Kawasaki JET SKI JT1500J Owner's manual

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ENGLISH

Watercraft

Owner's Manual

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READ THIS FIRST!

WARNING

Failure to read and understand the information provided in this owner's manual can jeopardize your safety

and increase the possibility for an accident resulting in serious injury or death. To reduce the risk of severe in-

jury or death, thoroughly read this owner's manual before operating your Jet Ski watercraft.

To reduce the risk of SEVER INJURY or DEATH:

WEAR A PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE (PFD).

All riders must wear a Coast Guard approved

PFD that is suitable for personal watercraft

(PWC) use.

WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.

Severe internal injuries can occur if water is

forced into body cavities as a result of falling in-

to water or being near the jet thrust nozzle. Nor-

mal swimwear does not adequately protect

against forceful water entry into lower body cav-

ities. All riders must wear a wet suit bottom or

clothing that provides equivalent protection.

Wet suits are made of a thick material (neo-

prene) that significantly retards the velocity of

water passing through it. Normal swim wear will

not adequately protect you but some other

aquatic wear may protect against this injury.

Swimsuits that may be displaced by the force of

the water will not provide that protection. Materi-

als that are thicker, materials that are a tighter

weave, materials that are water repellant, and

materials that are closer fitting will tend to pro-

vide more protection. In the absence of wearing

a wet suit bottom, you should select a clothing

design that will maximize your protection.

Footwear, gloves, and goggles/glasses are rec-

ommended.

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KNOW BOATING LAWS.

Kawasaki recommends a minimum operator age

of 16 years old. Follow regulations for operator

and (or) license requirements in the country of

use.

ATTACH ENGINE SHUT-OFF CORD (LANYARD)

to wrist and keep it free from handlebars so that

the engine stops if operator falls off. After riding,

remove the cord from PWC to avoid unauthor-

ized use by children or others.

RIDE WITHIN YOUR LIMITS AND AVOID AG-

GRESSIVE MANEUVERS to reduce the risk of

loss of control, ejection, and collision. This is a

high performance boat – not a toy. Sharp turns

or jumping wakes or waves can increase the risk

of back/spinal injury (paralysis), facial injuries,

and broken legs, ankles, and other bones.

Do

not jump wakes or waves.

DO NOT APPLY THROT TLE WHEN ANYONE IS

AT REAR OF PWC – turn engine off or keep en-

gine at idle. Water and/or debris ejected from the

jet thrust nozzle can cause severe injury.

KEEP AWAY FROM INTAKE GRATE while engine

is on. Items such as long hair, loose clothing, or

PFD straps can becom e entangled in moving

parts resulting in sever e injury or drowning.

NEVER RIDE AFTER CONSUMING DRUGS OR

ALCOHOL

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Collisions result in more INJURIES AND

DEATHS than any other type of accident for per-

sonal watercraft (PWC).

TO AVOID COLLISIONS:

SCAN CONSTANTLY for people, objects, and

other watercraft. Be alert for conditions that limit

your visibility or block your vision of others.

OPERATE DEFENSIVELY at safe speeds and

keep a safe distance away from people, objects,

and other water craft.

• Do not follow directly behind PWCs or other

boats.

• Do not go near others to spray or splash them

with water.

•Avoid sharp turns or ot her maneuvers that

make it hard for others to avoid you or under-

stand where you are going.

• Avoid areas with submerged objects or shallow

water.

TAKE EARLY ACTION to avoid collisions. Re-

member, PWCs and other boats

do not have

brakes.

DO NOT RELEASE THROTTLE WHEN TRYING

TO STEER away from objects –

you need throttle

to steer. Always check throttle and steering con-

trols for proper operation before starting PWC.

Follow navigation rules and state and local laws

that apply to PWCs.

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NOTICE

Take proper care of your new JET SKI watercraft. Here are some of the cautions contained in this manual

which must be followed for the protection of your watercraft. Be sure to read this Owner's Manual and under-

stand it thoroughly before operating your watercraft.

Rolling the watercraft to its STARBOARD side

can cause water in the exhaust system to run in-

to the engine, with possible engine damage. Al-

ways turn the boat on its PORT side.

If the watercraft has capsized, follow the righting

procedure on page _ _ _ immediately. If water is

left in the engine more than a few hours, it will

cause severe and costly engine damage. (Needs

reference to removing water).

Water left in the intake tract and supercharger

can corrode the supercharger rotors and pre-

vent them from turning. To prevent corrosion,

remove any water or moisture from the intake

tract as soon as possi ble. Coat the supercharger

rotors with fogging oil before prolonged stor-

age. (for JT1500H/J)

Operation in shallow or debris-laden water can

allow objects or sand from the bottom to sucked

into the jet pump, damaging the impeller and

possibly clogging cooling hoses which can

cause severe engine damage from overheating.

