Originally Posted by
gulliBell
I remain to be convinced by that explanation....I've never seen a PWC engine do that before, and I've seen many many starts over many years (but not on this particular model engine). During the start cycle of this engine do the igniters energize as soon as the starter is engaged? I suspect so, so if that was fuel being blown out the engine I'd expect it to be like a flame thrower and not smoke like. To me that looks like oil smoke, from oil that has leaked past a seal that shouldn't. And leaking seals can turn into bad bearings. And bad bearings can turn into failed engines.
It is hard based on what is currently known to see any likely connection between a brief emission from one of the exhausts and what happened afterwards. When I saw it, I thought perhaps coking might have caused it, which was also one of the possibilities suggested in post 387.