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How to Run a Jet Ski Out of Water?

It is possible to run a jet ski out of water but there are a few guidelines you need to follow. Not following these instructions can put your jet ski in danger of serious damage.

How to Run a Jet Ski Out of Water?

There are two main ways to run a jet ski while it is out of the water. You can either do a dry run, or you can attach a hose to the flushing port. 

I will explain both methods below.

How to run your jet ski out of water without a hose:

First, make sure that your jet ski is on a stable surface. You need to make sure there is no chance that it can tip over. Your jet ski must be elevated in order to prevent dirt or rocks from getting into your jet ski intake

Second, switch the ignition key to the on position and start the engine. Avoid cranking the engine for too long and avoid cranking the engine to full throttle. Dry runs should always be done on a lower RPM.

Lastly, throttle the engine off within 15 seconds. You do not want to run your jet ski out of water for any time period longer than 15 seconds. Any longer can cause damage if you let it run dry for much longer

How to run your jet ski out of water with a hose:

Before diving into how to run your jet ski out of water with a hose, I highly recommend you read the instruction model for your specific model – every jet ski is different and you can’t assume this process will always be the same. That being said, most jet skis do have a flushing port which will allow you to attach a hose to. To run the jet ski, follow these steps:

  1. Connect the hose with the water off.
  2. After the hose is firmly attached, start the engine.
  3. Immediately after the engine starts, turn the water on and run the engine for roughly 2 minutes.
  4. Stop the water, turn off the engine, and then disconnect the hose.

The process is rather straightforward, but make sure you follow the steps closely because any missteps can cause a lot of damage to the watercraft. Additionally, the water pressure should be kept low at all times.

One more rule of thumb: never flush a hot engine. Before beginning the above process, let the engine cool for at least 20 minutes. 

When should should you start a jet ski out of water?

There are a few reasons why you would want to run a jet ski out of water and I will walk through the most common ones below.

  • Test run before getting in the water: It never hurts to do a quick dry run before launching your jet ski in the water. You want to make sure everything seems to be functioning properly before it gets in the water
  • Flushing or purging the systems: purging the jet ski is part of standard after ride care. Flushing the systems (particularly in salt water) is even more important after the last ride of the season when you begin the winterizing steps.
  • When purchasing a used jet ski: This should not be the only test you give to the jet ski you are considering purchasing. But merely one of the first things you should do in the long list of due diligence items. If it sounds good, that is a great sign and you can move on to the more comprehensive parts of the inspection. It is important to note that jet skis with high hours might not be able to start out of the water. 

Can you start a Sea-Doo out of water?

Glad you asked! You can run a Sea-Doo out of water only if it is connected to a hose.  Sea-Doos are one of the brands that you should never run dry out of water. It relies on a carbon ring that tightly surrounds the driveshaft and prevents water from reaching the engine.

The carbon ring needs to be cooled by water or else it can overheat and damage the engine by allowing water to leak into the hull. So make sure any out of water runs are done with the hose attached!

For other models and brands I still recommend you read the user manual!

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