1996 gsx unresponsive

[Austin_R262]

Hey everyone, could use some serious help I’m on vacation and my jet ski won’t run I put the lanyard on the post and nothing no beebs the gauges don’t even light up.

I’ve checked the ground it’s tight I Checked the little black wire with a ohm meter it was fine.

All fuses are fine checked them with ohm meter. Also battery is charged and reading 12.25ish volts.

Am I missing somthing stupid simple that cause this problem?

 

[mikidymac]

If you push the start stop button with the lanyard off a bunch of times do the gauges power up?

 

[Austin_R262]

If you push the start stop button with the lanyard off a bunch of times do the gauges power up?

Nope nothing at all

 

[Austin_R262]

I’m gonna take a guess and say this should not be like this... could this be causing my problems?

 

[mikidymac]

Not good but I would think the MPEM would at least power up although I think it gets its ground from that mess. So you might have found an issue as well as THE issue.

 

[Austin_R262]

Not good but I would think the MPEM would at least power up although I think it gets its ground from that mess. So you might have found an issue as well as THE issue.

What would’ve the best way to clean cause I went to seadoo and they wanna charge me $600 for just parts! Sorry I’ll just make a down payment on a spark for that much haha

 

[mikidymac]

Check with @etemplet he recently cleaned one up really nice.

You can also get good guaranteed OEM from Westside Powersports.

 

[Austin_R262]

Check with @etemplet he recently cleaned one up really nice.

You can also get good guaranteed OEM from Westside Powersports.

Ok thank you

 

[Austin_R262]

So I cleaned everything and I still have the same issue the ski is totally unresponsive.... is there a way to by pass that little black ground wire just to test to see if it’s not grounded?

 

[Ckrawiec]

The Start/Stop button should at least wake the ski up (gauges should come alive). I know you stated you checked the fuses, etc...so start at the begining:

1) battery is good (you said 12.5 volts ish)
2) 15 amp fuse in / near solenoid - checked
3) 5 and 15 amp fuses in front electric box - checked
4) check wire/voltage continuity from fuses to MPEM

Something is impeding the flow of voltage through the ski....

 

[etemplet]

Dang I'm getting some mileage out of these pictures. LOL I tell ya... when you're not getting fire this is sometimes the culprit. This was my first 787 3 seater. I knew I was in trouble when I drove up and three guys with Mercedes Benz shop shirts walked up. LOL All the corrosion was preventing the pick up from detecting the passage of the timing mark. Occasionally the ski would start and run great... once in about 40 times.

 

[etemplet]

So... I took it apart, left the engine in the ski, pulled the flywheel and began cleaning with small wire brushes with the die grinder set up for low speed. I also used the wire brush on a drill motor. I removed the mag harness, marked it just t be safe. I knew all the corrosion would return at some point so I bought some Glyptal (insulating paint and is good for the purpose. I've seen engine internal parts painted with this stuff so I knew it would do the job.) I think a can of the spray paint was around $20. Cheaper than $600. LOL Later I found a had a bad contact in one of the plugs coming from the DESS post. If you still have issues you might want to unplug the harness and have a look. Good Luck !!

 

[Austin_R262]

The Start/Stop button should at least wake the ski up (gauges should come alive). I know you stated you checked the fuses, etc...so start at the begining:

1) battery is good (you said 12.5 volts ish)
2) 15 amp fuse in / near solenoid - checked
3) 5 and 15 amp fuses in front electric box - checked
4) check wire/voltage continuity from fuses to MPEM

Something is impeding the flow of voltage through the ski....

See there’s the thing I can’t find any power going to the front box which holds the Mpem. Shouldn’t there be a hot wire running out of the rear black box?

 

[Austin_R262]

So... I took it apart, left the engine in the ski, pulled the flywheel and began cleaning with small wire brushes with the die grinder set up for low speed. I also used the wire brush on a drill motor. I removed the mag harness, marked it just t be safe. I knew all the corrosion would return at some point so I bought some Glyptal (insulating paint and is good for the purpose. I've seen engine internal parts painted with this stuff so I knew it would do the job.) I think a can of the spray paint was around $20. Cheaper than $600. LOL Later I found a had a bad contact in one of the plugs coming from the DESS post. If you still have issues you might want to unplug the harness and have a look. Good Luck !!

Thanks for all the advice but wouldn’t the jet ski gauges still light up if I press the start stop button if the dess port was bad or wiring to it?

 

[Ckrawiec]

See there’s the thing I can’t find any power going to the front box which holds the Mpem. Shouldn’t there be a hot wire running out of the rear black box?

Yep....see the GSX wiring diagram in the back of the manual....on my '96 gtx.....Battery RED to solenoid post, Red/purple from same solenoid post goes through 15 amp fuse to ECM/MPEM.....ski voltage also comes back to battery on that same wire when ski is running (theoretically).

 

[Austin_R262]

Ok another question shouldn’t my vts work without the key on?

 

[Ckrawiec]

Ok another question shouldn’t my vts work without the key on?

Sorry, I can't answer that definitively, I do not have VTS on my ski...but nothing will/should work if you have no power/voltage from the battery flowing through the ski. Check ALL connections, wires, everything for clean/bright/tight, corrosion.....take things apart, wiggle connections....it does not take much to impede the flow of voltage....a connection can look absolutely fine but still cause a headache....assume nothing.....test all wiring from point to point along the harnesses.....it's tedious but doesn't cost anything but time. Good luck....electric gremlins are always fun!

 

[mikidymac]

No, VTS will not work unless the MPEM powers up the system.

 

[GGuillot]

What would’ve the best way to clean cause I went to seadoo and they wanna charge me $600 for just parts! Sorry I’ll just make a down payment on a spark for that much haha

My 96' GSX mag flywheel area looked like this during the build/resto. When disassembled, every part was either scrubbed clean or media blasted. I usually hit every bolt or screw under a grinder wire wheel to clean them up.

 

[Austin_R262]

Well everyone....I fix the jet ski and man do I feel like a clown... I had the the starter wire and the battery positive switch....

 

[mikidymac]

Not a clown at all. We have all made silly mistakes and I am glad it was just something simple and inexpensive for you to fix.

 

[Austin_R262]

Not a clown at all. We have all made silly mistakes and I am glad it was just something simple and inexpensive for you to fix.

That’s very true
thank you everyone for give me suggestions and trying to help!

 

[GGuillot]

Ok another question shouldn’t my vts work without the key on?

I can confirm on my 96' GSX, yes, the VTS will work without the lanyard on the DESS post. Push the start/stop and the gauges come on then press the VTS button up or down.

 

[mikidymac]

I can confirm on my 96' GSX, yes, the VTS will work without the lanyard on the DESS post. Push the start/stop and the gauges come on then press the VTS button up or down.

Sorry, you are correct. As long as you wake up the MPEM the trim should work without the lanyard.