2008 RXT-X 255 Intercooler and Supercharger Dilemma

[hightide610]

This little "Project/repair" has seriously taken things in a direction I didn't expect. What started out as a suspect "oil pressure" switch failure, its gone to a failed ECM and pulling the motor and replacing everything from the jet pump/impeller to both oil pumps, oil pressure regulator, carbon ring and hat, spark plug tubes, fuel pump, injector cleaning... the list goes way WAY on... but we hit this situation and I am both baffled as to what or how and secondarily were to go with it...

So first... What in the name of Zeus' ASS is this crap?



And I have read the entire thread on cleaning the IC's, but this seems to be extreme to me from what I read and saw...

Coil cleaner and CLR are both going to weaken this (I would think) and my fear is I spend time cleaning it to ultimately end up with possibly a pin hole leak some place that causes another issue.

And whatever it was.... it clearly spent some time getting slung around in the supercharger as well...



I've got the rebuild kit, can I bead blast the impeller and nose without damaging it?

It seriously looks like dirt or mud... but I can't for the life of me figure out how?

[1tommygunner1927]

Replace with new, all of it! New IC, new supercharger, new charge tubes, and add a catch can. Same for all clamps!

[hightide610]

Replace with new, all of it! New IC, new supercharger, new charge tubes, and add a catch can. Same for all clamps!

IC (and tubes) I can see and have been kinda leaning that way since it was pulled, but help me understand why a new supercharger?

[tiderider]

Add a catch can so your intercooler stays clean..

[1tommygunner1927]

IC (and tubes) I can see and have been kinda leaning that way since it was pulled, but help me understand why a new supercharger?

One less item to worry about.....and it won't clean up well.

[RiverRat71]

Nature of the beast when used in salt. Machine is 12 years old so you got your monies worth out of the IC & charger. RR

[smokeysevin]

Not being super familiar with the doo's, I would probably also check the throttle body and valves. Corrosion is nasty stuff and moist salt air gets everywhere. I have a pair of crusty 4-tecs I was given that will be getting a good inspection before going back into service.

Sean

[1tommygunner1927]

This little "Project/repair" has seriously taken things in a direction I didn't expect. What started out as a suspect "oil pressure" switch failure, its gone to a failed ECM and pulling the motor and replacing everything from the jet pump/impeller to both oil pumps, oil pressure regulator, carbon ring and hat, spark plug tubes, fuel pump, injector cleaning... the list goes way WAY on... but we hit this situation and I am both baffled as to what or how and secondarily were to go with it...

And I have read the entire thread on cleaning the IC's, but this seems to be extreme to me from what I read and saw...

Coil cleaner and CLR are both going to weaken this (I would think) and my fear is I spend time cleaning it to ultimately end up with possibly a pin hole leak some place that causes another issue.

And whatever it was.... it clearly spent some time getting slung around in the supercharger as well...

I've got the rebuild kit, can I bead blast the impeller and nose without damaging it?

It seriously looks like dirt or mud... but I can't for the life of me figure out how?

What's the history & how long have you owned this ski?

[hightide610]

What's the history & how long have you owned this ski?

I have owned it for a year, the history... I have NO idea now, I was lied to by the guy I bought it from, he "rebuilds skis" locally out of his garage (he never registered my ski in his name, and the title has only had one owner outside of me)... but the "re-builder" was supposedly an honest individual, turned out was nothing more than a crook who masquerades as a jet ski mechanic. I didn't get that sorted out until it was too late as I'm not the only person that has done this to. He knew how to make things "look" awesome... unfortunately also knew how to hide all the bad stuff... Obviously I should have dug deep into the guts of this machine before I bought it.. and that is the painful lesson now.

As to its "true" history, honestly we have suspicions, but there are a lot of gaps. We do know that it was taken to a local dealership and sat outside their shop for a long time with no cover on it, the original owner never stored it under cover and that it sat WAY more than it ran, all of that we found out much later in this.

So our best guess was rain filled the motor compartment up (at least partially) with water, its not salt corrosion. Maybe possibly that it was sunk in freshwater but given the original owners info its unlikely. It did run when I bought it, the guy claimed he did several sea trials, when I took it out everything seemed ok, but within 15 min it threw a 1502 code, we limped it back to the dock loaded it up and took it back to the guy I bought it from, he claimed he replaced the oil pressure sensor but if he did, he grabbed a used one out of his box of spare parts as it wasn't the correct one (we just found that out 9 days ago). When we got the Ski back from him after nearly 3 weeks from replacing the oil pressure switch it started and immediately stopped throwing 351, 352 and 353 codes. I called the guy I brought it from, went by his house multiple times, text messages.. all silent.. All of that happened last summer. I had some medical issues last summer in the middle of this and honestly at that point wasn't in a place I could battle with this guy over it so it sat in the garage for roughly 8 months.

Where we are now, is I am into this for almost $4k, but we are rebuilding the oil pumps, intercooler, fuel pump, brand new ECM, manifold and exhaust have been pulled for inspection, throttle body cleaned, injectors cleaned, new prop, wear ring, oil pressure regulator, jet pump, supercharger, new rod, main and balance shaft bearings (not because they showed obvious signs of wear but just for peace of mind) plus other things I am sure I am forgetting. When we pulled the pumps we found this and basically said its all gotta get tore into and explored:



The bones of the ski are great, hull and pump tunnel are immaculate, new seat, console gauge, traction mats, graphics etc... were all replaced by the "rebuilder". After taking the bottom of the motor off the rods, crank and cylinders are perfect.

Lesson learned, take a used ski out with the seller and run it thru the gambit prior to handing anyone any money and don't take someones word on a persons integrity. Am I an idiot for not thoroughly inspecting it prior to sale, yea... Is this a stupid move to throw this much at the ski, yea... but I was going to be losing money regardless on this deal, so I might as well spend the money, go thru the thing COMPLETELY and know its right so I can enjoy it. None of us get into this for an investment or to make money (at least I would hope not)... but damn.. I coming close to being better off to buy a new one. The RXT-X 255 had some issues but was a pretty fun ski and a little ahead of its time which is why I was inclined to buy it to begin with. Was it worth the $3500 I paid for it.. now... HELL NO, but it is what it is now.

[hightide610]

One less item to worry about.....and it won't clean up well.

Ok.. I get it, but the rebuild kit was already bought and that picture looks bad but it actually cleaned up really well. We went thru all the tubes last night looking for any sign of weak points or issues and couldn't find any, the only tubes I could find all relocate the IC (which I really don't want to do as it removes the suppression box and at 50, I am not into building a 85 mph loud ski, I just want something reliable that the wife and I can ride) and the kits are $500+. The OE replacement IC thru SBC is $400, Jerry has the Riva Gen-3 for $429 so that was a no brainer. I also added the RIVA catch can, water strainer and the 4" air intake kit as well (forgot to mention that in the previous post).

Honestly, with you guys saying add a catch can (and you aren't the only ones to say this), ok... done, but that just doesn't look like oil, it looks like dirt, but this is my first supercharged ski so I got no basis for comparison.