How to Make a Jet Ski Faster?
Although a typical Jet Ski model has a set maximum speed that may seem impossible to upgrade, that isn’t always the case.
Smart Jet Ski owners can adjust a myriad of elements on their unit to help it run more smoothly on the water.
This process helps to increase its acceleration and top speed at the same time.
Upgrade the Intake Grate
The intake grate on a Jet Ski is where water enters your vehicle.
This valve is essential because the water it takes in will cool down the impellor and stator section to ensure that your Jet Skin runs smoothly.
The intake grate not only helps to control the amount of water that flows through your unit but also helps to keep various types of debris from entering it as well.
Most of the time, a basic intake grate is little more than a simple flat bar.
These OEM – or original manufacturer products – operate very simply to ensure that you get the best and most efficient operation possible for the unit without an upgrade.
However, you can easily enhance the style of intake valve on your Jet Ski to help increase its speed and make it a better vehicle.
How to Upgrade the Valve
First of all, you need to understand how this process will benefit your ride fully.
An enhanced intake grate will protect your Jet Ski from larger debris, which helps it operate more effectively.
Even better, they will direct more water to your interior, which will help keep them cooler.
Importantly, this process will also help to increase your acceleration and manage your ride in rougher conditions.
As a result, you can achieve faster top speeds without running into as much turbulence as you ride.
Thankfully, upgrading this part of your Jet Ski is one of the simplest ways to increase its speed.
Start by identifying the part on the front of your vehicle.
The intake grate is easy to identify because it is a small grate that is usually made out of plastic in a basic Jet Ski model.
Identify the nuts and bolts holding it down, find a proper wrench or screwdriver, and remove these items quickly and efficiently.
Place them to the side, as you will likely need them again.
Now, place your replacement grate – which is available from many different sources – and line it up with the screw holes left from where you removed the old grate.
Replace these screws in each corner and tighten them up evenly to ensure that they stay true to your vehicle.
The type of grate you purchase will vary depending on your vehicle and its unique needs.
For example, the size and location are vital to consider, as is the material.
Try to find a grate that is made out of stronger metal – such as aluminum – to ensure the best results.
And make sure that the grate holes are balanced between blocking debris and letting in water.
This process may be a challenge, so make sure that you talk to a Jet Ski expert before trying it on your own.
Change the Impeller
The Jet Ski impeller is a small rotating part that is important for the water pump that helps to suck water through your intake grate.
As this pump runs, it blows water through your system and will push this liquid out the back of the Jet Ski.
The force this process creates will help to provide the movement action that drives your vehicle forward on the water.
As a result, you can upgrade this part to increase your speed.
The upgrades that you’ll make will vary depending on a multitude of different factors.
Some may want to change the impeller to a more robust model that is compatible with your vehicle.
This process is one that will take a good mechanical understanding of how your Jet Ski works or else you might make installation mistakes.
However, you can also change the angle of your impeller to enhance its operation without changing the impeller fan model on your vehicle.
The choice will vary depending on your needs.
How to Improve Your Impeller
Although upgrading your impeller is likely to only improve your speed by up to 2-3 miles per hour, any upgrade can help enhance your Jet Ski.
Please note: most of the changes on this list will only improve your speed by a similar amount.
However, that doesn’t decrease the effectiveness of these enhancements.
Instead, it merely means that you must take multiple steps to ensure that you get the best speed possible with your vehicle.
First of all, start by examining the inside of your Jet Ski by opening up its exterior.
This process is one that you should only take if you feel very confident with upgrading your ride.
Making changes like this often requires you to have pretty good mechanical skills and should only be undertaken if you are 100 percent sure of your success.
If you feel confident, move on with the next steps. If not, contact a professional near you to get help.
Once you’ve opened up the vehicle using the proper tools, examine the pump, and find the impeller inside of it.
This part should look like a small fan and should be easy to remove with a wrench.
You may have to remove a few nuts and bolts to get it off its shaft, though, so be prepared for that.
After you’ve carefully taken the impeller off of its axis, you can replace it with a stronger blade or impeller that you purchased from an appropriate Jet Ski store.
Tighten the bolts to hold it down on the shaft and to avoid mechanical failure.
You can also change the angle of the impeller by carefully adjusting the shaft along its full length to ensure that it runs smoothly.
This step is only wise if you fully understand the necessary tools for this process.
