1996 SPX turns over when any power is hooked up and turns over very slow

[YFZXCRACER]

Hey all,

Im having a pretty odd issue with my ski, I just bought this unit not running. 1st off, the engine is cranking very slow. When I got it the ground cable was missing so I replaced it. When I hooked power to it the first time it just started trying to spin over but everytime it hits compression it stops for a second and then gets past it. So, my first thought was it needed a starter. I installed a good known oem starter from a friend of mine. That wasnt the issue. in order to remedy the cranking issue I threw a solenoid at it simply because theyre cheap and the one on it looked crusty. That still was not the issue, I cleaned all grounds in the electrical box as well as the engine. I have tested continuity on the battery cables. They came up with a .1 on my meter I believe but plan to recheck them since I already ordered new cables. Nothing on the dash, no beep when the non-DESS key is hooked on (not sure if its supposed to beep), I am pretty mechanically inclined and work on a lot of ATV's and this has me stumped. I found a good deal on a MPEM and have ordered that since this one has some what looks like slightly melted spots where wires come out. Any help is great, thank you!

 

[Grim]

I had this cranking problem on my 98 GTX ltd. I also replaced the starter and solenoid too. I solved it but it took a while . I also will say I did a couple of things and it may have been a combo of that which fixed it. First, one of my spark plugs was wrong, so I changed it out. The main thing I did was I took all the wires off at my rear junction box. That is where my single coil and solenoid are. One of the post to my single coil has three wires all fastened together. I cleaned them all up and when I tightened the screw down, I made sure each wire was fanned out and not bunching up on the other ones. The wires tend to want to move as you tighten, so screw them down some and readjust and screw some more. Once I tried it after that the weird cranking stopped. I will also had a new battery and coil wires because they were damaged, I basically rebuilt most of this ski.
I will also say that even with the weird cranking I could get my ski to run but it was a task to do. Now it cranks much easier.

Good luck and let us know if this helps or if it worked for you.

 

[YFZXCRACER]

I had this cranking problem on my 98 GTX ltd. I also replaced the starter and solenoid too. I solved it but it took a while . I also will say I did a couple of things and it may have been a combo of that which fixed it. First, one of my spark plugs was wrong, so I changed it out. The main thing I did was I took all the wires off at my rear junction box. That is where my single coil and solenoid are. One of the post to my single coil has three wires all fastened together. I cleaned them all up and when I tightened the screw down, I made sure each wire was fanned out and not bunching up on the other ones. The wires tend to want to move as you tighten, so screw them down some and readjust and screw some more. Once I tried it after that the weird cranking stopped. I will also had a new battery and coil wires because they were damaged, I basically rebuilt most of this ski.
I will also say that even with the weird cranking I could get my ski to run but it was a task to do. Now it cranks much easier.

Good luck and let us know if this helps or if it worked for you.

Thanks! I will look into it and keep you updated! Storming pretty bad where I am at so it may be a few days.

 

[Ckrawiec]

Back to basics:

if you apply power to the ski and it starts to crank, assuming you mean that you did NOT push the Start/Stop button, then that would lead me to think you have a dead short in the starting circuit. Check that the S/S button is not stuck in the START position.....applying any power to the ski and it cranks means the battery power is flowing directly to the starter.

Could also mean that your solenoid is stuck in the closed/Start position.....applying any power goes directly to the starter motor. It is not rocket science....how it's supposed to happen: good battery, good starter, good solenoid, good S/S switch....assuming everything is in good order.....Press the Start button, button connects battery power to the solenoid, the solenoid connects the battery power to the starter, the starter cranks the engine (spins the flywheel. For "testing" purposes...remove the spark plugs so the engine "can" spin more freely without the compressive resistance of the pumping pistons. If the ski is "old", a spoonful of Marvel Mystery Oil (or ATF) fluid down the holes won't hurt and could help lubricate and loosen things up too or just some 2 stroke oil will work as well.....don't need a lot.

