Easy way to clean debris out of your jet pump (without pulling plugs or going in the water)

[Julian]

First of all the reverse maneuver will not remove something wedged in the impeller - it is primarily a weed removal trick. Sticks, bottle caps, frisbees, golf balls, etc....will require manual intervention. But it is always the first step I use in clearing something from the pump. If it fails, then pull the clean out ports (if you have them). Lastly, pull the pump. You really should never mess with the intake grates as this opens up another can of worms (namely intake cavitation).

HOW TO DO IT:

1) Put it in reverse, and get the boat moving backward (faster the better)
2) Kill the engines (pulling the lanyard off is the fastest way)
3) Put the throttles into forward (this allows water to be pushed directly into the exposed jet nozzles and force stuff in the tubes back through the grate, or off the grate).
What I do is grab the lanyard with my left hand, put it in reverse with my right hand, get up some speed, yank the lanyard with my left and instantly put it onto forward with my right.....works 95% of the time. The only time it didn't work for me that I recall was when I sucked up a flexible frisbee...and it was lodged hard in the intake grill.
This works great for weeds, sticks etc.

 

[txav8r]

Your right Julian, and I first learned this trick from you 5 years ago! I found that even if it didn't work the first time, I could get it clean pretty quick if I just repeated it again.

 

[colt45]

Works every time

 

[tdonoughue]

...cept that time you run over the rope...

 

[Volffas]

1) Put it in reverse, and get the boat moving backward (faster the better)
2) Kill the engines (pulling the lanyard off is the fastest way)
3) Put the throtles into forward (this allows water to be pushed directly into the exposed jet nozzles and force stuff in the tubes back through the grate, or off the grate).
What I do is grab the lanyard with my left hand, put it in reverse with my right hand, get up some speed, yank the lanyard with my left and instantly put it onto forward with my right.....works 95% of the time. The only time it didn't work for me that I recall was when I sucked up a flexible frisbee...and it was lodged hard in the intake grill.
This works great for weeds, sticks etc.

I am going to have to remember this in the spring. Last year there were several occasions where we were going down the river and one engine or the other started vibrating real hard like we sucked something up. I would shut down the boat and climb on the back swim platform (not the safest thing to do in rough water without a life jacket on) only to find there was nothing in the clean out tubes. Once we started back up the issue was gone. The best I can figure is that we sucked something onto the intake grate that caused the impeller to not get enough water. Once I stopped the boat whatever it was that was sucked against the grate sank to the bottom fixing the issue. But this trick of reversing, stopping and then putting the levers in forward should help tremendously.

Thanks!!!

 

[Zarrella]

I learned this from you guys on the other site and it has worked for me everytime!

 

[Julian]

For those of you new to jet boats...this is one trick everyone needs in their toolbox!

 

[Eurocat]

Guess this is the only other option (besides diving) for other than Yamaha jets...

 

[MrMoose]

I was just thinking that this technique probably won't work with the new electronic throttle system on the 2016 model. I assume that the gates don't move once you kill the engines. What do you think @Julian ?

 

[Bill D]

Interesting thought @MrMoose... I suppose it all depends where the power to the servos comes from and where the lanyard is in the power circuit. I'll be watching this for an answer.

 

[Julian]

@MrMoose Interesting question....let's hope that pulling the lanyard or turning off the engines doesn't disable the gate control servo motors.....we'll have to ask the first person with an E-Series boat to test this!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Both my Yamaha skies have the fly by wire throttles it has nothing to do with the reverse buckets though so I doubt it would for the boats either. I know sea doo skies have the reverse working off electronic controls so it would not work for them. however the boats are not using the braking system so I doubt they have the same control system

 

[Julian]

Both my Yamaha skies have the fly by wire throttles it has nothing to do with the reverse buckets though so I doubt it would for the boats either. I know sea doo skies have the reverse working off electronic controls so it would not work for them. however the boats are not using the braking system so I doubt they have the same control system

The boats have servo motors controlling the buckets in the E-Series boats with drive by wire. I would have to imagine that as long as the key is in, the servos would have power...

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Damn a whole new can of worms opening up. You said DRIVE BY WIRE not just the throttle controls???

 

[Murf'n'surf]

The buckets return to neutral on engine off --- almost certainly. You should be able to stop engines then quickly power on the ignitions and move to forward in order to open gates.

 

[Julian]

The buckets return to neutral on engine off --- almost certainly. You should be able to stop engines then quickly power on the ignitions and move to forward in order to open gates.

Hummm....with push button start....only has one key....on or off. This will require a boat to test this. @Cobra Jet Steering LLC - yes...the gates are servo controlled.

I HOPE...that once you turn the engines off (push button off)---the gates would still be movable. I can't imagine why they wouldn't be! You'd want them moveable in case something gets stuck in the gate....like sand or gravel.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Oh well there goes the reverse move for those folks but you can still climb in the back open the hatch and remove the clean out plugs constantly.
I do that reverse move on my skies also and it sure beats jumping in the water. The weeds here are awful huge masses of them collect everywhere. I would suggest trying shutting off the engines and sitting for 30 seconds to allow the weeds to fall out, as long as the engines are running there is a suction holding the weeds in the intake grate, turning off the engines allows the weeds to fall out, not as effective as back flushing . although with the gates in neutral that would still allow some water to flow in the nozzles and out the intake so maybe it will still work. just go backward before turning off the engines and see if the weeds flow out from under the boat.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I am basing my theory off of how Sea-Doo IBS pwc's operate. When you hit the stop button the gate returns to the neutral position a few moments later. @MikeyL Have you watched your ski gate when turning off?

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

The ski reverse is a different shape and it does cover the nozzle however the boats have a gate that is pretty far behind the nozzles so they may still allow water to get inside the nozzles while drifting backward with the engine off, I guess we will just wait for someone to tell us if it still works on that setup

 

[MikeyL]

I am basing my theory off of how Sea-Doo IBS pwc's operate. When you hit the stop button the gate returns to the neutral position a few moments later. @MikeyL Have you watched your ski gate when turning off?

No ........ I have not. I will try and look next time we are out.
Happy Labor Day Holiday to everyone !
Mikey Lulejian - Lake Oconee, GA