For example, you’ll need a wrench to loosen the holding nuts and bolts.
Then, you’ll need a multitude of items, such as various leveling items, to ensure that your shaft remains level throughout its full distance.
Tune the Engine
Although a Jet Ski engine is typically relatively simple, problems may cause it to run down or become less efficient.
These issues can become worse if you don’t take the time to tune your engine from time to time. Some of this process you can do on your own without a lot of mechanical skill.
However, other tune-ups will require you to contact a professional to ensure that you get the best results without causing any complications with your engine’s operation.
This step is one that is smart to fully understand because there’s a good chance that you’ll be implementing it multiple times throughout the life of your Jet Ski.
The timing on your tune-ups will vary depending on factors such as how often you use your vehicle and the weather conditions of your area.
Typically, you want a tune-up before you start up your Jet Ski for the season and just before you store it again for the year.
This timing on this process should catch any problems that you might otherwise miss.
How to Tune Your Engine
Though you might not have a lot of mechanical skills, you should have the skills necessary to do some tuning.
For example, you can keep your engine clean by removing dirt and debris that occurs throughout your Jet Ski’s engine.
For instance, you should seek out oil, mold, dust, and other items that may build up inside of your unit and which may cause complications with its operation.
Most of the time, the cleaning process should be quite straightforward.
Open up the interior of your vehicle – using the proper wrenches and screwdrivers – and wipe down any areas that seem dirty.
A simple rag is often enough, here, though you may also want to seek out disinfectants to ensure that you get the interior as clean as possible.
Pay particular attention to areas that may be hard to reach, such as underneath the hood.
During this process, pay particular attention for mold and mildew throughout your engine.
In many cases, the water that continually pumps through your Jet Ski may contribute to mold and mildew buildup throughout your engine and the interior.
Use the proper mold-cleaning products to ensure that you manage this process successfully.
Most Jet Ski shops should have some cleaners and polishes that you can use here.
At this point, you can also replace your air filters as well. These air filters keep debris out of your fuel and your engine and ensure that it doesn’t run poorly.
This process requires you to identify the screen – which is usually quite obvious – and to carefully replace it with a new model.
Read your manual to figure out which type of filter is appropriate for your needs and carefully replace it as needed.
Make sure that you take your Jet Ski into a professional mechanic at this point.
These experts can upgrade your engine by adding a new exhaust kit, add replacement parts throughout the engine, and add elements that soup up your speed and enhance your acceleration.
You’ll pay a bit more for this service, but properly doing it is more than worth the extra speed that you’ll get.
Upgrades to Consider
If you want to improve the operational power of your Jet Ski engine, you can hire a mechanic to do a few simple upgrades.
The enhancements that will improve your speed the most include:
- Adding a Waterbox Silencer – This step helps to increase the power of your engine and minimizes excess noise that may distract you as you ride.
- Replacing the Carburetor – Replacing the carburetor helps to increase your engine power by enhancing its operational efficiency.
- Changing Compressor Wheel – The compressor wheel helps to enhance your acceleration and make your Jet Ski faster more quickly.
- More Powerful Engine – Talk to a Jet Ski dealer about enhanced engines that can fit inside of your vehicle more easily than others.
These steps should only be done with a professional because mistakes can complicate how well they work.
Make sure that you talk to an expert on Jet Ski mechanics – and not general engine upgrades – to ensure that you get the best results in this situation.
Decrease Your Weight
Lastly, you can decrease the weight of your ride to help enhance your speed.
The engine of the average Jet Ski is powerful enough to get pretty solid speed but can be easily weighed down by items that are unnecessary for your ride.
Make sure that you pay attention to these items and remove them before you ride for too long.
Doing so can ensure that you get the most out of your Jet Ski experience.
For example, you should clean out your storage compartments of unnecessary items – such as unnecessary ropes, anchors, and extra gas – to enhance your speed.
This process won’t increase your speed by more than a few miles per hour, but any extra speed can help.
You don’t have to throw these items away but should place them in appropriate storage bins that ensure they are safe while you ride your Jet Ski.
Beyond this step, you should talk to a mechanic about other ways to decrease your vehicle weight.
Some mechanics may have the skills necessary to remove more substantial parts and replace them with lighter ones.
Many replacement parts are designed for speed and will be easy to replace if you are careful.
Just as importantly, you may be able to find pieces that enhance your speed in other ways.
