Kawasaki Jet ski performance, Repair & Maintenance
The bushing to the left came out of one of our test batches with 135 hours in a single season. This came out of a running pump with no performance issues. As you can see the top seal dug deep into the bushing which virtually caused water intrusion. You can see the corrosion and discoloration between the second and third seal. Just below the second seal, there is some discoloration, which also had water intrusion. That first seal was the last barrier from water getting in, which it prevented. When we opened this up, the 3rd seal was shot, the space between 2 and 3 was a mix of grease and oil, and the space between the first and second seal had a mixture as well, but minimal. This shows us how important and necessary a rebuild is. Prevention is key to a long lived ski! NOTE: Do not be fooled by a free spinning pump with high hours or age, this does not mean anything! It could be horrible inside and you wouldn't know until it fails.
Pump Rebuild
Here at KP we recommend rebuilding your jet pump every season. We have performed vigorous testing, and have concluded a pump will last an average of 100 hours. Although all of our testing has shown $150+ hours with no issues, we can clearly see how much of a beating and wear a pump goes through during this period. We recommend a rebuild seasonally or every 100 hours, whichever comes first. Please see the picture below of a pump bushing that shows signs of excessive wear. The older Kawasaki Ultra 250 and 260 skis have BIG issues with their pump shaft design. They have a single pump in the front and single in the rear. If you have not already, you must upgrade your pump! This could save your engine! What happens is the old design has a single rear bearing, and one case bearing. If either of these bearing fails, it will lock up, spin and grind around, sometimes lock up or push up into your engine and blow your motor! You don't want that! The new shaft design is equipped with 2 bearings just in case one fails, and also has a nut on the back to keep everything in place under high load, or in case of failure, this will keep your engine in the clear! If you would like more information, please contact us!
Pump Liner Repair
Your pump has a stainless steel liner that is pressed in the cast aluminum case. Over time corrosion can lift up the liner and cause the impeller to jam or grind on the sidewall. This is a big no no! The best thing to do is replace the pump, but it can be successfully repaired. Cost is $100.00 to cut pump to original size or oversized for a custom diameter and or pitch impeller!