Drive shaft or Impeller

[csrf]

What could be wrong? I was riding today and I thought my engine seized. When I pulled the plugs they were very clean looking (which normally they are black). I turned the engine over the noise came from the drive shaft and impeller. Looks like the impeller is touching the bottom of the pump case. I cannot turn a complete revolution.
Could this be a bearing gone out? Why were the plugs so clean looking?
I was riding in the bay and have been unable to flush the salt water out. How much damage will incur from not flushing this time?
Would my engine have damage from the shft being hard to rotate? How about my starter while I tried a few times to start, before I had to swim to shore pulling the pwc?

Kawasaki 1100STX D.I. 2001

[ April 09, 2003, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: csrf ]

[Technical Support]

Depending on how hard it seized you certainly could have done some engine damage, probably to your crank, when the driveshaft loced up. Check your crank for phase - put the front piston to TDC and make sure the center and rear are even.

Yes it could be blow out bearings - you need to pull the pump off and inspect it anyway - no point in guessing.

The plugs may or may not be an issue. Not necessarily related at all.

[Glen]

Ultra's require pump bearing replacement between 50-70 hours of use. This is common. I assume the STX pump internals are similar, if not the same in design. How many hours are on yourt boat? You can get more info. on this, from the guy's over at http://ultra150.com/

[Glen]

Related to your other questions. I would try to get it started ASAP, to remove the salt water. You can pull the pump within 30 minutes. I've done it many times. Pull the ride plate off (8-10 allen head bolts) and you can access the pump. Leave the reverse bucket attached to the ride plate. Remove the reverse cable. Remove the cooling hose attached to the pump and steering cable. Then remove the 2 bailer hoses on top of the reduction nozzle. Take out the 4 bolts securing the reduction nozzle to the pump and remove.
Remove the 4 bolts securing the pump to the hull. You may need to pry the corners of the pump to break the rubber seal loose. Slide the drive shaft towards the rear, separating it from the coupler. This will allow you to start the motor, if in fact the pump is the problem.

[csrf]

Thanks for responding to my question.
I drove six hours (one way) to the Kawasaki dealer today.
I showed the service manager the problem and how the noise came from the rear pump and shaft. I showed him the plugs how clean they looked. I also requested that they flush engine, due to the salt water. Unable to flush because of the locked up condition. I also asked about the engine and the starter. They said they would check them.
They could not work on my pwc immediately then, and like most dealers you are not allowed to be in the shop when mechanics are working on the pwc. I was unable to be there when they pulled the pump. But just prior to me leaving they said the shaft was bent.
I have had my pwc since new and always taken it in for the required service.
The service manager said it will take about a week and a half to fix.
I have 178 hours on the pwc. I have burned approximately 590 gallons of 91 octane, 16 gallons of oil.

[Technical Support]

Bent shafts are usually from sucking up debris and hard losing the driveshaft, like a tow-rope or something. It could also happen from the bearing(s) hard seizing.

[csrf]

Thank you everyone that replied to my questions.
I called the shop to ask about the flush and the engine condition. The service manager told me they used a product made by Kawasaki when they were flushing the engine (like salt away). The compression on the engine meets the spec.
They inform that the shaft is not bent but, that the bearings and the impeller need to be replace. The drive shaft is fine.

[csrf]

I still do not have my pwc out of the shop. The shop told me that the bearing had a leak and that allowed it to rust.
I have looked at Periodic Maintenance Chart in my service manual and it does not mention bearing maintenance.
How long do bearings last? What causes the bearing's seal to leak?

[slag]

Your pump bearings are sealed bearings and as such, there is no maintenance to be performed. With the number of hours you have on your jetski, its very normal for things to start breaking, especially if you ride in salt water.

I think what the service guy meant is that your bearing seal ripped or something and allowed water in the housing which rusted your bearing assembly and froze it to the shaft, but I cannot speak for them.