spark. This means the pickup is bad. They cook from the heat the engine puts out.
@jetskijim007, I checked the purple wire voltage while trying to start and it was anywhere between 19-20 volts. It seems this is good. So now it appears pointing back to my CDI I bought might actually be bad? Is there a certain resistance I can check on the CDI to see if it is good or not? I did double check my kill switch and it is operating normally.
I think it’s cool that you’re willing to so freely share your knowledge! Testament to who you are. 💪👍🏼
Really enjoyed your 550/650 rebuild series. I know little about 2 strokes and even less about jet skis but really impressed with your knowledge and willingness to share. Keep it up. 👍
These videos are so helpful. Nobody runs the older skis in Japan where I live so getting advice is really hard. Thank you for taking the time to make them and share your knowledge.
The knowledge shared in this video is greatly appreciated. 👍
Thank you for the kind words. :-)
Riding without a Tray Mat, That's OG! 😎
Thank you for sharing! I’ve learned more from this channel already than every google search, facebook page or forum I’ve been on combined!
I just got my first couple skis one 650sx and a couple 300sx’s. I can wait to get the 300s running and start modifying them all. They are in such good shape almost don’t want to modify them but it all looks so fun!
Kevin is so cool. It’s awesome he remembered selling you a ski. 🎉🎉🎉
I haven't seen Tommy for ages!!
Really appreciate the videos. There is definitely a void between your generation that was on the pinnacle messing with these skis when they were new and my generation that's pulling them out of the bushes in a million pieces.
Another Master Class!!! Thanks Jimmy!!!!!!
You’re a superstar. Greetings from the U.K. I learn so much from watching your stuff, thanks.
a load of information!
😂That was interesting Jim!
I started working on PWC'S in 1991 for public when I quit working on bikes and atv's In all these years would you believe even though working on them I have never in my life ridden or tried to ride a stand up ever.
not to worry. All the 440/550s are now stashed away.
the later barges are easy to ride. Dominant foot back, one foot forward to keep weight in the tray. Apply throttle smoothly. You turn the bars like a tiller, not like motorcycle handlebars. No counter steering. Accelerate through the corners, never cut the throttle while in a corner. Makes you fall off . lol.
Jim, this build is exactly what I've been dying on the forums about since I got my 650 and spent rickter money restoring and modernizing the ski last winter. I would love to get in contact with you and get some of your insight when it comes to my ski and all things standup
That's awesome. We will be doing a lot more cool stuff like this in the near future. :-)
Jim Jim that was cool thanks for letting me watch. 😊
I can watch this, and still have to take the e box apart again and again, but at least it works now. Thanks jim!
This is so valuable. The experience level is wild. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge. Learned so much in the series. I’ll be trying out some of your tricks and tips on my current x2 build.
Yes, all the same tricks on the X-2. Make sure you cut the hood, they are very restrictive on the airflow from the factory. I have a video on the x-2 as well.
When were checking the CDI module what wires were you putting your ohm meter onto? Unfortunately the wires were off camera. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.
Lol. Oops. The primary /spark plug wires. :-)
very cool Jimmy
Amazing knowledge
Cool stuff. I'm assuming this is also the case with a 95 550SX ignition with the resistor plugs and plug caps? I already got rid of the resistor plugs, do you think there is more to gain possibly by getting rid of the resistor caps? Any recommendations on any particular non-resistor caps that are good? This is for a ski racing in the Vintage 550 Limited class. Thanks Jet Ski Jim!
Absolutely, assuming your are high in the rev range. MSD crimp on terminals, and boots are the only way to go if racing...
Good morning ,wuld líke how to meassure the cdi and triger because have one that doesnt start I donde have a manual that gibe me the meassures,thank you
I dont know if this fact or not. But a old man once told me years ago the game wardens would carry old AM radios and they would let them know if they were close to someone fishing whith crank phone.??? Are those CDI's any good? Again just asking? Recognize the red wires. The smoke reminds me of the first polaris pwcs with aluminum box on top battery and people use wrong battery or not use plastic isolatorused and smoke wires all way down to stator.
That is cool. It wouldn't surprise me, game wardens have to be as creative as the criminals.... CDI was OEM, I installed the red wires. :-)
Hey Jim. Just found your channel. Big fan of you and Merlin. Question for you. I have a 1987 Funjet jet boat made by d&d marine. Has the 60hp Suzuki. They also made wet bikes. Wondering if you know where I could get an impeller for it? Let me know if you can help. Thanks!
Call Glen at impros.com, If anyone can help you, He can. Tell him Jet Ski Jim Sent you. :-), He has a wealth of impeller knowledge, and has been in the industry over 25 years...
