Ultra mysteriously has half power

I started my ski up outside of the garage this weekend and as soon as it started I could tell there was a problem. I let it run for about ten more seconds, shut it off and started it again. I blipped the throttle a few times and right off idle there is a definate bog. It being such a good day I took it to the river anyway to see if I could run it and perhaps 'blow' the problem out by riding it. That didn't work, it feels as though its running on 2 cyls. I took the plugs out; cyl. 1 was dry and sooty, cyls 2 and 3 were wet and oily rode it some more checked plugs again all seemed too now be firing correctly. Pulled the carbs at home and checked the circuitry the best I could. I did find some water droplets on the bottom of the butterflys. Didn't detect any blockages, although I couldn't get the needle seats out. The jets werent blocked and the needle arms had the correct clearance. fuel filter looked clear and no water. Two weekends before it ran like a bat out of hell. Can a problem like this form from sitting?

A bad reed maybe?

I had this exact same thing happen with my Ultra, though it sat for 3 weeks instead of 2.

I replaced the plugs, and it was fine. Which is odd, because the plugs had looked fine, and were relatively new.

Did you try new spark plugs?

Scotty Wrench

He didn't say he had smoke in his engine compartment. He said he thought the first sign of reed failure was smoke. Smoke is not caused by reed failure. I would try a brand new set of plugs first. then possibly consider checking the reeds. After that, continue on checking some of the more possibly obvious items.

Water droplets? Could have been from your ride...but could be entering elsewhere (i.e. the fuel tank). Check your compression and if that is correct, replace the plugs and go from there.

No, I did not try 'new' spark plugs, just another set I used in the past, and same result. Although, there are the first generation Moto Tassanari reeds installed (50 hrs on them). I thought that first sign of bad reeds was smoke in the engine compartment?

Smoke in the engine compartment is not a sign of bad reeds, but it is the reason your Ultra is not running right. You have an exhaust leak somewhere and it's choking the engine once enough smoke fills the engine compartment. Find the exhaust leak and fix it and you should be fine.

What I got out of his statement was that he has smoke in the engine compartment and he thought that bad reeds caused this. Since no one mentioned reeds in the entire thread, just the original poster with the last comment, not to mention that smoke would definitely make the ski exhibit the problem he is facing, led me to the conclusion that he indeed was having smoke in the engine compartment. I guess Rich will have to clear the air on it, so to speak

'Carolina Watercraft Works, Inc.' wrote:

Nah, Nathan, I sneaked over and sat on it !! he he The *doo-curse*

Twolfe

SL thanks for posting, but, a few threads back Scotty Wrench posted that reeds could be the cause.