And I am not least familiar with jet skis, but am familiar with engines 
in general.

1: Check with the manufacturer.
2: By busted, better description of the sparkplug. Broken sufficient to 
allow water in the sparkplug port?
3: Needs to get air for combustion, water could get in that way via air 
cleaner, or some port where the air gets in. Exhaust needs a port out, 
usually under water, Are there check valves or other method to keep 
water out of engine.
4: If 4 cycle engine will have a crankcase breather, another point for 
possible water intrusion.
5: Sounds like a lot of money, if that damage happened while you (and 
other person) were in possession, corrosion should not be an issue, and 
relative few parts are involved, parts costs should be low, labor to 
tear down and rebuild to clean could be pricey, but seems much high. Was 
there something else broken like crankcase or a piece of tubing to allow 
water in. I would want to see with my own eyes what it looks like.
6: How many hours on unit, how many hours before maintenance that might 
have prevented situation. Check owners and shop (if they work on them, 
they should have one) manuals maintenance schedule and hour meter. There 
should be allowance for wear and tear and depreciation.
7: Is unit under warrantee?
8: What does your rental agreement say? Anything more $$ than deposit. 
Sounds like they are trying to get you to buy a new engine.
9: Home owners insurance policy might cover, and they will take over 
determining what is reasonable.
10: If on credit card, protest charges. If cash, small claims court.
11: Rollover of a Jet Ski doesn't seem that unusual, should be designed 
for some of that situation.

Vitaliy wrote:
> Does anyone know if there is a way for the water to get inside the engine of
> a jet ski, short of rolling it over, and not turning it back upright right
> away?
>
> We recently rented a jet ski, and the person last riding it said that toward
> the end of the day the engine stalled. He tried restarting it, the jet ski
> went for another two minutes or so, and stalled again. He had to be towed
> back to shore.
>
> The next morning back at the rental shop, they took out the spark plugs,
> which were wet. One of the plugs was completely busted. They were then able
> to turn the engine over without any trouble (it spewed out a good amount of
> water). According to them, the seat (which covers the engine compartment)
> was wet on the inside, they checked the hoses and the only way they see for
> the water to get inside the engine, is if the jet ski was rolled over. The
> person who rode the jet ski last, assures me he never rolled the jet ski
> over (and I was the only other person who rode the jet ski).
>
> The shop wants $2500 to fix the jet ski (the securty deposit was only $400).
> Any suggestions?
>
> Vitaliy
>
>   
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