The ski has good compression and spark but after it starts it diers shortly after and the carb fills with fuel and floods it and then it doesnt start untill it dries out do you know what could be yhe problem

If plug is wet then likely it's flooded. A flooded engine won't fire even with starter fluid.

If plug is dry then more likely compression. Place finger over spark plug hole and pull start rope. Compression should forcibly push your finger with Pfffft sound. If little or no compression then possibly a stuck valve or valve adjustment is needed.

Try a short burst of starter fluid into the carburetor and promptly pull starter. If it runs for a couple seconds and quits then the carburetor is not delivering fuel.

If it doesnt run on starter fluid then either flooded, insufficient spark, or poor compression / crankcase leak.

You have spark so a quick test using starter fluid.

Remove air filter.
Spray a short bust (~1 second) of starter fluid directly into throat of carburetor.
Promptly crank engine.


If engine is not flooded and spark, timing, and compression are satisfactory, the engine will run for a couple seconds until starter fluid is exhausted.


If it fires with starter fluid it indicates no fuel is being delivered from carburetor.


If it doesnt fire, then insufficient spark, engine is flooded, insufficient compression, or timing.

There needs to be fuel, air, spark and compression. It may not start with starter fluid if it's already flooded. It may not start if a valve is stuck open.
You can take the sparkplug out and check to make sure it's not got excess fuel. Plug should be dry.

if spark and good compression ..just leaves fuel

will it start with fuel down the carb ?
not flooding
jets adjusted correctly

would say the old carby has had it.. worn out

needs a new one

Your carburator bowl float is stuck in open position, or it is sticking allowing the gas to flood the engine.
Remove the carburator boal and try to clean or replace the carburator bowl float.

Yes it could be

As a diagnostic see if it runs on starter fluid. Drain all the fuel so no chance it floods. Then remove air filter. Open throttle and spray a short burst of fluid down carb throat. Release throttle and promptly start. It should run for a couple of seconds and stop.

If it doesnt run on staryer fluid make sure the plug and cylinder is dry (not flooded). If its not flooded and wont run on starter fluid then either poor spark, timing, or poor compression (crankcase leak).

If the carb is flooding it will fill the cylinder with fuel, this will cause a hydralic lock, making it near impossible to crank the engine, remove the spark pluf, turn the ignition off, crank the engine, if fuel pours out of the plug hole then it is well flooded, you will need to get a pressure test on the carb to check the needle is not leaking, this will be the quickest way to check the carb.

30 PSI IS NOT GOOD AT ALL. YOU NEED TO DO A LEAK DOWN TEST ON THE MACHINE TO DETERMINE WHERE YOU ARE LOSING COMPRESSION. IT COULD BE AS EASY AS A VALVE ADJUSTMENT OR IT COULD BE A BAD RING. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HEAR WHERE THE LEAK IS BY LISTENING TO THE EXHAUST, CARB AND REMOVE THE OIL FILL PLUG AND YOU CAN FEEL THE AIR LEAKING . THE CARB OR EXHAUST IS MORE THAN LIKELY A VALVE PROBLEM POSSIBLY JUST ADJUSTMENT,. AIR FROM CRANKCASE IS RINGS.