My 2006 FX-HO's Engine Blew. Any ideas what may have caused this?

[vcbb10]

Think I did gap the Iridium's. I should have read up more on the Iridiums instead of assuming... Ran it at idle after the oil change this spring on the hose and everything seemed to be normal. Granted, low RPMs and damage to the plugs could have already happened and not let go until later. The electrods on the Iridium's were burnt up on cylinder 1, 3, 4 (with 2 being ok) when I pulled and replaced them. Blew compressed air into each cylinder while turning the engine to clear debris (similar to clearing fogging oil).

This chart lists the Iridium CR9EIX as the Iridium upgrade for the CR9EB's:
https://www.ngkpartfinder.co.uk/files/NGK_Upgrades.pdf

To my knowledge it's not been hydrolocked. I am the third owner, had it about a year and didn't have problems last summer. I did have that hose clamp upgrade by our former local service shop. They weren't the best shop with terrible service and went out of business this winter. I barely trusted them to do the recall work after poor past experiences.

I pulled the plugs that were in it when it blew. Plug 1 got smashed when she blew. The other three looked normal.

[Impulse20098]

Did you gap the iridiums with a standard spark plug gap tool? Because if so then there is a high probability that you damaged the plugs before even putting them into the motor. You can gap iridiums but not with the standard tool.

Also next time just stay with the standard style spark plug, no need to go iridium. If you need to go colder plug you can stay with standard as well.

[vcbb10]

Was the standard tool.

[vcbb10]

So, she's dead. The night king threw his spear and took her down (sorry, couldn't resist a GOT reference).


Opinions on what to do next?


A 2006 FX-HO in good working order is probably worth about $5k. I did quite a few upgrades during the last year that are worth something to me, but, likely nothing for resale. The hull and everything else is in very good shape. New hydro turf (~$110), seat cover (~$175), pump seal kit (~$60), solas intake (~$65), Riva filter (~$75), R&D velocity stacks (~$80) and chartplotter (~$250 + wiring + custom bracket) this winter.


I could pull out the chartplotter and wiring and use it on another ski/boat pretty easily.
Could potentially pull and resale the seat, pump seal, intake, stacks, filter. It's probably not worth it for the pump seal and intake though.

Options I see:


Drop in a new engine?
It's an older MR-1HO. I have some mechanically inclined friends that could likely help put an engine in over winter (I haven't worked on engines much at all before getting this ski). From a financial perspective I don't have the funds to go buy an engine this summer. Late summer or fall might be the earliest I could potentially do something. I've read some bad things about SBT engines and they cost $2,500-$3,500. I'm not sure that's worth it on a ski that would be worth ~$5k. That leaves looking for a good, running MR-1 HO from another ski or wrecked ski.


Attempt to repair the engine?
Obviously haven't torn into the engine yet to know what all is wrong. That gets more difficult, time consuming and again, I'm not that mechanically inclined. It’s a possibility though.


Sell it as a whole?
If I were to do this I would prefer a buyer that would want to drop a new engine in it and get it running again over someone that just wanted to salvage. I'm not sure what an older hull/trailer with a bad engine would be worth. Unfortunately, I think there are more skis with bad engines out there than skis with good engines that need a new hull.


Partially part it out?
I could pull some parts and resell before selling the hull to salvage. I'd probably only pull the upgraded parts and put the OEM parts back in prior to selling.


For now I plan to keep it in the garage this summer until I either get the money to fixit or decide to sell/salvage. I've got some time to decide and time to keep an eye out for a donor engine. BTW, anyone have an inexpensive MR-1 HO engine?

[ptscon]

It will be cheaper to source a used motor than to repair that damage, if you're not doing all the mechanical work yourself forget it. You could judge it better if the motor was stripped but a swinging rod does a lot of damage. The head might be gone when the piston smacked it, the cylinder block could be cracked, various other bits.

[LivingSlow]

I'd save up for a newer model ski and maybe let that one be your project ski.

I'm working on a older ski right now and it's a good project but it isn't profitable or financially making sense.

Now that I have a 2018 - I enjoy working on the project ski because I know I have a reliable ride. I can take my time with it.

I know not everyone likes to make payments on something but peace of mind goes a long way with waverunners.

[ocod]

Not sure if this helps. You avatar doesn't say where you are from

You could sell extra engines parts to offset cost of used motor

https://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/boa...875129600.html


edit: Yours Non SC.
Part and buy new/used. I have a 2014 FX SHO jik

[bigtwingeorg]

I was thinking exact same thing

+1. Hydrolocked. Maybe bad ECU or injector?

[vcbb10]

Welp. I think I found the reason it failed. The CR9EIX plugs I bought on Amazon were fakes. It's extremely difficult to tell. Easiest way is the torque spec on the box.

How to spot fakes:
https://www.driven2automotive.com/bl...aAKn5dmUYn0q0w

[Myself]

Well, I'd have to see everything trn down but....a tiny bit off that plug did NOT break a rod. Beat up a piston, mangle a valve or two, sound nasty, yes. But that rod broke and slung out of the block. Right now I will support the nursing a bent rod for a while until it let go theory.

Incidentally, I'm a WSM dealer and we have new repro blocks with a new crankshaft for suggested retail of $1750.