Engine Swap

Have a question.. I currently have a 97 GTX & 98 GTXL. With all the uproar about the 2 strokes on the water, what is the possibility of swapping the motors out with a 4 stroke?? Is it possible? We love our skis and would like to keep them a long time.

Check out this site: http://www.rexxracing.com/
This rotary engine gig has been going on for a while. It is a lot of work but the pricing is not that bad and the power is UNREAL!
Joe.........

I remember his major hold back was fitting a pipe on the enigine.

Hmmm.. Very interesting.. Am a retired Air Froce Jet engine Technican. I have the wrenching skills..

I like my current skis and would love to upgrade them.. Maybe even do the LB to CAT someday..

The pipe issues have been resolved. The RX, GSX, & GTX hulls can fit these Mazda engine OK. The XPL hull is in the works but I don't know how that is going. If I remember right,,, this guy is Tom Christensen and he is a very cool guy. I would love to try this myself but you can't race a ski with a Mazda engine. If you have a smoked engine in a ski,,, this is a very interesting option.
Joe.............

Ok.. What about reliability?? (sp) Will they last? Have sent them and email. Would love to make this my Winter Project..

The reliability should be great but I can't say for sure I have no done this. Aside from sucking water issues the Wankel engine shoul dgive year of use.
Joe...........

Well I work on Edwards AFB and we do ALOT of DT&E Stuff. I am always looking for a new project (as if I dont have enough already). Between the horse's and my Ski's I am busy as hell...

Well I work on Edwards AFB and we do ALOT of DT&E Stuff. I am always looking for a new project (as if I dont have enough already). Between the horse's and my Ski's I am busy as hell...
I've been there, 11 years in the AF. Vandenberg is one huge base down there in Cali. You still in or you working civil service?
Joe.........

I retired Dec 2000. Have a Civil Service job now.. Life is good

I retired Dec 2000. Have a Civil Service job now.. Life is good
I hear ya, I made that jump in 97 and I was scared to death. Kinda strange at first looking in my closet and wondering what I should wear for the day :shock: Looking back, I am so glad I got out. It was fun but my time was done. Life is much better now for my family and I. I do miss traveling around the world. I was at Hellenkon AB Greece, Norton AFB CA, Wallace AS Pillipines, McChord AFB WA, & a ton of TDY all over the world. After I came back home to WA I didn't want to leave,, well at least the places the AF wanted me to go. The last assignment I turned down was instructor duty at Sheppard AFB TX. I have spent enough time at Sheppard, there was no way I was going to do 5 years there. I like Texas but I don't want to live there for 5 years so I got out to an instant pay increase :D 11 years is enough to serve for me. I feel for the guys and girls serving today. The terrorism was bad when I was in but it is way worse now. My brother in-law just got back from Iraq, for those coming out to Westport, a bunch of my family will be there. We are doing a welcome home party for him.
Joe.........

Very Very Cool..

The decision for me to get out was an assignment to Korea with 21 years in.. My daughters Senior in High School.. I said No thanks and bailed.. Had a job lined up within 4 days of siging the retirement paperwork. Worked for 20 months as a Correctional Officer.. Loved the job but hated the supervison.. Guess the military spoiled me.. So made a few phone calls and lined up A Civil Service job back on base..

Went through a very tough year in 2002, but things are GREAT.. Got remarried in Aug 2003.. Tammie and I are very happy and love to ride either our horse's or our ski's..

Very Very Cool..

The decision for me to get out was an assignment to Korea with 21 years in.. My daughters Senior in High School.. I said No thanks and bailed.. Had a job lined up within 4 days of siging the retirement paperwork. Worked for 20 months as a Correctional Officer.. Loved the job but hated the supervison.. Guess the military spoiled me.. So made a few phone calls and lined up A Civil Service job back on base..

Went through a very tough year in 2002, but things are GREAT.. Got remarried in Aug 2003.. Tammie and I are very happy and love to ride either our horse's or our ski's..
Korea, cool place to visit but I hear ya on not wanting to do a year there. The DMZ is one of the starngest place on earth. I am sure you had yourself a short tour or two already after 21 years. Anyway, wow, we sure did get off subject huh? Back to your ski, It would be very cool to see you throw a Mazda engine in one of your ski's. Could you imagine 300HP?
Joe............

No I never did a short...

I would love to have my ski running like that.. Had a problem eariler in the week with my 97. Would not crank over with the plugs in. With plugs out it would blow oil all over...

I cranked the hell out of it.. Installed 1 plug and got it to start. Let it idle a bit on the hose. Installed the other plug and it cranked right up. Let it run some more on the hose till it quit smoking as bad..

Last year took it into the dealer for its preseason, they told me it was hydrolocked then. They cleared it and told me to watch oil consumption.. Was good all season. Now I have the same. It sat since last August. So I am going to try and run it this season and either rebuild or replace motor this winter...

Could you imagine 300HP?


LOL :lol:
You'd have to do some mdoifications to the ski to make it handle that HP... or should I say... help you to handle it.
You'd need a helmet, oxygen mask, velcro (to hold you down to the seat) and thick body armour (for when you get thrown off).

Also, since we're on another subject as well, one of my brother-in-laws is a retired AF (last stationed at Travis AB, Cali. and still resides in Califonia).
He retired as a Master Sargent and dealt mainly with the electronics of the jets.

Very cool.... I think I could handle the horsepower.. Hell I have 5 horse's I work with on a regular basis.

Crashing on a ski would be better than off of my horse. The ski whold not kick my brains out.. And the water would be a little bit softer to land on...


My AF Career was spent troubleshooting and repairing Jet engines. So I am no stranger to wrenching.. I think it would be a challange and a rush to complete a project like this..

i dont know if anyone is gonna read this cuz its a long dead thread but i am very very intersted in putting a wankel in a seadoo! anyone with info? i would greatly appreciate it