a small tip : turn bars to extreme left or right to expose the most of the steering cable. get a ton of lube or grease on it. Also i use the straw part of wd40 to get under plastic handlebar cover to hit those areas. Finally several easy full turns full lock to each side of the bars and everything gets coated. [ From a former seadoo mechanic enjoy ]
Awesome info. Typically only ride in fresh water, but a buddy invited me up a river fed by salt water. Silty, dirty water. Good video Kevin. Do I need to wipe out the XPS from the engine compartment? Mine is so clean right now!?!
This is really much more important for salt water exposure but still good to have everything coated in a lube. Other thing you can do it stick some damp boxes in the engine bay afterwards, the type you put in cupboards to absorb moisture. just don't forget to take them out next time!
Is wd-40 safe to use on engine plastics and rubber? I winterized my ski and sprayed almost full can of wd-40 on the motor and basically everything in the compartment. Now I’m reading posts that wd-40 is bad for some plastics. since my seadoo is mostly plastic I’m wondering if it’s ok, or do I need to wash that wd-40 off😮
I recently purchased two 2023 spark trixx for my kids that have limited engine access. Do I need to spray the engine down with wd-40 if they only ride them in fresh water? If so, should I do it after every ride or could I do it once a month if it’s even necessary? Thanks in advance
Hey there Kevin - how do you feel about the anti-salt foams/cleaners like “salty captain” - as opposed to salt away for the ski and engine compartment? For my boat - the salt just washes right off easily. (I still always flush with Salt Away). Thoughts?
Hi buddy from Australia I'm about to buy my first jetski a yamaha, and want to take it for a few days at a time camping on beaches can I take it on a run then come back after say 2 or 3 days even a week and do what you say and will it be fine
Im new to the Sea Doo life (still dealing with a dealer so i can buy) My concern is that I live in an apartment and do not have access to a water hose. What are your recommendations for cleaning after a saltwater ride?
You could do the flush from a big bucket, it doesn't need that much water. I'd go to a manual car wash that has pressure guns to wash it though. they usually have taps aswell, you can just get your own short hose if they don't have any. Otherwise do you have a carwash in your local shopping centre carpark?
@@nickprus6425 Thank you! Actually I took a small tough box to build a portable car wash. I put a deep cycle battery and 12v RV pump that i connect to a few 5 gallon buckets so now i can flush it right at the beach or in my garage
Hi Kevin,when you flush the jet ski with the salt away should you flush it with fresh water straight after or is it OK to flush with only the salt away?
I believe you want to leave the salt away in the cooling system to prevent salt deposits from forming. Always rinse it off of the finished surfaces after washing like Kevin said
@@watercraftjournal even the engine? Every single time? I live in Miami, every time I come back from the beach I know have to wash it with regular water but the whole process that you did and inside the engine bay as well???
@@watercraftjournal woow what a way to reply… was a new susbscriber, never received an answer like this, keep u the good work… ( I just asked because I’m looking to get my first pwc)
Hey man, quick question why doesn’t the water shoot out of the little hole right above the ladder when you hooked it up to the hose? Mine doesn’t shoot out water either is it supposed to be like that
I am somewhat doubtful about spraying a light mist on the engine. Those coil packs have rubber seals that with the engine heat might have cracked. If you spray it might get into the seals and cause a short in your spark plugs. Happened to me with a car when washing the engine. Now I clean the engine with a moist cloth only to remove dust from the surface. Should be the same with salty water or mist.
@@watercraftjournal so your advice would be light mist to the engine and electrics as well and let it sit open for it to dry? Then apply the wd-40. What about using a wet towel or pads on the electrics instead of spraying a direct mist or better, light mist before turning the engine so that the engine heat helps in drying it out.
The idea is to wash the salt/briny water off of these sensitive components as soon as possible, and get them coated in a protectant. Thankfully, all of these modern components are sealed and rubberized; but DO NOT wash them with any sort of water pressure. Rather, the light mist setting is enough to rinse the salt/brine off and coat them in mineral oil/protectant. If you wet a towel/rag and hand wipe them down that's entirely safe too. What we want to avoid is people BLASTING their engine compartment with any sort of force.
