Personal Watercraft Maintenance

Now that summer is here, people are taking their personal watercraft out on the water for adrenaline-pumping fun and adventure. Whether you’ve got a Yamaha WaveRunner® or a Kawasaki Jet Ski®, you’re sure to have a great time riding at high speeds!

But just like any other type of vehicle, your PWC needs some tender loving care to make sure it functions well and doesn’t break down over time. Fortunately, performing personal watercraft maintenance isn’t too difficult if you know where to begin. Doing some basic tasks at home will ensure that you get as much use out of your Jet Ski® as you like! This guide to PWC maintenance is provided to you courtesy of your friends at Tracy Motorsports, serving the Central Valley.

Read Your Owner’s Manual

The most important step in personal watercraft maintenance is knowing precisely how your particular model functions. This means reading the owner’s manual that came with it. The owner’s manual is a valuable resource that tells you how each part of your PWC functions and how to take care of it. Keep your owner’s manual where it’s easily accessible and make notes in it of any maintenance you perform, when it was done and whether you replaced any parts or sought out professional repairs.

Use The Correct Fuel

Fill up your personal watercraft’s gas tank with fuel before storing it for a long time, even if it’s just a few weeks. Add some stabilizer to prevent the gasoline from separating. Marine engines aren’t made to run on gasoline that contains ethanol, so the 15% ethanol gas you find at the pump won’t be suitable for your PWC. Use pure gasoline for best results. If you have an older watercraft with a two-stroke engine, you may need to use a mixture of oil and gas for the motor to run correctly. Consult a professional mechanic about the proper ratio if you’re uncertain.

Break In The Engine

While you may want to take your brand-new WaveRunner® out at top speed immediately, you'll need to break it in slowly over the course of a few hours to make sure you don’t damage the engine. Once you launch your personal watercraft, ride it at a quarter of its full speed for about twenty minutes before going up to half-speed for another thirty minutes. Ride at three-quarters of its full speed for another hour, then open up the throttle and go as fast as you like. This process will help ensure that your engine lasts longer and functions properly.

Flush After Riding

After every single ride, it’s wise to flush out your personal watercraft’s engine thoroughly. This is especially important if you regularly ride in the ocean, since saltwater can cause corrosion if left to build up over time. Even if you stick to inland waterways, you’ll still want to flush your engine out every few rides to clear it of sand and debris.

To do this, hook up your Sea-Doo or WaveRunner to a source of clean, fresh water and turn on the tap. Engage the throttle every so often to encourage the engine to push out water until it runs clear and the debris has been evacuated. Make sure you never twist the throttle right after pulling your PWC out of saltwater in particular, since this could cook salt into the engine components. Always flush with fresh, clean water.

This guide should help you keep your personal watercraft in peak condition so it’s ready for every summer adventure. Still in search of the perfect PWC? Stop into our dealership in Tracy, California, today to check out our available inventory of new and used personal watercraft for sale. We carry Kawasaki Jet Ski® watercraft, Yamaha WaveRunners® and Sea-Doo PWC. Tracy Motorsports proudly serves the cities of Modesto and Stockton, California.