1997 GTI cranks on it's own, with out key

[bigt2317]

I fixed my MPEM last night and now I put it in to see if it fixed the no beep problem and it did. Then about a hour so I hear something in the garage and walk out there to find the ski cranking without the key in it and I disconnect the battery. This morning I hooked the battery back up and tried to start it, it wouldn't start after a few cranks so I stopped and pulled the lanyard off. I'm sitting there thinking and all of a sudden it starts to crank again, so now everytime the battery is connected to starter turns over? Anyone know what the heck could be the problem? Solinoid?

Thanks,
Travis

 

[bigt2317]

anyone? I want to get on the water bad and now this problem comes up :boxing_smiley:

 

[timmyboy76]

what/how you go about mess'n with the MPEM?

 

[bigt2317]

My computer savy cousin and I took it apart and replaced the diode in there that was messed up. We got some pictures and info from another member on here that replaced the same thing. It wasn't hard, nor did we touch anything else but the diode.

 

[timmyboy76]

thats cool....is it possible, the solder ran a little and onto another diode/componant, and now bridging the 2?

Does the ski fire up, when its crank'n? Check the relay, see if the red cables are touch'n do to corrosion/water..etc.

 

[bigt2317]

I'll check the relay area again, and no it doesn't start up, I think the plugs are shot. I'm going to replace the plugs and check some more connections, but I wanted to see if someone knew of a common problem like this. It's strange because it seemed intermittent at first then all of a sudden now it does it all the time. I think if we messed the mpem up it would have done it right off the bat?

 

[Del Slo]

just check the starter relay first like timmy boy said, that would be the area i would be looking at first. then when its cranking on its own (sounds like it does it all the time) id pull the connector off the solenoid. if it still cranks with the two pin connector disconnected, your solenoid is shorted inside, if it does stop cranking, id be following those wires back to the MPEM, checking for shorts, if no shorts are found, i would have to suspect the MPEM.

 

[jords]

you didn't install the diode backwards did you? it does have an arrow on it. I am trying to think now what would happen if you installed it backwards. Im curious now. I do doubt its the diode though, I am thinking that you have your power cables crossed or the connectors on the solenoid are close enough to arc, seen it happen cause I did it once lol.

 

[Del Slo]

i forgot to say check the connector pins on both the connector and solenoid side, ive seen a few get pretty corroded or rusted which then leads into the solenoid like cancer and causes a short!

 

[bigt2317]

Okay I has a quick second to check some things. I pulled the connector at the top of the solenoid box and it still cranked, I looked inside the box and everything is dry and nice and clean. All connections look good, so I'm thinking maybe the relay is stuck? What do y'all think?

Thanks,
Travis

 

[bigt2317]

Okay guys, I did picked up a starter relay and popped it in. Everything works fine now! Thanks for all your help!!

Travis