I wish seadoo would have some sort of timer/buzzer when it gets to 90 seconds so it can remind me when to stop the motor, I am always paranoid and counting in my head lol!! drives me mad
Or possibly a clean function, where you select clean and engine auto shuts off to avoid damage. Technology these days, this would not be too difficult and an extra selling point
Hey Kevin so my 2021 Yamaha gp1800r got to 50 hours and the maintenance light came up , do I have to take it to the dealer for them to delete the code or it goes out by itself I would like to do the maintenance at home. Thanks!!!
Love you journal! So much useful info for new owners! You may have answered this already but didn't see it. Are all the products you use safe for use on a waverunner also? Newbie here (taking delivery of my fx limited in about three weeks please fogive my ignorance to some things. :)) so not sure what is/isn't able to be used on both. Thanks!
Our hose we installed a shut off valve right where the hose connects to our ski. Saves time running to the spiket while the ski is running. Wonder how many people have hydrolocked their skis turning the hose on first.
@@watercraftjournal yes I reviewed the video and it does mention misting the engine compartment. Didn’t hear that the first time, I was looking for video of it being done but that must have been edited out.
Hey Bryan question when u mist inside the engine the battery doesn't get damage? I order a fish pro sorry for the stupid question don't know much about pwc.
I just wanted to mention to not use the WD40 on rubber. Use a silicon spray like CRC 6-56. I think WD40 makes a silicon spray as well. Also... don't turn on the water before the engine if it's not a seadoo.
WD-40 is 100% fine on rubber. This is an old wife's tale. WD-40 does not leech any chemicals from rubber. The only surfaces it cannot be used on are polycarbonate and clear polystyrene plastics. And yes, always run the engine first before turning on the hose. We corrected this mis-sequence in the article.
As a new ski owner, with a life history of boating, I would hate to have to store the skis outside! How do you ever get them to air out? Also, the dealer here said nothing about misting down the engine, just spray everything with the Yama lubricant when done.
Great video Kevin 👍🏼
a small tip : turn bars to extreme left or right to expose the most of the steering cable. get a ton of lube or grease on it. Also i use the straw part of wd40 to get under plastic handlebar cover to hit those areas. Finally several easy full turns full lock to each side of the bars and everything gets coated. [ From a former seadoo mechanic enjoy ]
Good advice
Thank you! First PWC and will be mostly ride in salt water here in Ireland 🙂
Have fun!
Great reminder on upcoming summer care! Thanks from Pensacola FL!!
Glad it was helpful!
Can you do a video on moving the watercraft to a dolly?
LOL! It's called "doing your best not to get a hernia."
Lmao.
I have a double trailer and I sometimes I want to just take one (avoid one getting stolen.)
Thanks. 100% salt water use here in Rhode Island. Very helpful.
Excellent!
Not gonna lie, screwing in the hose connector first, then the salt away canister is genius. I did not think about it. Thank you for this.
What would've been smarter is if we had the small flexible hose connection that ran between the hull and the Salt-Away distributor, but thank you.
Awesome info. Typically only ride in fresh water, but a buddy invited me up a river fed by salt water. Silty, dirty water. Good video Kevin. Do I need to wipe out the XPS from the engine compartment? Mine is so clean right now!?!
This is really much more important for salt water exposure but still good to have everything coated in a lube. Other thing you can do it stick some damp boxes in the engine bay afterwards, the type you put in cupboards to absorb moisture. just don't forget to take them out next time!
Very detail and important video for us in the Salt Life👍🏼
Glad you think so! Please read the article (linked in the description) as there's more details and info.
Is wd-40 safe to use on engine plastics and rubber? I winterized my ski and sprayed almost full can of wd-40 on the motor and basically everything in the compartment. Now I’m reading posts that wd-40 is bad for some plastics. since my seadoo is mostly plastic I’m wondering if it’s ok, or do I need to wash that wd-40 off😮
it eats away the rubber overtime. plastic is fine
I recently purchased two 2023 spark trixx for my kids that have limited engine access. Do I need to spray the engine down with wd-40 if they only ride them in fresh water? If so, should I do it after every ride or could I do it once a month if it’s even necessary? Thanks in advance
I have a sea doo and always thought you are supposed to start the engine before turning on the water!!
You are.
Do you spray the rust inhibitor prior to letting the interior dry?
