Personal Watercraft Maintenance
Now that summer is on the horizon, many outdoor enthusiasts are pulling their personal watercraft out of storage and getting ready to hit the water. Kicking up spray and speeding across a shimmering lake in the sunshine—what could be better?
However, your personal watercraft likely needs a little tender loving care before you take it out for a ride, and it’s smart to keep it in good working order all year round. Not sure how? Nielsen Enterprises in Lake Villa is your Illinois PWC dealer. Read on to learn some basic PWC maintenance tasks that you can easily complete at home.
Read Your Owner’s Manual
First off, our tips are pretty generalized, so if you want to know exactly how to keep your specific personal watercraft in good condition, you should read your owner’s manual. This guide is made to tell you everything you need to know about maintaining your PWC and you should always refer to it when you have questions. Keep it where you can easily access it and make note of any maintenance or repairs you do in it for future reference.
Fuel Up
Hopefully, before you stored your personal watercraft, you added some fuel stabilizer to the gas tank to help prevent separation, which can cause corrosion. In order to keep your PWC functional, it’s advisable to only use pure gasoline without any ethanol added. Marine engines like those equipped on PWC aren’t made to run on ethanol. If you have a two-stroke engine, you’ll want to talk to a mechanic to determine the correct mixture of oil and gasoline to add.
Check Fluids
Older PWC generally come with two-stroke engines that run on a mix of gasoline and oil, while new models keep these fluids separate. Drain any old fuel and oil from your PWC and replenish it with clean fuel and oil. Dispose of waste oil and fuel responsibly: you should not pour it down a drain or into a sewage system or stream.
Break In Your Engine
Your PWC has sat idle for months, and trying to go too hard, too fast can do major damage to your engine. When riding your PWC for the first time after taking it out of storage (or for breaking in a brand-new personal watercraft like the models you’ll find here at Nielsen Enterprises!), you should ride at ¼ of the engine’s full speed for approximately 20 minutes. Move up to half-speed for another 30 minutes or so, then ¾ speed for another hour before you fully open the throttle and hit full speed. This process may seem a bit tedious when you’re excited to speed across the water, but it will help protect your engine.
Flush Your Engine
Regardless of whether you’re riding your PWC in saltwater or freshwater, it’s important to flush the engine after every ride. Salt, sand and debris can invade your motor and do some real damage if left to sit there.
To flush your PWC, hook it up to a freshwater source like your garden hose, then turn on the water. Engage your throttle as the water pulses through to help flush out more debris. Don’t use saltwater to flush out your engine, and never twist the throttle after removing your PWC from a salty body of water because this can cook salt into the engine components. Here in Illinois, you’re more likely to be in freshwater lakes, but it’s still good to keep that engine flushed.
Wax Your Hull
Applying a good coat of marine wax that’s designed for your personal watercraft will help keep it clean and shiny and free of damage. The UV rays from the sun can do damage to your personal watercraft’s finish just like they can harm your skin. Keeping a coating of wax can help to reduce build-up and prevent fading or cracking.
Keep Your PWC Covered
If you want to keep your PWC shiny and clean when it’s not in use, invest in a snug-fitting sturdy canvas cover for it. A cover will prevent damage from the weather and help stop dirt and leaves from building up.
This guide should help you to keep your personal watercraft in peak condition all season long. Still need a PWC? Stop by our dealership in Lake Villa to check out our full stock of new and used PWC for sale. Nielsen Enterprises proudly serves the cities of Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.