Thanks very much Jim! I appreciate you getting back and giving me a lead. I’ll let you know how I make out. and good luck with your channel!
So its best too run non resistor boots and plugs as a whole? Is that only for racing or recreational as well!? Im putting a 750 into my 650sx hull
Yes, on 550 and 650 ignitions only. The 750 and newer were designed for resistor plugs and caps.
Hey Jim love what you do but I have a question I know your not a wizard but my two stroke 125 dirt bike has spark but won't start how could I tell if the cdi box is bad or if its the stator but I don't know how to tell if that's bad either I just wanted to ask cause you had a bad cdi an it made me think of it I rebuilt the top end but now it won't start I've never had spark an fuel an still no start hope you see this an give me your opinion
The biggest issue I see on dirt bikes is where the coil bolts to the frame. That is a grounding connection. They rust. So if you unbolt the coil, and bolt it back down without sanding the coil and frame, it traps rust between them. You still get spark, but it is weak. Otherwise, It is tough to troubleshoot stator/igniter issues on old bikes.. They both could be bad, Or the stator is sending a rogue signal, or the flywheel magnets have gone week, and triggering late. Not fun, but be persistent, you will figure it out. :-)
Great vids, I appreciate all the good info and detailed explanations. Do you have a good source for purchasing spark plugs?
Ebay or Amazon. They are getting harder to source.
@@jetskijim007 thank you. do you have to use solid terminal plugs or are the "loose" screw on terminals ok?
@@MorganFord-d9v Either works, but when I use the Screw on terminals,
I crimp them in the center with side cutters so they don't vibrate loose.
@@jetskijim007Thank you! that was my concern and you have the solution.
You do a great job explaining this
Did you ever discover where the water was coming from? I am rebuilding an 88 650SX and will be following your fixes and mods
lol, no, That may require it's own video. I am sure it will develop though. :-)
Great info Jim.. do you have a resource to value a 1988 650sx? Thanks
no, unfortunately not. The market has swung dramatically in the last few years. Before covid they were priced from $1500 to $2500, while during covid, values doubled. This year I watched a lot of them sit for sale at $1500, and saw many Superjets available as well. Availability of more desirable ski's drive prices down.
Thanks. The ski in question is in excellent condition and comes with single trailer for 2k. I guess on the fence due to age of ski and questionable parts availability. Thank you for your time
Which spark plug terminals do you use?
Just basic crimp on 90 degree from the auto parts store. :-)
Where do you buy your non resistor spark plug boots and crimp on ends?
Usually amazon or ebay on the spark plugs. Any auto parts store carries 90 degree crimp on ends. MSD are the most common brand i see..
Where can I buy the non resistor spark plug boots? I have an 87 js550 with bad boots. Should I run a B7ES plug on that one too? I always ran BR8ES.
oreilly's, carquest, Napa, etc. they are the crimp on ones. If you are happy with the way it is currently running, stick with the 8's, but at least run the B8ES, not the resistor plugs....
@@jetskijim007 thanks for the response I need to get a crimp tool too!
Hi Jim jope can you help me, i have an stock 650sx an live about 5000ft above sea level what ss impeller i can use?
a 15 is what you need, if you can find one... :-)
Jim, I am not sure if you have time for replies, but I just got a '88 650SX and was running great at start of summer and then would stop starting after running for awhile and now won't start at all. Checked plugs and wasn't getting any spark. purchased replacement CDI and still no spark. I checked the power wire coming from the magneto that connects to the the CDI with an automotive tester with ground and it lit up like a Christmas tree....but as soon as I connect the magneto to the CDI I get nothing. I'm totally frustrated. Is the magneto not pushing enough power out to the CDI? Does that happen?
Yes, it sure does happen. The red wire or the purple wire (depending on what year you have, it will have one or the other) from the stator/magneto, you need to set your volt meter to AC voltage, put 1 lead on the wire, and the other to ground and crank the engine (spark plugs out). If it doesn't crank to at least 14 volts, the CDI will not throw spark. This means the pickup is bad. They cook from the heat the engine puts out.
@@jetskijim007 Thanks so much for the reply! I will check this.
@jetskijim007, I checked the purple wire voltage while trying to start and it was anywhere between 19-20 volts. It seems this is good. So now it appears pointing back to my CDI I bought might actually be bad? Is there a certain resistance I can check on the CDI to see if it is good or not? I did double check my kill switch and it is operating normally.
my ski is a '88 650sx
I found the service manual and will use those resistance numbers to check my CDI. Thanks for the videos and help.
I noticed that you were putting your feet side by side on the ski. Might be easier to balance one foot in front of the other
Poor gopro. Lol