Sea-Doo Buyer's Guide

SEA-DOO SOURCES

Here you will find a variety of pages, links, and information about 2 Stroke Sea-Doo Skis.

Sea-Doo Sources - Home Page for all these sources.
Sea-Doo Buyer's Guide - Your source for information when researching before you buy.
Sea-Doo Owner's Guide - Your source for online free owner's manuals to download.
Sea-Doo Tech Guide - Your source for technical information not available in the owner's manuals.
Sea-Doo Market - Your source of where to buy new and used parts.
Sea-Doo Community - Your source for online Facebook Groups and Forums.

SEA-DOO BUYER'S GUIDE

What Sea-Doo Ski Is Right For You?

Are you looking for a single person ski to ride, jump, and rip around on, maybe race with? Something that handles like a dirt bike on water?
Then you probably want an XP, SPX, or other ski that's about 8 foot long. Most of these are available in the reliable 717cc engine and the famous 787cc engine. The most famous of these are called the X4 Generation hulls. These include the 1995 XP 717cc, the 1995 XP 800 (787cc), and the 1996 XP 787cc, as well as the 1996 SPX 717cc, and the 1997-99 SPX 787cc.

Are you looking for something that's still fun to ride, jump, and rip around on but want something a tad larger and more stable for 2 people to ride?
Then you probably want a GS model, these include the GS, GSi, and GSX. These are also available in the reliable 717cc engine and the famous 787cc engine, as well as the all powerful 951cc engine.

Are you looking for a larger ski for 2 or 3 people, something like a family ski, that can tow a tube for the kids?
Then you probably want a GT model, these include the GTI, GTS, and GTX. These are also available in the reliable 717cc engine and the famous 787cc engine, as well as the all powerful 951cc engine.

For more information on different Sea-Doo models, check out the Sea-Doo Source Model Reference page here. www.seadoosource.com/seadoomodelreference.html

What Engine Is Right For You?

The smaller engines include the 587cc, the 657cc, and the 717cc. These engines are generally super reliable, with the 717cc being the biggest and most powerful of the three, also the most popular. It is one of my favorite engines to work with, it's low maintenance, easy to work on, and runs on the cheaper BRP Mineral oil. However its's very common for people to eventually want more power. The 717cc, also known as the 720, has about 85 horsepower. So many soon want to step up to the larger 787 and 951 engines.

The larger 787cc also known as the 800, and the 947cc, also called the 951, both are good performance engines, but require more maintenance as they have the power exhaust rave valves that must be serviced periodically. The 787cc has about 110 horsepower and is a lot easier to work on than the 951 engine, but still not as easy as the 717 is to work on. The 951 engine has abut 130 horsepower and is a pain to work on, as the carbs and starter are all buried under the exhaust pipe.

Inconclusion, if you want low maintenance and reliability, go with the 717cc.
If you want more performance and light maintenance, with a little more power, go with the 787cc.
And if you want tons of performance with more maintenance get the 951cc. Once you determine what engine you want, then you can figure out what hull style best fits your needs.

Also if you don't want to deal with rebuilding carbs, get the 787 RFI or the 951 DI engines.
However these have more electrical parts and that's a whole different set of issues and problems.

ENGINE	INTAKE	STATS	COMMENTS
587cc (580)	Carb Model	56 HP No Raves	Very reliable, low maintenance, low power. Good for small skis, not good for 3 seaters.
657cc (650)	Carb Model	70 HP No Raves	Very reliable, low maintenance, low power. Good for small skis, not good for 3 seaters.
657Xcc (650x)	Carb Model	80 HP No Raves	Very reliable, low maintenance, decent power. Great for small skis, OK for 3 seaters.
717cc (720)	Carb Model	85 HP No Raves	Very reliable, low maintenance, good power. Great for small skis, OK for 3 seaters.
787cc (800)	Carb Model	110 HP Has Raves	Reliable, some maintenance, better power. Great for small skis, Good for 3 seaters.
787 RFI	RFI Injection	110 HP Has Raves	More reliable, some maintenance, better power. Great for small skis, Good for 3 seaters.
947cc (951)	Carb Model	130 HP Has Raves	Less reliable, high performance, more maintenance. Good for small skis, Better for 3 seaters.
951 DI	Direct Injection	130 HP Has Raves	Less reliable, high performance, more maintenance. Good for small skis, Better for 3 seaters.

PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION

So you have found a ski that you are interested in buying, well you need to know what to look for before you make that purchase. Here you will find a variety of tips of what to look for and what to stay away from:

GREY GAS LINES: If the craft has original grey gas lines, then these will need to be replaced and the carbs will need to be rebuild, ASAP. Gas lines will cost you anywhere from $50-100 to replace, while the carbs will cost you about $150 to rebuild yourself, more if you have to pay someone to do the work. Consider this when making your offer to the seller. Maybe try to get them down $100-200 from their price.

OLD OIL LINES: If the craft has oiriginal oil lines, then these will need to be replaced as well as the oil filter. Most of the time you can tell if they are the original lines by inspecting the small oil injection lines going from the oil pump to the carb intake, if these have paint on them, they are probably original. You can also feel the lines and see if they are soft or hard and brittle. The smaller lines like to get brittle and break, resulting in no oil getting to the intake which then causes engine failure due to running lean. If you see this, odds are the engine may need rebuilding, and you may not want to buy such a project if you are not up to the task.

HIN/VIN REGISTRATION CHECK: Check the craft for a HIN/VIN tag, usually on the back of the craft somewhere, a 3-4inch black plate with alot of numbers and letters. The last two digits will be the year of the craft. So if the last digits are 99, then it is a 1999 model. Make sure this information matches any registration and title paperwork or you may have issues transfering ownership. Make sure you always write this HIN down along with doing a Bill of Sale.

GAS TANK RECALL: Some of the mid 90s model Sea-Doos had a recall on the gas tanks, you can use the HIN number to call your local BRP Sea-Doo Dealer and have them run the HIN to see if there was a recall and if it has been completed. During the 90s, alot of dealers would scratch an X next to the hood catch post when they replaced the gas tank under the recall. If the ski you are looking at needs a new tank under the recall, you will get a brand new tank for FREE. However most dealers require that they perform the work, which will also be free. This will mean you will have downtime before you can ride, and your ski may be in line at the shop for a while.

OIL TANK LEAK: Some of the late 90s and early 00 model Sea-Doos had a two piece oil tank. These tanks tend to crack and leak at the seam. You can easily remove the tank, remove the oil and clean it, and then plastic weld/melt the seam back together to fix this issue, or you can purchase and install a new 1 piece seam-less tank. Another leak issue is due to faulty rubber grommets for the hose fittings. These aren't expensive and aren't too difficult to replace. So when inspecting the ski, look for oil leaks in these two areas.

DESS KEY: The early model Sea-Doo skis used a plunger style key that just held down a toggle button for the engine to run. These keys are easy and cheap to replace on Amazon for about $15. However in 1995, most models switched over to DESS programmed keys. If your ski has the magnetic DESS post you will need the right matching programmed key. If the seller does not have this, use this as a bargaining chip to get the price lowered, as it will cost you about $150 to get a new key and have it programmed by a dealer or with someone who has the proper programmer. If they do not have a key, you can still hook up a battery and cross the solenoid to get the starter to engage and turn over the engine to do a compression test.

COMPRESSION: If the seller is trying to sell you a good running ski with an engine they claim to be in runnign condition, you will still want to verify the compression. All 587/657/717 and 787 engines should be at 150psi but no less than about 135psi, any less it will require engine work. All 951 engines should be at about 130-135psi,but no less than 115psi, any less it will require engine work. So please, verify your compression with a good quality compression tester. You don't want to buy a ski that you were told is a good runner, only to find out it actually has low compression and needs work.

PUMP INSPECTION: If at all possible, crawl under the ski and look through the intake, inspect the impeller and wear ring for any blockage or damage. Otherwise if you have a few tools, the pump nozzle can easily be removed in about 5 minutes and you can inspect it from the rear. Many times people will have a damaged impeller, worn wear ring, or even a stuck impeller that wont spin, and they will not be aware that is their issue. You can score a good ski, because the owner thought the engine was seized up but in reality it was just the pump. Also take note any damage and parts, impeller, wear ring, drive shaft that may need replacing, and try to get the seller to come down on their price.

HULL INSPECTION: If at all possible, crawl under the ski and look at the hull, inspect for normal wear and any major damage. Minor scratches and gouges will be expected from many years of use. Any major cracks or deep gouges may be cause for concern. Take this into consideration as you may not want to invest time and money into fixing major damage.

OTHER STUFF TO CONSIDER: Look through the hull for any signs the craft may have been sank. Water, water lines, sand, etc in the hull and along the sides. Also inspect wiring for any damage from mice or other rodents. Consider this and more when buying your first ski, especially if you are just looking for a water-ready ski and not looking for any major work to be done.