'97 GTX compared to '96 GTX

[Ensign]

Hello,

I had a '96 GTX about six years ago and had a blast on it. The only problem was the hesitation in the power around 4,000 or so RPMs. Was this fixed in the '97 GTX? I'm now looking at picking up a used '97 GTX and wanted to know if it would have the same hesitation.

Any other issues I should know about for the '97 GTX?

Thanks for the help.

[Technical Support]

What you are calling a hesitation is the RAVE valves opening - it isn't a hesitation in power, but a boost in power once the valves open around 4300 RPM or so. It's normal and both those years use the same engine.

[Ensign]

Thanks for the reply.

It was definitely a hesitation on my '96. The dealer couldn't do anything to fix it. I understand about the RAVE valves opening, but this was a real drop in power, right before they opened. It made it very hard to pull someone out of the water for wakeboarding. Right when you needed the power, it would hesitate and have a difficult pulling through this flat spot.

I've seen some information on the 'net about some sort of RAVE valve kit or something that Sea Doo apparently issued through some sort of technical bulletin or something. I just wanted to see if this was addressed in the '97 model.

Thanks again.

[Technical Support]

The RAVEs were updated around that time to a slotted design, however it wasn't to cure any inhearant hesitation. If you had one it was not normal for that engine.