The engine compartment? Yes, that’s entirely the point of WD40 it stands for Water Displacement.
Will Yamaha silicone spray work for this too?
Yes it will
Just googled that product. How does that work?
Hey, When you mist the engine and components with water, do you dry it first before lubricating it?
No.
Hey there Kevin - how do you feel about the anti-salt foams/cleaners like “salty captain” - as opposed to salt away for the ski and engine compartment? For my boat - the salt just washes right off easily. (I still always flush with Salt Away). Thoughts?
Great video as usual. Before misting and flushing the engine, do you wait until it completly cools down or do you do it even though it's still hot ??
Preferably warm to the touch, as the salt residue won't have time to dry.
@@watercraftjournal thank you so much 💪
Great video. thanks!
You're welcome!
Do you wait for the engine to cool down completely before spraying the interior with salt away?
Don't let the salt harden!
Hi buddy from Australia I'm about to buy my first jetski a yamaha, and want to take it for a few days at a time camping on beaches can I take it on a run then come back after say 2 or 3 days even a week and do what you say and will it be fine
Of course! Have a blast!
Im new to the Sea Doo life (still dealing with a dealer so i can buy) My concern is that I live in an apartment and do not have access to a water hose. What are your recommendations for cleaning after a saltwater ride?
You could do the flush from a big bucket, it doesn't need that much water. I'd go to a manual car wash that has pressure guns to wash it though. they usually have taps aswell, you can just get your own short hose if they don't have any. Otherwise do you have a carwash in your local shopping centre carpark?
@@nickprus6425 Thank you! Actually I took a small tough box to build a portable car wash. I put a deep cycle battery and 12v RV pump that i connect to a few 5 gallon buckets so now i can flush it right at the beach or in my garage
Do you have to do this every time you go on salt water? Seems like a pain in the ass having to do this after a long day of riding.
Not necessarily every time, but darn near close.
Hi great video!!
To what frequency should this be done ? If we ride everyday for 3 months on salt water
Thankss
It's literally detailed in your manual. Just crack that book open.
What after ride routine would you do if you use a dock on the water? Would you use same chemicals or would you do something different?
Nothing we used is toxic; everything is 50-state legal and biodegradable.
If the ride home is 15-20mins, can this be done at home rather that at the boat ramp area?
Certainly!
Most boat ramps in FL don’t even have fresh water Spickets anyways
still waiting for seadoo to do self drain footwells on their models.
Amen!
Hi Kevin,when you flush the jet ski with the salt away should you flush it with fresh water straight after or is it OK to flush with only the salt away?
No, no. ALWAYS rinse it off with fresh water.
I believe you want to leave the salt away in the cooling system to prevent salt deposits from forming. Always rinse it off of the finished surfaces after washing like Kevin said
do you need to do this every time you come back from the beach????
Salt water beach? YES.
@@watercraftjournal even the engine? Every single time? I live in Miami, every time I come back from the beach I know have to wash it with regular water but the whole process that you did and inside the engine bay as well???
You can choose to do whatever you want, Miguel. You asked a question and I answered it clearly for anyone to understand.
@@watercraftjournal woow what a way to reply… was a new susbscriber, never received an answer like this, keep u the good work… ( I just asked because I’m looking to get my first pwc)
What a way to ask a question, receive an answer and then second guess the answer.
Hey man, quick question why doesn’t the water shoot out of the little hole right above the ladder when you hooked it up to the hose? Mine doesn’t shoot out water either is it supposed to be like that
According the OE diagram, that's the bilge line. Since you're out of the water, there's nothing to siphon out.
I am somewhat doubtful about spraying a light mist on the engine. Those coil packs have rubber seals that with the engine heat might have cracked. If you spray it might get into the seals and cause a short in your spark plugs. Happened to me with a car when washing the engine. Now I clean the engine with a moist cloth only to remove dust from the surface. Should be the same with salty water or mist.
Well, we're not doubtful nor are the OE's but you do you. The advice here isn't conjecture. It's mainly what the factory suggests.
@@watercraftjournal so your advice would be light mist to the engine and electrics as well and let it sit open for it to dry? Then apply the wd-40. What about using a wet towel or pads on the electrics instead of spraying a direct mist or better, light mist before turning the engine so that the engine heat helps in drying it out.