To prevent sucking objects and/or sand into the

jet pump, the watercraft must be in water at least

0.8 m (2.5 ft) deep when starting. Do not operate

in shallow or debris-laden water or run the

watercraft onto the shore.

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Since Jet Ski personal watercraft are not de-

signed to be docked in the water for extended

periods, prolonged immersion in water will

cause the hull paint to bubble and peel, as well

as electrolytic erosion of some metal parts in

the jet pump. To prevent paint damage and elec-

trolytic erosion, remove your Jet Ski watercraft

from the water at the end of each day's use; do

not leave it in the water overnight. Your Jet Ski

watercraft will last longer and look better if you

remove it from the water at the end of every

day's use.

The jet pump bearings and seals require peri-

odic service. Major engine damage can occur i f

the jet pump bearings fail due to lack of mainte-

nance. Have your Kawasaki dealer inspect the

jet pump bearings and seals after the first 25

hours of use or every year, whichever comes

first; and then every 50 hours or every year,

whichever comes first. The jet pump bearings

should also be serviced before any prolonged

storage to prevent any water that may be left in

the pump from corroding the bearings and caus-

ing premature failure.

Moisture in the air drawn through the super-

charger during use can condense after the en-

gine is stopped and not used for prolonged

periods, often creating mineral deposits on in-

ternal parts that may lead to supercharger lock-

up, particularly if the watercraft has been used

in salt water. At the end of each day's use, oil the

supercharger to prevent the formation of miner-

al deposits (see the Supercharger sect ion in the

MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT chapter)

(for JT1500H/J).

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Quick Reference Guide

This Quick Reference Guide will assist you in

finding the information you're looking for.

A Table of Contents is included after the Foreword.

GENERAL INFORMATION

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

STORAGE

MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENTS

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

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Whenever you see the symbols shown below,

heed their instructions! Always follow safe operating

and maintenance practices.

WARNING

This warning symbol identifies special in-

structions or procedures which, if not cor-

rectly followed, could result in personal

injury, or loss of life.

NOTICE

This cautio n symbol identifies special in-

structions or procedures which, if not strictly

observed, could result in damage to or de-

struction of equipment.

NOTE

○

Indicates points of particular interest for more effi-

cient and convenient operation.

NOTE

○

This general Owner's Manual (OM) contains infor-

mation concerning the following models. Please

refer where applicable to your particular JET SKI

model.

JT1500A

JT1500H

JT1500J

JT1500K

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FOREWORD

Congratulations on your purchase of a new Kawa-

saki JET SKI watercraft. Welcome to a new and ex-

citing water sport. We are pleased you have chosen

the Kawasaki JET SKI watercraft to expand the en-

joyment of your recreational hours.

Kawasaki uses the latest manufacturing methods

and materials to bring you a high quality recreational

watercraft.

Please read this Owner's Manual carefully be-

fore starting your new JET SKI watercraft so that

you will be thoroughly familiar with the proper opera-

tion of your wat ercraft's controls, its features, c apa-

bilities, and limitations. Kawasaki strongly

recommends that all operators attend a boating

safety course before riding the watercraft. Contact

the marine law enforcement agency in your country.

To ensure a long, trouble-free life for your JET SKI

watercraft, give it the proper care and maintenance

described in this manual. For those who would like

more detailed informatio n on their JET SKI water-

craft, a Service Manual is available for purcha se

from any authorized Kawasaki JET SKI watercraft

dealer. The Service Manual contains detailed disas-

sembly and maintenance information. Those who

plan to do their own work should, of course, be com-

petent mechanics and possess the special tools de-

scribed in the Service Manual.

Keep this Owner's Manual aboard your JET SKI

watercraft at all times so that you can refer to it

whenever you need information. If you need further

information, please contact your dealer, who will

provide all the help you need.

This manual should be considered a permanent

part of the JET SKI watercraft and should remain

with the JET SKI watercraft when it is sold.

Design Category

This watercraf t is a # Category C and is designed

to operate in winds up to Beaufort force 6 and the

associated wave heights (significant wave height up

to 2 m, see Note 1 below). Such conditions may al-

so be encountered in exposed inland waters, in es-

tuaries, and in coastal waters in moderate weather

conditions.

Note 1

The significant wave height is the mean height of

the highest one-third of the waves, which corre-

sponds to the wave height estimated by an experi-

enced observer. Some waves will be double this

height.

Contact the marine law enforcement agency in

your country for further advice.

be reproduced without our prior written permission.

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This General Owner's Manual offers only the

standard description from various models so some

descriptions shown may not apply to your particular

model. For detailed information of your JET SKI

(JET SKI handling, maintenance, service and tech-

nical data) refer to the English Owner's Manual. If

not available, consult an authorized Kawasaki deal-

er.

