Cavitation, RPM up with speed down, rattle in reverse — the pump is talking. Wear rings, impellers, bearings, and seals serviced for every PWC brand, verified in the test tank.
Here's the pattern we see every summer: a machine that "lost power" almost never lost power — it lost pump. The engine spins to full RPM, the speedometer stops ten short, and the owner starts pricing engine work. Then we pull the pump and find a chewed wear ring, an impeller with rounded edges from one gravel launch, or bearings that have been grinding since June.
Texas water does it faster than most. Our lakes run shallow and sandy, launch points are silty, and one shoreline start ingests more abrasive than a hundred deep-water hours. The pump takes that abuse first and quietly converts it into clearance — and clearance is thrust you paid for leaking around the impeller tips.
The fix is honest, mechanical work: measure the clearances, replace the wear ring, recondition or replace the impeller, and reseal the driveline. It's a fraction of the "engine problem" it masquerades as, and it's core work in the watercraft program. If the symptoms are murkier than classic cavitation, marine diagnostics sorts pump from engine before any parts get ordered.
Every brand's pump has its temperament: Sea-Doo wear rings are designed as replaceable fuses and love routine service; WaveRunner pumps run famously tight and reward early bearing attention; Kawasaki's oil-bathed hubs have their own interval. We service all three to spec, and every pump job ends in the test tank — thrust proven, not promised.
Riding spots matter too. If your season lives at the sandy launches around Houston's lakes and bays, a mid-season pump inspection is the cheapest speed insurance you can buy — five minutes of measurement against a summer of slow.
High RPM with weak acceleration — the engine revs but the machine surges or bogs instead of pulling, especially from a start or in chop. It feels like a slipping clutch in a car. That's air and turbulence where solid water should be, and worn pump clearances are the usual reason.
Lost top speed with normal RPM, cavitation off the line, or visible scoring in the ring and rounded impeller edges. We measure the actual clearance rather than eyeballing — the spec tells the truth. Grooved ring, damaged blades, or clearance past spec: service time.
Stop riding it — running a fouled or damaged pump grinds the damage deeper. A rope or tow strap often unwinds without harm; rocks and shells usually cost a ring and impeller edge work. We'll assess it honestly; catch it same-week and it's routine service, not a driveline job.
The usual suspects live in the pump area: a weeping carbon seal, tired driveshaft seals, or loose pump hardware. Small leaks become big ones on their own schedule, so a bilge that's suddenly earning its keep is worth a same-month inspection.
Yes — pitch changes trade top speed against hole shot, and the right choice depends on how you ride and what else is modified. Stock pitch suits most stock machines; tuned and supercharged builds often benefit from repitching. It's part of the performance conversation alongside RIVA-sourced upgrades.
Tell us the symptoms — RPM, speed, and where you launch. We'll measure the pump, show you what we find, and put the thrust back where it belongs.
(713) 555-0182