The idea is to wash the salt/briny water off of these sensitive components as soon as possible, and get them coated in a protectant. Thankfully, all of these modern components are sealed and rubberized; but DO NOT wash them with any sort of water pressure. Rather, the light mist setting is enough to rinse the salt/brine off and coat them in mineral oil/protectant. If you wet a towel/rag and hand wipe them down that's entirely safe too. What we want to avoid is people BLASTING their engine compartment with any sort of force.
I wish seadoo would have some sort of timer/buzzer when it gets to 90 seconds so it can remind me when to stop the motor, I am always paranoid and counting in my head lol!! drives me mad
LOL! That's a good idea.
Or possibly a clean function, where you select clean and engine auto shuts off to avoid damage. Technology these days, this would not be too difficult and an extra selling point
Or you could just set a time on you phone?
PWC question. I have a water softener filter in my home. Is it okay to flush my PWC with that water?
See our previous response.
Hey Kevin so my 2021 Yamaha gp1800r got to 50 hours and the maintenance light came up , do I have to take it to the dealer for them to delete the code or it goes out by itself I would like to do the maintenance at home. Thanks!!!
Yes you do unless you have the computer plug-in or a MaptunerX.
@@watercraftjournal Can you please specify what computer plug-in would that be?
thank you!
You're welcome!
Love you journal! So much useful info for new owners! You may have answered this already but didn't see it. Are all the products you use safe for use on a waverunner also? Newbie here (taking delivery of my fx limited in about three weeks please fogive my ignorance to some things. :)) so not sure what is/isn't able to be used on both. Thanks!
Yes, Saltaway is fine to use on ALL watercraft.
You might got it wrong. I guess the engine needs to be turned on before running the water..
We noted specifically in the linked article that the engine must be turned on first. The video has given some the wrong impression.
Yes must absolutely turn the Pwc engine on first. Then water. Probably should have flashed some bolded text on the video as a warning
Our hose we installed a shut off valve right where the hose connects to our ski. Saves time running to the spiket while the ski is running. Wonder how many people have hydrolocked their skis turning the hose on first.
Great video!! But what if you jetski lives on a pontoon floating dock ?
Then it'll likely suffer severe damage over time.
@@watercraftjournal even if it's sitting out of the water on floating bricks ?
@@JDDD33 it’s fine being on a floater out of the water, as long as you flush it it and get all the salt off of your components you’re good
Will done
Thank you.
Are you supposed to hose down the interior area where the engine is prior to applying lubricant?
What does this video say? It’s edited in the proper order. Follow the steps.
@@watercraftjournal yes I reviewed the video and it does mention misting the engine compartment. Didn’t hear that the first time, I was looking for video of it being done but that must have been edited out.
When at home I keep my ski in the bath tub, it's cruel to keep it out of the water.
Great video 👍
LOL!
What a great video. Thabk you for the help.
Glad it was helpful! But there's a couple things out of sequence, so please read the article linked in the description.
@@watercraftjournal thank you so much for explaining
Hey Bryan question when u mist inside the engine the battery doesn't get damage? I order a fish pro sorry for the stupid question don't know much about pwc.
Who's Bryan?
I just wanted to mention to not use the WD40 on rubber. Use a silicon spray like CRC 6-56. I think WD40 makes a silicon spray as well. Also... don't turn on the water before the engine if it's not a seadoo.
WD-40 is 100% fine on rubber. This is an old wife's tale. WD-40 does not leech any chemicals from rubber. The only surfaces it cannot be used on are polycarbonate and clear polystyrene plastics. And yes, always run the engine first before turning on the hose. We corrected this mis-sequence in the article.
As a new ski owner, with a life history of boating, I would hate to have to store the skis outside! How do you ever get them to air out?
Also, the dealer here said nothing about misting down the engine, just spray everything with the Yama lubricant when done.
It’s the cleanup that I’m dreaded
Why? It takes 3 minutes
Is it biodegradable
As much as you are.
I will own a seafood one day !!!
Seafood is getting expensive these days. :D
Thanks Kevin
you bet!
This video makes it look like you turn on the water and then the jet ski. NEVER turn the water on first.
thank you!
You're welcome!