I would still be interested in the compression numbers. I wouldn't settle for "fine". Fine may mean 110 to the mechanic, but not to me.

If there is a loud metallic banging, louder under the ski, where is it coming from? Forget the carbs till you find that. The impellor will clang a little, have someone start it while you are listening under the ski. Is it coming from the pump area, or from under the engine?

If it's from the pump, loud, banging, or tinny-sounding? Tinny-sounding is probably the impellor, fine, banging may be that bearings in the pump are bad.

If it sounds like it's coming from under the engine, that's trouble. If you have a bearing coming apart, it wouldn't wind up very well like you describe, too much drag. Basically, I would find the noise before you do anything else.

If it's just the prop clanging, then I would go with oax, get rebuild kits and do it yourself to start.

Just thought of something else, what is your fuel level saying? I don't know about 96's, early Polaris skis had issues with the fuel float getting saturated and sinking, putting the ski in limp mode all the time.:rolleyes