Lake Anna

Before I take the F12X's out on their first ride should I add Green Grease and spray down the motor/turbo with CRC 6-56? Anything else I should do or consider?

anthonys88

No you don't have to, but it wouldn't hurt if you did. Fresh or salt water?

thomasdjames1

I would spray the turbo down before the first ride. Exhaust parts (including the turbo) will rust very quickly if not sprayed down because of the high heat they are exposed to. As for adding any grease to the grease fitting it is not necessary. You will not need to grease the grease fitting until your 50 hour oil change. Honda recommends greasing the grease fitting every 100 hours or once a year (whichever comes first). Every 50 hours or once a year (when you change the oil) is fine. Over greasing is not recommended because you can blow out the grease seal and then water could contaminate the grease.
Before first ride
1.Spray down turbo, engine, oil lines, under engine, and just a light coating of the whole engine. It will not hurt anything inside the engine compartment. Too much will not hurt anything. Just make sure the turbo is covered. Also when you sell the skis if the turbo looks like new whoever is buying the ski will realize you took care of the skis. Even my cast iron part looks like new.
2.Check the oil level. Use the Nitro method because it is the easiest to use. This is one of the extremely few things I do differently from what Honda says to do (I actually use the Nitro method and then crank the skis up for 5 min and use the Honda method). What you need to do is make sure the skis are sitting level over night (top of the engine is level) and then pull the dip stick out of the front oil fill hole and insert it in the rear oil removal hole and see what the level is on the dip stick. Yes, I said that correctly you are using the front dip stick to insert into the rear oil removal hole. The skis need to be sitting level over night and before cranking or moving the skis use this oil checking method. It works great.
3.Once you CRC 6-56 everything and checked the oil you are ready to hit the water. Use the break-in instruction listed in the owner’s manual. I followed the instructions exactly.

10- hour service
1.Change the oil and filter in both skis with new factory filter and use regular Honda 10w-40 oil GN4.
2.You can put a few squirts of grease in the grease fitting but it is not necessary.

50-hour service (Just do it when the hour meter hits 50 hours so it is easy)
1.Change the oil and filter in both skis with new factory filter and use Mobil 1 synthetic 10W-40 motorcycle oil.
2.Pump a few squirts of Green Grease into the grease fitting.

That is all you need to do. Just ride and have some fun!

M. Cole

Are you riding in frresh or salt water? If your riding in fresh water you won't have to spray down the entire engine compartment every ride but I would in salt or brackish water. Also unscrew the inspection joint on top of the engine and give it a quick shot of crc 656. But don't worry about over lubing the turbo. If you ride in the salt then it would be a good idea to flush the engine with fresh water after your done. Be shure to check the drain plugs before you launch! If you get as excited as I do about riding it's an easy thing to forget. I only made that mistake once.

Lake Anna

Thanks for all the tips. I will be riding in fresh water. I need to get myself a manual so I know what all the parts are, as well as the inspection joint.