Seadoo battery coolant flush

For most of us that live in a climate that has 4 seasons means during the winter, we are usually landlocked and the Jet Ski is sitting around doing nothing. The most important thing for you to do after each season is to fully winterize your Sea-doo GTI SE 130 Jet Ski.

Many of you will have different Jet Ski models and brands, but a lot of what we will talk about today will still apply. Failure to do an after season maintenance can cause premature wear and even damage to your sea-doo jet ski during winter and the following months.

If you are like me and want to save some money you can easily do the winterize procedure yourself rather than taking it to an authorized BRP dealer which will do the same procedure but charge you an arm and maybe a leg.

Steps to Winterize your Sea-doo GTI SE 130 Jet Ski

I have outlined my exact procedure to winterize my Sea-Doo GTI 130. It covers all the more important steps to follow. There is a nice video at the end which explains it all. The procedure should be the same for Sea-Doo PWC GTX, RXP, and RXT, with a few slight changes.

Washing and cleaning

  1. Take the whole jet ski and trailer outside and give it a complete fresh water washdown. This includes wheels, trailer, winch, whole Jets Ski, motor, and jet pump.
  2. Connect a hose and flush out your engine. Remember to always start your motor before connecting your hose. Saves the motor from getting flooded.
  3. Use a towel to dry off the trailer and the hull of the Sea-Doo jetski. This will prevent these horrible dry water spots from happening which will make waxing your hull harder down the line.
  4. Use XPS lube to spray down the entire motor and rear of the jet pump including the IBR unit. It’s also a good time to spray down the trailer winch and cable.
  5. Remove the jetski seat and place in an upright position. This will help water drain and prevent mold. I always store my Sea-doo with the seat off.

Mechanical Inspection

Now is a great time to check the inside hoses and bolts for anything that may be looking like it’s coming loose or wearing. Grab the fuel injection rail and check for leaks. Check all of the water hose clamps for tightness with a screwdriver.

Start the motor up and blow out any water left in the exhaust system. Activate the IBR system and lube all the linkages.

Turn off the Jet Ski and add a stabilizer fuel additive for fresh long-lasting fuel. I like to use a product called Sta-Bil. Read the instructions on the correct amount to add. Make sure to have a full tank of fuel for long-term storage. Now let’s get to the more mechanical aspects of the winterization procedure.

Engine and Oil Filter Replacement.

Winterize Sea-doo GTI SE 130 Jet Ski

I consider this step the most important maintenance procedure. Check out this post on how to change the oil on your Sea-Doo Jet Ski. It’s a very detailed post so you will find out about the correct steps to take and the tools used to replace both the oil filter and engine oil.

  1. Warm up the Jetski
  2. Use a dipstick oil vacuum pump to pull out all the old oil in the engine.
  3. Remove the oil filter cover using a 6mm star socket and replace the oil filter with new O-Rings and Sea-Doo oil filter.
  4. Refill with quality marine engine oil -suited for superchargers if fitted.
  5. Check the oil level with the jet ski level. Top up if required.

Don’t forget to order in the oil filter o-rings as this is often an overlooked step.

Replace Spark Plugs in the 4-Tech

Seadoo winter service kit
Click for more information on the full Sea-doo service parts list

I like to replace the spark plugs in my Sea-Doo 2012 GTI 130 every season. So this means I take them out and put new ones in during my yearly maintenance. The plugs you require are NGK SPARK PLUGS DCPR8E / 4339.

You will need a long socket extension as these spark plugs are deep down in the engine block.

  1. Disconnect the spark plug ignition coil connectors.
  2. Remove the ignition coils by twisting and pulling them up. They will be a little stiff.
  3. Use a can to squeeze compressed air into the spark plug housing to blow out any old dirt and water.
  4. Use a spark plug socket to remove the plugs. turning anticlockwise will remove them. If they haven’t been removed in a while they may be locked in tight.
  5. Remove the spark plugs using one of the ignition coils. Just press the coil over the spark plug to lift them out.
  6. Use the XPS to spray a small squirt into the cylinder block. This will coat the cylinder to prevent rust on the bore.
  7. Leave the plugs out and crank over the engine. This will lube up the piston rings as well. Use a rag over the plug holes to capture any excess lube.
  8. Reinsert the new spark plugs making sure that the spark plug gap is set to 0.03 inch. I have yet to find one out of specifications but bet to be careful. Use some never seize compound on the threads to make removal easy next time.
  9. Hand tighten the spark plugs to make sure you don’t cross-thread any of them. Then use a socket wrench to tighten and an extra 1/4 to 1/2 turn depending on the manufacturer’s instructions.
  10. Clean all the old Down Corning 111 waterproof paste off the ignition coils and apply and a nice new gob of paste just underneath and above the plug connectors terminals.
  11. Slide the black rubber disk back up to the top.
  12. Insert the ignition coils and line up the connection points and plug them in.
  13. Smooth over any excess Down Corning 111 paste.