ALSO:::: Old skis = corrosion. Assume nothing, take nothing for granted....you need to check pretty much every wire, every component and every connection ....it's a tedious process but it doesn't cost anything but time (and a can of electric contact cleaner would be in order). Just be methodical. A cheap multi-meter (to check continuity from point to point) and some extension leads with alligator clips are my tools of choice. Good Luck! Old skis are Labors of Love", don't expect fast results, enjoy the journey as you learn the ski.

 

[YFZXCRACER]

Back to basics:

if you apply power to the ski and it starts to crank, assuming you mean that you did NOT push the Start/Stop button, then that would lead me to think you have a dead short in the starting circuit. Check that the S/S button is not stuck in the START position.....applying any power to the ski and it cranks means the battery power is flowing directly to the starter.

Could also mean that your solenoid is stuck in the closed/Start position.....applying any power goes directly to the starter motor. It is not rocket science....how it's supposed to happen: good battery, good starter, good solenoid, good S/S switch....assuming everything is in good order.....Press the Start button, button connects battery power to the solenoid, the solenoid connects the battery power to the starter, the starter cranks the engine (spins the flywheel. For "testing" purposes...remove the spark plugs so the engine "can" spin more freely without the compressive resistance of the pumping pistons. If the ski is "old", a spoonful of Marvel Mystery Oil (or ATF) fluid down the holes won't hurt and could help lubricate and loosen things up too or just some 2 stroke oil will work as well.....don't need a lot.

ALSO:::: Old skis = corrosion. Assume nothing, take nothing for granted....you need to check pretty much every wire, every component and every connection ....it's a tedious process but it doesn't cost anything but time (and a can of electric contact cleaner would be in order). Just be methodical. A cheap multi-meter (to check continuity from point to point) and some extension leads with alligator clips are my tools of choice. Good Luck! Old skis are Labors of Love", don't expect fast results, enjoy the journey as you learn the ski.

Thank you! The start button is next to tackle, I have gone through all the connections for the starter button as well as solenoids connections on the ski, and I used electrical cleaner spray on all.

I know it’s a process to get these old girls fired back up, I don’t mind working on it to get it back going and keeping it going, I plan to spend the weekend trying to figure it out. The only thing I haven’t checked on it is the starter button and that’s on its way to me now, even if that’s not it I’m a sucker for good deals and love having spare parts hanging around!

 

[artr]

If you remove the plugs does the engine turn over easily and freely by hand?

 

[YFZXCRACER]

If you remove the plugs does the engine turn over easily and freely by hand?

Yes

 

[Grim]

Can you clarify, does it turn over without pressing the start button? As in a run away. Mine did that once, it was a bad (new)solenoid.

 

[YFZXCRACER]

Can you clarify, does it turn over without pressing the start button? As in a run away. Mine did that once, it was a bad (new)solenoid.

Yes it turns over with out me touching the starter button. I believe it’s the button at the moment. From what it looks like is the contacts are staying closed permanently no matter what I do with the button. It’s on its way and supposed to be here this week. Still having the slow cranking issue though.

 

[mikidymac]

Typically a bad battery will cause slow cranking and burn the contacts in the starter solenoid causing it to always crank. I would be looking at the battery and starter solenoid first.

 

[artr]

The shop manual gives simple tests you can do with a ohmmeter to check the start button and start solenoid. The schematic I have shows a yellow-red stripe wire coming from the start button to the MPEM. That wire gets grounded when you press the start button. If you disconnect that wire from the MPEM and it still shows a short to ground without pressing the start button, then most likely your start button is internally shorted or that yellow-red wire is somehow shorting to ground on its run from the start button.
The schematic shows a 2nd yellow-red stripe wire that runs from the MPEM to the base of the start solenoid that it activates to +12V to drive the solenoid and provide battery voltage to the starter. I find it strange that these 2 separate wires with different connections to the MPEM have the same color code but have opposite active states. This may be a mistake on the schematic I have.