A lot of people are curious about Sea Doo Spark upgrades and mods, which comes as no surprise considering it’s the most popular jet ski on the marker. Sea Doo’s are extremely customizable, and the Spark is probably the best example of that.
Naturally people want to get the most out of their watercraft, but if you aren’t careful you can end up doing more harm than good. There are tons of great Sea Doo Spark upgrades out there, and a lot of them can provide real results. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of “upgrades” that can cause a lot of damage as well. This is why it’s so important to educate yourself on the pro’s and con’s of any modification you make before going through with it.
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Related: 12 Essential Sea Doo Spark Accessories
Sea Doo Spark Speed Test
Most people know that the Sea Doo Spark isn’t the fastest on the water, but it’s far from slow. Here’s a video of a speed test on a 2016 Spark.
Choosing safe Sea Doo Spark upgrades
Before spending an afternoon making a to-do list of engine tweaks based off of an online forum you found, take some time to analyze the credibility of the information you’re reading. Just because someone online sounds like they know what they’re talking about, doesn’t mean they actually do.
There is definitely a lot of great information on forums, just remember that if you take someones advice, you’re going to be the one dealing with the aftermath.
Related: How to make a jet ski faster
At home Sea Doo Spark upgrades
Don’t expect to hit a racing circuit anytime soon using these upgrades. By no means will they make your Spark break a speed record. However, they can help you get a few more mph, and you might have some fun in the process. After all, who doesn’t like a good ol’ D.I.Y project?
Impeller Mod
By far one of the best, easiest, and most popular Sea Doo Spark mods is an impeller mod. The reason being is the impeller is one of the biggest factors in the overall speed of a jet ski. Installing a new impeller is doable even for a novice mechanic, and it can provide real results. Most impeller upgrades will get you an extra 2-5mph. Not bad for switching out a single part.
There are a few good aftermarket impellers out there, but they are kind of pricey. It’s hard to find an impeller worth upgrading to for under $300. Whether or not the price is worth it is up for you to decide.
Intake Grate
The intake grate is designed to direct water into the intake while also blocking out any debris. Since jet ski’s are powered by water shooting out the back, this is a pretty essential part.
Upgrading the intake grate is a “grate” way to get better acceleration when cornering. There are different opinions on whether it helps with overall top speed, but we’ll leave that argument for the message boards.
Stage kits
Stage kits are the least risky of all the more intense performance upgrades. The only reason why they’re risky at all is because there are some sketchy companies out there that make them. If you stick to a trusted company then they pose very little risk. Riva Racing makes some great stage kits, and they’re pretty easy to install.
Related: Must have jet ski accessories
Sea Doo Spark performance upgrades
Any upgrade that affects performance is technically a “performance upgrade”. To simplify things, we classified the Sea Doo Spark upgrades mentioned above as “at home upgrades”. The reason being is they pose very low risk, and anyone can do them.
Like a lot of things in the personal watercraft community, performance upgrades are a sensitive subject. There are a lot of firm believers that performance upgrades can provide real results worth the risk and money. On the other hand, a large part of the community feels that classic upgrades are the way to go.
We chose to leave the controversial upgrades off of this post, because they do pose real risks. If you truly want to max out your top speed, you’re better off sending in your Spark to a shop. Some people may have done them successfully at home, but it requires prior knowledge to do properly.
If you can find a quality shop, and have the extra money, sending your Spark in is definitely the best route. Just know that it’s an expensive process, and the return is usually minimal.
In the end it’s up to you as an owner to decide which upgrades are worth it. After all, it’s your jet ski.
Hate seeing these tuner guys try their hands at jet skis. Makes the rest of us look bad when some kid spends thousands on ILLEGAL mods just to get a few more mph out the gate.
Honestly don’t think its worth it to dump money into performance parts on a Spark but hey, to each his own
I bought a used 60hp spark for 3.5k and got an ebay tune for $225 with an Impros 12-15 impeller for 280 bucks and turned a slow boring ski with a top speed of 40mph into a dirt bike on the the water that’s fun to ride with tons of grunt and a top speed of 52mph. Lots of fun for a 4k price tag. Also, this ski is a mechanics best friend. Once the top is off, you can easily access everything that may need repair.