Congratulations you have just replaced your spark plugs on your Sea-Doo 130HP Jet-Ski. Other more high-performance models will have an engine cover that will have to be removed first.

How to replace the engine coolant in a Sea-Doo Jet Ski

Sea-doo coolant flush drain

All jet skis with engine coolant will have to replace at 2 years or 200 hours whichever comes first. We will go over it here in a basic procedure but check out our detailed post on how to replace the coolant on a Sea-Doo PWC.

Doing a coolant flush is very important to stop the corrosion happening on the inside of your engine. This is very simple and only should take around 1/2 an hour

  1. Remove the overflow cap from the small coolant tank
  2. Use a socket wrench and a hex bit to unscrew the small drain plug near the rear of the ride plate. Capture this coolant in a small container.
  3. Drain the whole coolant system and flush through with another small amount of green automotive coolant.
  4. Get a helper to fill up the coolant reservoir while you insert the drain plug. This will ensure that you don’t get an air pocket.
  5. Reinsert the drain plug screw and tighten it up. Don’t overtighten as this screw can snap really easily and it’s not a fun removal process.
  6. Put the coolant radiator back on and check for any coolant leaks. You may have to top up the coolant system again after you start the jet ski up.

Cleaning the inside of the hull

Bilge Pump Install pwc clean inside of the hull jetski

Usually, after a full season of riding the inside hull will start to get grubby from any salt water, oil leaks, and carbon dust from the jet seal.

A good household grease spray cleaner will do the job nicely. Just spray and wipe over. There isn’t a whole lot of room inside the jetski but I sometimes use a small pole with a rag attached to the end to wipe over any hard-to-access areas.

Cleaning the outside hull and vinyl

Keeping the outside of your Sea-Doo looking brand new requires a little bit of work. A good was and wax polish is recommended to get that deep shine and protect the plastics from the sun and water spray.

The vinyl seat can be cleaned using a good marine vinyl spray and wipe. I like to use a product called 3m Vinyl cleaner and protector.

It’s also good to leave your seat off the Sea-Doo PWC to allow the insides of the seat foam to drain and clean. After a week the seat can be put back onto the personal watercraft.

Battery Maintenance and Care.

Replace Battery seadoo
Unbolt Battery

The original Sea-Doo battery usually only lasts 3-4 years. If using a quality marine battery tender your battery should last a few more years. I leave my battery connected during the winter periods so I can connect my Ctek charger every now and then for a top-up.

Other people like to disconnect the battery so there is no drain on the Sea-Doo electrical system. It’s only a small drain so I’m not too concerned with disconnecting the battery.

If you would like to know how to replace your battery check out of detailed procedure on how to replace your Sea-Doo battery on the GTI 130. You may need a few hours as the battery on the Sea-Doo in the front hull in an awkward spot. Lots of back bending leaning over and into the front hull.

Check out this great video on “How to Winterize your Sea-doo 4-Tec GTI SE 130 Jet Ski” Great Job 3 Ft Deep.

Now What?

Congratulations you have now completed all of the important steps to winterize your Sea-Doo GTI 130 and most other models. There are some other smaller steps like checking your trailer wheel bearings and maintaining your rescue gear like ropes and fire extinguishers. Give these a once over and have confidence in your equipment for next season.

Now if you are after another Sea-doo then check out their new range for this year.

If you do happen to have some errors pop up on your screen check out theis mega Sea-doo fault code list. It will help you find where the problem is.

If you do have issues with your Jetski why not check out our common Jet ski problems and solutions.

Let me know in the comments if there are any extra steps you do to provide some extra care for your pride and joy. Be safe and see you out on the water soon.

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5 COMMENTS

  1. I have been changing the oil, filter, etc for 3 years on my SE130 GTI without going to a dealer. My maintenance due message pops up after 50 hrs. Can I get rid of the message on my own?

    • You can but you will need to purchase the Candoo Pro. The Home version is around $400 so it is a big investment but worth it in the long run, if you need to diagnose a fault or reset engine light reminders.

  2. I have a 2018 gti 130 se and I have been getting mixed messages about needing to have antifreeze in the exhaust. I was told you have to use a low battery pump to flush it like you do with the water hose. Any info on this would be great.
    Thanks

    • Hi Mike
      If you live in a place where water freezes in winter then yes you must run antifreeze through your cooling system. Failure to do so will result in the water freezing and expanding causing cracks in the cooling circuit.
      If you live in warmer climates then you can skip this step. But always do a fresh water flush after running in salt water.

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