How To Winterize A Jet Ski? Step By Step Guide
A jet ski is a fantastic summertime activity. You may travel twice as fast around a lake or bay for less than the price of a full-sized boat. However, it would help if you got your jet ski ready for the winter after summer is over. I will examine How To Winterize A Jet Ski? In this article!
The term “winterizing” may only be used in excessively hot regions. You might even be waiting for the first balmy spring day with your jet ski anchored to a pier.
However, you must safeguard your engine and its components from the bitter cold in a region where freezing temperatures are possible. We have put up a brief manual on winterizing a jet ski. When everything is finished, you will have all the knowledge required to prepare your personal watercraft for winter.
Table of Contents
How To Winterize A Jet Ski?
The last day you can use your Jet Ski on the water is one of the most dismal days of the summer. While taking your final PWC joyride is painful, it’s important to remember to winterize your Jet Ski to make sure your favorite toy works correctly during the upcoming boating season.
All PWC owners will learn how to effectively winterize a Jet Ski by following the six steps below. Maintaining your PWC in peak shape for years to come requires knowing How To Winterize Jet Skis?
Remember that even while following our guidelines will assist your Jet Ski or Sea-Doo in getting ready for the upcoming season, we always advise reviewing your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s detailed recommendations on Jet Ski winterization.
Remove All Water
We suggest draining extra water from your PWC’s cooling system as soon as you remove it from the water for the season. A Jet Ski uses cool lake or ocean water to reduce its interior temperature naturally.
We advise running the engine for 30-second intervals while tilting the handle back on your Jet Ski to drain the water completely. We advise cleansing the cooling system once all the water has been drained to ensure any debris, algae, and grime have been eliminated from the vessel.
Once more, flush your system thoroughly as part of your normal Jet Ski winterizing procedure by adhering to the recommendations in your owner’s manual.
Cleaning
Before docking your Jet Ski for the season, you must clean it. Use a gentle soap to clean the PWC’s hull. After cleaning the hull, wash and wax the exterior of your car to guard against UV deterioration and wear. Then, wash any extra grime out of your PWC’s bilge area.
Fill And Oil Your PWC
Filling the gas tank with a stabilizer to the top will keep it clean and is essential to winterizing a Jet Ski. Before adding the stabilizer to your fuel tank, follow the instructions on the bottle.
To make sure the stabilizer is thoroughly mixed with the fuel, you should run the engine for 30 seconds at a time. It would help if you oiled all seals and cabling after stabilizing your fuel with a lubricant and protectant suggested by the PWC manufacturer.
Lubricate Jet Ski
The next stage in this Jet Ski winterization procedure is to fog the cylinders of the carburetor and the spark plugs. You must first remove the air filter to get to these components on your Jet Ski.
After the filter has been removed, start the engine and spray the carburetor and spark plug cylinders while running. It would help if you kept spraying until the engine stalls, then switch out your air filter.
Once finished, check that your spark plug wires are grounded before removing the plugs. Spray each hole with fogging oil for a few seconds. We advise turning on the PWC and covering the holes with a cloth.
This will enable the oil to coat the vessel’s interior. Your engine not starting is typical. After completing this, tidy up any messes you may have caused and replace the spark plugs.
Remove The Battery
Your Jet Ski battery’s charge may decrease if you leave it in during the winter. You should remove the battery from your PWC by removing the negative connection first, then the positive connection, as part of your usual Jet Ski winterizing procedure.
Store Your PWC Securely
We advise keeping your Jet Ski on a trailer with the wheels off for simple maintenance. You must also put some non-invasive material in the exhaust to stop animals or pests from crawling inside the engine. We assure you that this does occur. After that, cover your vessel and keep it somewhere secure.
Why Winterize Your Jet Ski?
Winterizing your jetski is essential to avoid riding it throughout the cooler months to guard against things like rust, salt crystal formation (if you ride in the ocean), and other damage.
Depending on prior expertise, the straightforward procedure can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes and is well worth the time to ensure that your vintage build is safeguarded during hibernation. It is best completed after the final ride of the year.
There are many reasons to winterize a vehicle, and if you don’t perform the necessary maintenance, you risk crankshaft rust, spark plug corrosion, and surface rust, to mention a few. Proper winterization will save you time, money, and energy in the long term.
How Much Does It Cost To Winterize A Jet Ski?
Winterizing a jet ski at a dealership might cost anywhere from $150 to $600, relying on what needs to be done. But if you do it yourself, winterizing the jet ski costs from $20 to $200 if you also change the oil.
The best time to get it done is now because jet ski dealerships are less busy in the winter and frequently offer better rates on winterization along with an oil change. For instance, it’s common for a dealership to charge $300 for a winterization with an oil change during the slow season instead of the normal $400 for an oil change during the summer.
Even some dealerships offer winter storage! The jet ski is no longer in your possession for the winter, and if you phone them before the season begins, they will de-winterize and clean it for you. This is fantastic since it frees you from dealing with the jet ski all winter.
Can I Store My Jet Ski For The Winter On The Dock?
You can keep the Jet Ski on the drive-up lift throughout the winter. Make sure the back of the Jet Ski is not in the water and that it is also fastened to the pier.
If you take your winterized jet ski out for a winter ride, you’ll need to winterize it again since the moment you start the engine while submerged in water, it stops winterizing and requires another flush with RV & Marine Antifreeze. You are waiting until the following riding season to use your jet ski after winterizing is preferable.
Can You Replace It With A Heating Lamp?
To keep your jet ski warm in the winter, you should properly winterize rather than use a heating bulb. When using a heating lamp, you must be concerned about the possibility of a power outage or the lamp accidentally igniting your jet ski. Jet skis are far more congested than large boats. Thus, it’s best to avoid doing this.
Do I Need To Winterize My Jet Ski If I Store It In My Garage?
You can avoid winterizing to some extent if you keep your garage from getting below freezing. The engine should still be sprayed with anti-corrosion spray, the battery should be charged, and a fuel stabilizer should be added to the gas.
However, if you go through all that work, you could finish a winterization and be done with it, knowing you’ll be okay. Additionally, if you don’t regulate the temperature in your garage, it too may go below freezing, so it’s preferable to perform a thorough winterization and be done with it.
Conclusion
The weather is changing, and the riding season is ending after all the summertime fun, so it’s time to winterize a jet ski once more. Those not fortunate enough to live in climates that allow for year-round skiing must start preparing their skis for the off-season so they will be ready for the next one. Naturally, we are discussing winterization. That’s all I have on How To Winterize A Jet Ski?
Frequently Asked Questions
Should Jet skis be winterized?
You will unquestionably need to winterize your jet ski if you reside somewhere where the temperature rarely rises over 40°F/5°C. If you don’t, the water in the intercooler, exhaust, and engine can expand and shatter the metal housing, resulting in various difficulties and damage.
What does winterizing a jet ski entail?
Run antifreeze through the cooling system of your jet ski to ensure that freezing temperatures won’t harm it. To accomplish this, combine water and RV antifreeze in a 1:1 ratio in a five-gallon bucket. From the bucket to the flush exit, run a small hose.
Do jet skis make use of antifreeze?
While your jet ski is being kept for the winter, the antifreeze will prevent any fluids in the exhaust system from freezing.
What will happen to my jet ski if I don’t winterize it?
Salt can contribute to corrosion issues, and dirty oil contains acidic pollutants. While not immediately breaking your engine, leaving unaltered oil and an unflushed engine can harm and limit its lifespan or decrease efficiency.
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