OT: Jet Ski

[Fuddy Duddy]

Seems this is the best site to go to for any subject.
Thought I would try this one.
I'm looking to buy a 20 year old Sea Doo.
My daughter has been wanting one every since we went to my wife's family reunion and my wife's uncle had a pair. She is doing great in school and is very well behaved. So a little reward is in order. I must admit I kind of liked it too.
But I don't know any thing about them. I'm not even sure what makes them go.
It has been rebuilt and has a new battery.
But this time of year it will be to cold to take it out and test it.
What should I look for?
Can you hook them up to a garden hoes and run them like an outboard?
If the motor runs good how do I know if the 'Jet' part is working?
It is a two stoke.
Thanks for any help anyone might can give.
 

[Sea Doo]

It might be the best site but this isn't the best forum to be asking your question. Ask on tractor talk to get more responses.
 

[Robert Work]

Sea Doos use Rotax engines, which are made in Austria and are quite reliable. The weak point is the oil injection system, which uses a small pump and plastic lines to inject oil into the crankcase while the engine is running. After 12-15 years the lines deteriorate and break which if not immediately corrected will cause the engines to become hand grenades. The drive system is very simple, consisting of a direct drive shaft to the impeller. You can see the impeller if you look into the nozzle. It sits in a housing and sucks water up from the bottom of the ski through a grate. The engine can be started safely without being in the water since the cooling water is forced through the engine from the impeller housing and there is no separate water pump. However do NOT run the engine for longer that a few seconds or it may overheat. If the engine runs and the hull and controls are ok and all the rubber and seat cover are good, you are probably ok to buy the thing. But first do some research in your area to find out a fair price. Also, ask to see receipts for the rebuild for all the right reasons
 

[JCinKY]

Had a 97 given to us. If oil injection is shot, just bypass it and premix gas like any 2 stroke. I've also found that the driveshaft seal, rubber, will deteriorate and cause the hull to fill with water. Won't sink due to lots of foam, but it's hard lugging a few hundred lbs of water around...

Think the even put Rotax in small aircraft. Very reliable.
 

[Fuddy Duddy]

Thanks CJ and Robert for the help, I did get it today.
Seems to be in pretty good shape.
He did say that the reason for the rebuild was that the previous
owner had been mixing the oil with the gas. Seems there is some
part of the crank that gets oil injected directly to it that doesn't get
lubricated when it is only mixed with the gas. I'll have to look
farther into this.