This publication includes the latest information

available at the time of printing. However, there may

be minor differences between the actual product

and illustrations and text in this manual.

All products are subject to change without prior

notice or obligation.

KAWASAKI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.

Motorcycle & Engine Company

is a trademar k of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. registered in U.S.A., Japan, Aus-

tria, Benelux, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, France, Canada, Finland, Norway, Greece, Italy, U.K., Por-

tugal, Thailand, and Taiwan.

KAWASAKI JET SKI is a trademark of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. registered in Australia.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SPECIFICATIONS .......... .................................... 17

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY ................... 20

GENERAL INFORMATION ................................ 22

Serial Numbers ................................................. 22

Parts Location .................................................. 23

Label Location .................................................. 30

Registration Numbers ...................................... 38

Multifunction Meter (for JT1500A) .................... 40

Smart Learning Operation mode (SLO

mode) .........................................................

41

Speedometer ................................................. 42

Fuel Level Gauge Indicator/“FUEL” Charac-

ter/Warning Light ........................................

42

Engine Oil Pressure Indicator/“OILP” Char-

acter/Warning Light ....................................

42

Engine Cooling Water Temperature Indicato-

r/“HEAt” character/Warning Light ...............

43

Low Battery Voltage Indicator/“bAt” Charac-

ter/Warning Light ........................................

43

Engine Oil Temperature indicator/“OILt”

Character/Warning Light ............................

44

Engine Oil Overheat Indicator/“OILH” Char-

acter/Warning Light ....................................

44

FI Indicator/“FI” Character/Warning Light ...... 44

Multifunction Displays ................................... 45

Multifunction Meter (for JT1500H/J/K) ............. 49

Speedometer ................................................. 51

Tachometer .................................................... 51

Boost Meter (for JT1500H/J) ......................... 52

Multifunction Displays ................................... 52

Economical Riding Indicator (for JT1500H/J) 58

Fuel Economy Assistance Indicator (for

JT1500H/J) .................................................

58

Electric Trim-control Indicator (for JT1500H/

J) .................................................................

59

Fuel Level Gauge/“FUEL” Character/Red

Warning Indicator Light ..............................

59

Engine Oil Pressure Indicator/“OILP” Char-

acter/Red Warning Indicator Light ..............

59

Engine Cooling Water Temperature Indicato-

r/“HEAt” character/Red Warning Indicator

Light .................... ........................................

60

Low Battery Voltage Indicator/“bAt” Charac-

ter/Red Warning Indicator Light .................

60

Engine Oil Temperature indicator/ “OILt”

Character/Red Warning Indicator Light ......

61

Engine Oil Overheat Indicator/“OILH” Char-

acter/Red Warning Indicator Light ..............

61

FI Indicator/“FI” Character/Red Warning Indi-

cator Light (for JT1500H/J) ........................

62

FI Indicator/“FI” Character/Red Warning Indi-

cator Light (for JT1500K) ...........................

62

Immobilizer Amplifier Indicator/“Innb” Char-

acter/Red Warning Indicator Light ..............

63

Immobilizer Key Matching Indicator/“I9nI”

Character/Red Warning Indicator Light ......

64

Communication Trouble Indicator/“Err” Char-

acter/Red Warning Indicator Light ..............

64

Fuel ................................................................... 65

Fuel Requirements ........................................ 65

Filling the Tank .......... .................................... 66

Engine Oil ......................................................... 69

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Oil Requirements ............................................ 69

Oil Level Inspection ........................................ 69

Controls ............................................................. 71

Tilt Lever .......... ............................................... 71

Kawasaki Smart Steering

TM

(KSS

TM

) ............ 71

Important Information ..................................... 72

Smart Learning Operation mode ( SLO ) ....... 72

Important Information for Handlebar Cover .... 72

Engine Stop Button ........................................ 73

Engine Start Button ........................................ 73

Throttle Lever ................................................. 74

Ignition Switch (for JT1500A) ......................... 74

Shift Lever ...................................................... 75

Fuel Economy Assistance Mode (for

JT1500H/J) ..................................................

76

One-touch 5 mph Mode (for JT1500H/J) ....... 77

Electronic Cruise Control Mode (for

JT1500H/J) ..................................................

78

Electric Trim-control (for JT1500H/J) ............. 80

Ignition Switch ................................................... 82

SLO/FPO Modes ............................................ 82

How to use the Immobilizer-function keys ...... 83

Spare keys ..................................................... 85

EC Directive Compliance ............................... 85

Seat Latch ......................................................... 85

Storage Compartment ....................................... 86

Center and Rear Storage Cases ....................... 89

Accessory .......................................................... 91

Tool Kit .............................................................. 92

Bilge System ..................................................... 93

Drain Screws ..................................................... 93

Reboarding Step ............................................... 94

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS ............................ 95

Safe Operation .................................................. 95

Operation by Children .................................... 95

Operation by unskilled riders .......................... 95

Operator Swimming Ability ............................. 95

Maximum Number of Persons ........................ 95

Safe Riding Rules ........................................... 96

Jet Pump Saf ety ............................................. 98

Personal Flotation Device and Safety Gear ... 99

Watercraft Helmet..... Something You Should

Know ...........................................................

