1989 Yamaha Waverunner engine problems

[jeffhall16]

My buddy just gave me this ski. I had it serviced last week and just took it in the lake yesterday. It ran good for about 20 minutes and then it slowed down. It would start no problem and run and idle. When I hit the gas it went about 3 mph and sounded like it was running on 1 spark plug. I opened it up and made sure that the plugs were good and then ran it again and it went good for about 1 minute and then did it again. I was thinking it was the fuel so I went full throttle and it was still sputtering and then all of a sudden it took off for another minute and then ever since then, it starting sputtering again. Now when it is idling, I can hear a difference from when it is running correctly............any ideas????????
I just cleaned the tank and I havent been back out yet to see if that did it.

Thanks in advance!

[canadan]

Sounds like some dirt in the carb. Spray some water on the plug wires with it running to see if its arcing over to the motor. If not, most likely the carb or fuel filter, long as it's not just old gas.Another old boat in the water is always a good thing ,even if it is a 500. You came to the right place. Good luck.

[sraider1100]

my buddy had the same problem, he clean the tank but forgot to check the fuel filter, the filter was clogged, start with the tank then work yourself to the carbs, if no problem, them maybe the carbs might to be cleaned or rebuilt.

[jeffhall16]

Thanks, I cleaned the tank and I just got a new filter and then i will clean the carb up. Hopefully that will do it. I am going to go out on Friday and hopefully i will have no problems.

Thanks guys!

[josenagg]

I had the same thing happen to my wifes waveventure it turned out to be a bad spark plug that had been replaced a week before .

[jeffhall16]

Well I just took it out today after cleaning the tank, new gas, new plugs, new filter and sprayed some carb cleaner down the card in hopes to clean it out better. It ran for about 2 minutes and then did it again and just puttered. It is driving me nuts? Should I take apart the carb? I am thinking it is electrical or gas. If it is gas, I cant tell if it is getting too much gas or not enough. It smokes (2 stroke) though when I do gas it and it just putts at 3 mph. FRUSTRATION!!!!!

[canadan]

Could be as simple as the hi and low carb needles being out of adjustment.Screw them in and then bring them back out to where they where.( neither should be more then 1.5 turns out) You are mixing your fuel at 50 to 1 or does this one have a oil pump? Could be too much oil. Have you done a compression test? Keep at it, it's not unpossible!lol

[sraider1100]

i would go with the compression test first, and if no problem, it sounds like you might want to go pre-mix and re-build carbs

[Big Dad]

Make sure you don't have an exhaust leak in the engine compartment.There is an exhaust gasket on the back half of the motor that goes bad.You have to remove the motor and disassemble it to replace the gasket.My .02. Jim

I assume this is a 500cc motor.

[Johnny B]

My X2 did something similar. The fuel line was old and the vac from the carb made the fuel line collapse and killed the fuel supply. Hope your problem is this simple.