[cat10]

Hi folks, I have just been riding in the sea for a couple of hours and was wondering about washing any salt deposits off my engine.

I think there is a video showing somebody spraying tap water out of a garden hose over their engine to wash the salt deposits off....is this standard procedure?

Does anybody do this ?

I know all about flushing the motor but just wondered about the salt water vapour on the motor, I don,t really think its a good idea to leave it.

What do you think?

 

[TK423]

You dont flush the motor on a Spark- only the exhaust system.
Spray some fluid film inside the hull when you are done riding. When the season is over, yank the top off and to town cleaning the motor.

 

[sparkdream]

You dont flush the motor on a Spark- only the exhaust system.
Spray some fluid film inside the hull when you are done riding. When the season is over, yank the top off and to town cleaning the motor.

you better flush the engine bay after salt water ride. READ THE OWNER MANUAL. Page 76. Rinse engine daily if riding in salt water.

 

[Neptune]

Salt water must be flushed out. Not a big deal if you ride in fresh water. The owner's manual does answer most of these questions though. I also think there are a few other threads on this so try searching in the search bar to the upper right^^

 

[seaking]

you better flush the engine bay after salt water ride. READ THE OWNER MANUAL. Page 76. Rinse engine daily if riding in salt water.

is it really that bad that washing is needed daily? or is this just a preventative measure that is a bit of good overkill?

 

[sparkdream]

I can't speak for the spark... but it's important on my pontoon boat. I didnt rinse the seats and they were constructed with non-stainless steel staples and they all disintegrated. Even the aluminium logs have etching. I originally didnt worry about it because aluminum doesnt rust. I found out it does corrode. Google the effects of seawater on pwc's. You wont see damage right away, but by the time you see it the damage is done.

 

[Straightbangin]

I ride salt. I always flush with the flush kit using salt away / water mix. You should do this after every ride if riding in salt.

I've never sprayed anything inside the hull other than fluid film when I first got my ski.

Water has never gotten inside it so I'm never going to spray inside it .

When you take the top off I'd fill up a bucket of salt away and wipe everything down after letting it sit for a little while and dry everything then spray a thin even film of fluid film all over everything to protect it. However if your hull isn't taking on water you shouldn't need to.

I know with other skis its normal protocol to take the seat off and spray the insides down but the spark is different. Some people do it anyway. I just see no point in wetting down an area that has never gotten wet.

( after every ride no water comes out of the drain plug and when looking inside with a flash light all looks bone dry ) - just shiny from the fluid film.

good luck

 

[surfsparknz]

I ride in the salt all the time and have done so for 24 years. Here are my thoughts.

Thoroughly rinse your ski inside and out EVERY TIME YOU USE IT IN THE SALT.

First, sparks are built differently. I recommend taking the deck off before it's first use. Spray a corrosion protector over everything. Your dealer could do that for you if your not mechanically inclined. It doesn't take long. I use silicone spray. They do keep fairly dry but you can't see if you what you can't see.

Then every time it goes near salt rinse it down. That means inside the engine compartment. I use a wand type attachment on the garden hose so that I can get to everything under the deck. It can spray at an angle so that helps too. The sea doo video doesn't cut the mustard by a long way. You need a good rinse in there. Not really high pressure but enough to bounce of the inside of the hull and rinse everything. It's a jetski it's made to get wet. Now flush the exhaust , engine running before and after. Open the drain bung and let it out. Note that to much angle on the trailer will cause all the water to run to the back and not out. It seems that if the top of the side rail it level that's about right. There will probably still be a bit of water in there, lots of skis are the same. So if your putting it away for awhile sponge it out. Now leave the engine hatch and oil filler cover cap off so it can dry off. That all takes less than 5 minutes.


Every now and then take the deck off and check, clean and re silicone every thing.

Cleaning is the most important maintenance you can do for your ski. I have a ski that's had 10 years of surf riding that looks like new under the hood.

 

[Straightbangin]

* just to clarify when I said " fill a bucket with salt away " I didnt mean straight salt away. I think its a 510:1 water to salt away mix.

I meant fill the bucket with a hose that has the salt away mixing canister on it. Friggen $25 for that little plastic thing but if you read the warning on it " do not drop " you won't have to buy it more than once and gallons of salt away on amazon are fairly cheap.

good tips everyone.

the dealership said they sprayed everything down with a protective product during the pre-sale inspection. I also did through the side panel with fluid film ( i hated the wand thing you can buy for it ) id rather just use the straw or spray without the straw but I did a decent job.

the first time i take my top off im going to super clean and re-fluid film it all.

 

[surfsparknz]

Yeah salt away is good.

 

[David Price]

Hi all,

First time posting in this forum just curious with this fluid film application mentioned here. Is there anything in the hull that shouldn't be sprayed? I popped off the side access and it doesn't seem my dealership used any corrosive protector so thinking of purchasing some of this however just scared I will screw it up and spray something I shouldn't.

Also watched a seadoo video of them washing with water inside the access panel- Is it better to wash inside with salt away or even wash at all? I only ride in salt water due to my location.

Also sorry for starting this old thread up just googled searched and this one came up.

Cheers for any help guys.

 

[Paul McGuigan]

Hi all,

First time posting in this forum just curious with this fluid film application mentioned here. Is there anything in the hull that shouldn't be sprayed? I popped off the side access and it doesn't seem my dealership used any corrosive protector so thinking of purchasing some of this however just scared I will screw it up and spray something I shouldn't.

Also watched a seadoo video of them washing with water inside the access panel- Is it better to wash inside with salt away or even wash at all? I only ride in salt water due to my location.

Also sorry for starting this old thread up just googled searched and this one came up.

Cheers for any help guys.

I was in the same boat as you a few weeks back, silicon spray is the best thing to use, and regular re application! if its dry in there, spray it!