100

Fire Extinguisher ............................................100

Loading ..............................................................102

Load Capacity Limits ......................................102

Pulling a water skier, tuber, wakerboarder, etc. .104

Navigation Rules ...............................................106

Sailboats .........................................................106

Overtaking and Passing Situation ..................106

Meeting Situation ............................................107

Crossing Situation ..........................................107

Pre-ride Checklist ..............................................108

Check Outside Craft .......................................108

Check Inside Craft ..........................................108

Break-In .............................................................110

Stopping the Engine ............... ........................... 111

Starting the Engine ............................................ 113

Launching ..........................................................117

Launching from a Dock ..................................117

Launching from a Ramp .................................117

Deep Water Start ............................................118

Shallow Water Start ........................................118

Stopping the JET SKI Watercraft ......................119

Normal Stopping ........................................ .....119

Stopping Skills ................................................121

Minimum Stopping Distances ............... .........121

Turning the JET SKI Watercraft .........................122

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Operating the JET SKI Watercraft in Reverse .125

Docking the JET SKI Watercraft .......................125

Riding the JET SKI Watercraft .........................126

Fall Recovery ................................................126

Righting the Capsized Watercraft .................127

After Submerging (for JT1500A) ...................128

After Submerging (for JT1500H/J) ................133

After Submerging (for JT1500K) ..................137

End of the Day Checklist ..................................141

First, Drain the Exhaust System ....................141

Second, Clean the Engine Compartment (for

JT1500A/K) ................................................

142

Second, Clean the Engine Compartment (for

JT1500H/J) .................................................

142

Third, Clean the Outside Hull ........................143

Special Procedures ..........................................144

Clearing Clogged Impeller .............................144

Cleaning Fouled Spark Plugs ........................145

Towing the JET SKI Watercraft .....................145

Jump Starting (for JT1500A) .........................146

Jump Starting (for JT1500H/J/K) ...................147

Engine Overheating ......................................149

Transporting .....................................................150

Electronic Throttle Valve (ETV) System (for

JT1500H/J) ....................................................

150

STORAGE ...........................................................152

Preparation for Storage ....................................152

Cooling System .............................................152

Bilge System .................................................154

Engine Oil ......................................................156

Fuel System and Engine ...............................156

Air Filter (for JT1500A) ..................................161

Battery ...........................................................161

Engine Mount Bracket Bolts ..........................162

Supercharger (for JT1500H/J) ......................162

Jet Pump Bearings/Seals ..............................162

Cleaning ........................................................163

Lubrication .....................................................163

Removal from Storage .....................................164

MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENTS ............166

EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION ...........167

Periodic Maintenance Chart .............................169

Supercharger (for JT1500H/J) .........................173

Control Cable(s) ...............................................174

Steering Cable Adjustment ...........................175

Shift Cable Adjustment ..................................178

Fuel System .....................................................181

Throttle Adjustments .....................................181

Fuel Vent Check Valve ..................................181

Fuel Pump Screen .........................................182

Engine Oil System ............................................182

Oil and/or Oil Filter Changes .................... .....182

Valve Clearance ...............................................186

Spark Plug ........................................................187

Battery ..............................................................190

Lubrication ........................................................197

Cooling System Flushing .................................201

Bilge System Flushing ......................................204

Jet Pump Bearings/Seals .................................206

Fuses ................................................................207

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE ...........................210

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ....................216

MAINTENANCE RECORD .................................217

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SPECIFICATIONS

JET SKI WATERCRAFT

Engine:

Type

Displacement

Bore and Stroke

Compression Ratio

Ignition System

Lubrication System

Fuel System

Starting System

Tuning Specifications:

Spark Plug

Gap

Terminal

Ignition Timing

Idle Speed

Drive System:

Coupling

Jet Pump:

Type

Thrust

Steering

SPECIFICATIONS 17

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Braking

*

Performance:

Maximum Engine Power

Minimum Turning Radius

Fuel Consumption

Cruising Range

Dimensions:

Overall length

Overall width

Overall Height

Curb Mass

Air Draft (1)

Maximum Draft (2)

Fuel Tank Capacity

Engine Oil:

Type

Oil Capacity

Electrical Equipment:

Battery

(1) Vertical distance between the floating plane in the light craft condition and the highest point of the craft

structure, namely the handle top.

(2) Draft in the fully loaded craft condition.

*

The information shown here represents results under controlled conditions, and the information may not

be correct under other conditions.

18 SPECIFICATIONS

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