'98 1100 zxi 2-3minutes cold crank to start

[fmech]

when the ski is stone cold it will not start. I have to crank it for 2-3 minutes. Once its warmed up starts fine. as its oil injection my guess is that once it doesn't start right off, the continued cranking is adding oil and fouling things up. once i do get it to pop its very rough & only will stay running on 0-5% choke until it warms up and burns off the excess oil. I just ordered the close off plates so I can switch back to mixing the gas( less chance of tearing up the engine on an air bubble or low oil.) anyones thoughts?????

[Technical Support]

Your problem is not oil injection, it's lack of signal to the carb. You can either lower your pop-off pressure to 25-30 or change the choke for a primer.

[cbeastwood]

I had the same problem on my '95 ZXI. Everyone told me to charge the battery, but it didn't help.

I installed a primer kit in 30 minutes. 5 pumps of the primer and it starts on the first push of the green button!

- Craig

[fmech]

I'll go with the primer kit. just for curiosity sake

1. Is the fuel draining back into the tank ?
and if so, is there suppose 2B a check valve?
2. Excuse my lack of knowledge but what is
the "pop off" and pressure is measured
where?
3. Is there any downside to converting back
to pre mix

So far you are batting 1000 in my book
THANX!!!!

[Paul Zxi n XP]

I think your best bet would be going to premix and a primer kit. First of all, a primer kit will spray fresh fuel into you engine and will not wait for any fuel from the carbs, just as the choke does. So, you start right up, without stressing your starter motor and other electrics.

I would opt for PREMIX over oil injection anytime, all my skis are premix and my Yamaha is 10 years old with no rebuild, running premix since new. First of all, you are assured of having oil in the engine all the time using Premix.

A failure of the oil injection pump will cause major engine damage. The logic is, "why would you make your $2000 engines life depend on a $20 oil injection pump." Hope that explains my point!

[cbeastwood]

I agree with Paul. I switched to premix because I heard the horror stories about pumps breaking. But not early enough. Last season the two nuts that held the oil pump on backed off. The oil pump fell out without me knowing it, and here I am, an SBT customer.

Just make sure you carry oil with you wherever you are. Last night I added gas from a can (which I usually never do) and almost forgot to add the oil. That would have been a scary scene.

- Craig

[Paul Zxi n XP]

thats true. What i did with my boat is i kept the stock oil tank in the boat for cruising, i remove it to lighten the boat a bit for racing. I keep the oil tank filled with oil so that i could use it to premix fuel just in case i run out in the middle of nowhere. i also keep a quart of premix oil in the front storage compartment.

I mix oil/fuel at 25 li. fuel/1 li oil for everyday, and up to 30/1 for racing. I feel that i keep the throttle pinned wide open more running freely than when i am in a closed course racing environment... :D

[fmech]

Been buried with work......
Hey Thanx for all the input
it is appreciated
EVERYBODY I have talked to have all said
PREMIX.
And your all correct
almost every jet skier I've talked to has had the worst case scenario with the oil inj on at least one ski over the years...
and have either piston or complete rebuilds.
These engines are basically very hardy. its just amazing they can't come up with with a dependable injection system ( 1/2 the guys I talked to, though, had failures from running OUT of oil)
thanx again-dave

[Paul Zxi n XP]

Thats a question i cant answer. From the looks of it, oil injection on motorcycles was put in to make life for the average **** and harry easier, put gas in the tank, oil in the other tank and go!

All production motocross race bike DO NOT come with oil injection simply because its unreliable for sustained high rpm abuse.

Jetskis, when Kawa first made them never had oil injection, until every average tom, **** and harry wanted a jetski, but didnt want the hassle of mixing the oil and gas, so the manufacturers built it.

Then came the Government with the environmental concerns, and the manufacturers LEANED out the oil pumps to satisfy gov't, to the expense or our engines.... hehehehehe.... read on!

[fmech]

I never did get an answer as to what "pop off" pressue was or how to measure it as Tech support had indicated I should check...
anyones thoughts??????

[Paul Zxi n XP]

Pop-off pressure is the pressure at which your needle valve will open and let fuel in the carb. It is measure using a pop-off pump ang gauge, where air substitutes fuel and you could measure pop.

Hope that helps...

[Technical Support]

There is a full article here in the Tech section...check it out.