1991 Seadoo SP no spark now

[arizonabuild]

Hello. Ok so rebuilt the yellow 580 engine and got it running for a bit! The tether button was not working so after reading a post on here about connecting the yellow and yellow/black wires I was able to get a spark and get it started. Decided to pull out the tether button to see if I could bypass it to see if it was defective. When I did this the yellow/black wire became very hot and actually started to melt at the connector(not even sure if the 2 are related). I lost spark at this point and when i now try to connect the black to yellow/black wires, that was working before, it becomes very hot very quick. Only tried it twice. Worried that I may have burned out a cdi box or something in the magneto box.

Does anyone have any advice on what to test or what i might have burned out?

 

[etemplet]

Check the two terminals on the MPEM. Both have a connection ring. One red one black. Remove them from where they are connected and using a multi meter. check resistance on those two wires. If you have ZERO ohms you MPEM is done.

You may have something else that is not wired correctly. Hot wires mean it is completing the circuit. Don't do that any more. Use a meter. 12 volts is coming in where it shouldn't. Good Luck !

 

[rbowes1]

Not following exactly what you did, the yellow and yellow/black wires should connect the magneto to the recitifier which is in the box above the battery - what did you connect these to? When you put it back the way it originally was do the wires still get hot? Even with it not running? The circuit for the tether, kill swithc, speed limiter, etc is tricky. But wires getting so hot that they start to melt probably means 12V from the battery short circuited to ground, as etemplet says, use a meter to see which wires have 12V and compare to the wiring diagram in the shop manual.

 

[arizonabuild]

Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it. I am just so lost on this. I misspoke earlier, it was actually the black wire(not yellow) and the yellow/black wire.

First I connected the black wire from the magneto to the yellow/black wire heading to the rectifier. I connected the black wire from the speed limiter to the yellow/black wire heading to the magneto. As soon as i connect those last 2 wires it starts to get hot, grounding out somewhere. I attached a picture of the wires. If I put the wires back in their original position they are fine but the engine has no spark. Both the yellow and yellow/black wires from the rectifier have 12volts when the battery is attached. Any way to isolate the problem by component?

This year doesn't appear to have an MPEM. I believe the cdi is in the yellow case.

 

[rbowes1]

OK, I would try reconnecting everyting as it was, then try disconnecting the brown wire going to the speed limiter module (it is mounted on the plate behind the recitifier). You should be able to disconnect it at the solenoid terminal (just make sure it is the right one there should be 2 brown wires going to the same solenoid terminal). This should disable the speed limiter, tether and kill switches. 580 Yellow Engine Speed Limiter Bypass
BUT - keep in mind that when you do this you won't be able to shut down the motor using the tether or kill switch, you will have to use the choke or pull the plug wires to stop the engine.

See if this gives spark.

If it does then test the switches with an ohm meter. If they are OK then it is you speed limiter module.

Good luck!
-R

 

[arizonabuild]

Thank you! I will try this when I get home and report back.
Just picked up the ski so checked out some other stuff like the fuses. There was a 30 amp where there should have been a 15. And the 8 amp fuse location had a 5. Neither were blown. I’ll get fuses too and see what happens.
Thanks again!

 

[etemplet]

The fact that the fuse isn't blown in positive from my perspective. I went way deep into these MPEMS or whatever people choose to call them. LOL This was my first ski. The rectifier went bad and caused a lot of electrical issues. This was me finding the dioed that needed replacing. Talk about baptism by fire. If your ring terminals are shorted together this diode is bad but since your not blowing fuses you may be Okie Dokie. GoodLuck.

 

[arizonabuild]

Hello, so I disconnected the brown ground wire and the overheating stopped on the wire. It still wouldn't turn over but I think that is the problem with the lanyard switch. At one point the brown ground wire accidentally touched the other side of the solenoid and it fired right up. So I am thinking it is the solenoid now? Ordered a new tether kill switch, as I'm sure that was bad. Hoping it gets delivered tomorrow and I can get it all together. Will report back unless you have additional input. Thanks again, you guys really helped me out big time!

 

[rbowes1]

If it won't turn over (i.e. cranks when you press the start button) it is likely the solenoid, the starter motor, the start push button, fuse or wiring (or dead battery). It should crank even with the lanyard disconnected.

If it turns over but there is no spark it is likely something like the ignition coil, ignition module, speed limiter, lanyard switch, stop button, plug wires, etc. You can test for spark by taking out a plug, connecting the plug wire and grounding the body of the plug, cranking the motor and looking for a spark. Or using a timing light.

In any case it sounds like you are making headway!

 

[arizonabuild]

Alright. Sorry to keep going round and round. Put in the correct fuses and reconnected al the wires minus the ground from the speed limiter. It starts up and runs fine(although only limited the run time to about 5-10 seconds since its not in the water). Turned it off by pulling the choke. The kill button did not stop the engine due to the speed limiter being disconnected? Looking like I need a speed limiter, which are impossible to find. So should I leave it disconnected? Keep my rpms in check? Is there another way to stop the engine with an aftermarket product or procedure? Thank you

 

[rbowes1]

Correct - with the speed limiter disconnect the both the stop button an the tether kill switch don't work. Leaving the speed limiter disconnected is risky business, if you hit a wave and momentarily loose water to the jet pump it will rev right up.

 

[arizonabuild]

Thank you. Took it out and it ran great. It did suck a lot of gas it seemed, but it also went from low altitude(1000') to high altitude (7000') and it probably jetted really rich now. It needs a speed limiter but I am having a hard time finding one. Does $150 sound like alot to you? Seems like a lot but I guess they are fairly rare now.

 

[rbowes1]

Ya I had a quick look on ebay and didn't find any. Note that this one is the CDI module, NOT the speed limiter 91 SEADOO XP 580 587 SPEED REV LIMITER 290866958 | eBay

$150 may be the going price. I think there probably is a way to bypass the limiter and allow the kill/tether switch to work but it would likely take some rewiring and maybe a relay or something.