[ScottFL]

After running it in salt water I see the manual suggests rinsing out the bilge area. What is the best/easiest way to rinse this area out? How long should I rinse it?

 

[peeler01]

Take out the drain plug, remove the oil access port and the engine cover. Spray the hose into the engine compartment and try to get as many angles as you can, then do the same from the oil access hole.
Don't need to do it very long.

 

[xdrian]

Take out the drain plug, remove the oil access port and the engine cover. Spray the hose into the engine compartment and try to get as many angles as you can, then do the same from the oil access hole.
Don't need to do it very long.

As above spay everywhere except the air intake then flush the ski then heat from the engine will help dry it out later then put on the biggest angle to help to drain out though the bung hole at the back

 

[ChuckTheVoice]

Do it as soon as possible.

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[JohnSWE]

As above spay everywhere except the air intake then flush the ski then heat from the engine will help dry it out later then put on the biggest angle to help to drain out though the bung hole at the back

I've noticed that a lot of water don't get out if you have it in a angle. Zero degrees have i been most successful with.


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[peeler01]

I've noticed that a lot of water don't get out if you have it in a angle. Zero degrees have i been most successful with.


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The only way to get all of the water out is with a wet/dry vacuum. I'm fine as long as most of it is gone

 

[ScottFL]

If no water gets inside the craft during use, is it still beneficial to wash the bilge area out? I'm guessing so with the salt water air, just wonder if introducing water into the area when its dry is worse than just leaving it alone.

 

[Gator06]

Great question! I would think that leaving it dry is best. I've never seen any water in my bilge, so I've yet to rinse it out.


If you can leave all of the access panels off in-between rides, it will let any moisture evaporate out and reduce condensation buildup.

 

[peeler01]

If no water gets inside the craft during use, is it still beneficial to wash the bilge area out? I'm guessing so with the salt water air, just wonder if introducing water into the area when its dry is worse than just leaving it alone.

If you've been riding fresh water then there's no need to rinse it out unless you get a decent amount in the hull. Like when I rolled mine twice on Friday...

I've found that when you ride salt that there are small salt deposits all over everything, even if no water gets into the hull. Some of the moist air that comes into the intake naturally has some salt in it. Salt promotes a lot of corrosion - it's better to rinse it out after riding salt water if you can.

 

[James64]

This is a tough question. I have always wondered what all the water that gets sprayed into the Spark (during a rinse), would do to it if you did it every single time. I wonder what percentage of the metal components aren't painted or aren't made out of stainless steel. I wonder how many people wash down the engines in their cars after being parked at a beach parking lot all day (salty air) assuming a big wave didn't rise up and over the car.

I only ride in salt water. No salt water has ever gotten inside (I've never flipped the Spark or taken a wave over the handle bars). I pulled the top off and examined it. I couldn't find any salt anywhere.

When my Spark was in the shop getting its oil leak fixed, they test drove it in salt water to test for any issues. They didn't thoroughly wash and dry the outside of it (like I do), there was dried salt on top, in the back (in the slots between the plastic pieces), when I went to pick it up. You could easily spot the salt from 5' away. That salt had dried out of the salt water, over night. I had taken the top off after I got it back from the dealer. No salt inside, no rust.

Neither dealer (both along the coast in areas in which everyone only rides in salt water) that I talked too say that you need to completely wash out the inside after every single ride. They do say that you should spray all the metal that you can with an anti-corrosive spray, and to keep an eye on things. You can look inside the access panel or through the oil port. You can use a good flash light and look around for salt, rust, and corrosion. Take a look at the bands that hold the hoses on to things and take a look at the mounts that hold the engine in place for example. I think if salt were accumulating in there, you'd see some sign of it.

When I come back from a ride, no water comes out and I don't see any water in the Spark. Then I wash it. I always get some soapy water in the Spark. It goes down the air intakes and runs down the inside center along the bottom. I take my wet/dry vac and vacuum out a pint. Then I leave the access panel and oil panel off and what little is left will evaporate over night.

I'm not telling anyone not to wash the engine compartment out. I think everyone would agree that if you flip it or take a wave over the top, you should wash it out. Again here is another good reason to have an additional access panel under the seat. It does make me wonder that if Sea Doo was so concerned about washing the engine down every time, why didn't they provide better access to it? An access panel under the seat and/or an additional access panel on the starboard side?