1998 GTX limited edition no spark PLEASE HELP

[mike.metzger6]

So I purchased a 1998 Sea-Doo GTX, limited edition. Came with the trailer and hull and cosmetics were in spectacular condition for its age and got it at a very good price. However, bought it knowing it was not running. After purchasing and inspecting motor was seized, jet pump and wear ring are almost new. Pulled the motor and had it rebuilt by a Sea-Doo mechanic and reinstalled. Also at the time of rebuild, did new stater and pick up, new starter, new fuel lines, deleted oil pump, new battery, rebuilt carbs and all new exhaust gaskets. Went to start for the first time and no spark at plugs. Checked all grounds and all good. Checked all fuses and all good. Replaced ignition coil and stil no spark. I know that pretty much leaves the MPEM but upon inspection it’s super clean no corrosion on module or any of the connections. Plenty of dielectric grease and all 3 fuses are good.

I feel like it has to be something stupid I’m overlooking. Just to verify…the grounds are one to the left upper corner of the mag cover looking from the rear, one to the starter, and one to the block in front of the starter… is this correct. Again cranks perfect, just not getting spark to spark plugs. Ski does beep twice when installing key…is this normal when initializing key?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[burtshaver2021]

Not trying to be smart but it sounds like you had the seadoo mechanic do a lot of work to this machine? Did he not try and start it? Or mention anything about no spark

 

[mike.metzger6]

Not trying to be smart but it sounds like you had the seadoo mechanic do a lot of work to this machine? Did he not try and start it? Or mention anything about no spark

All good lol. I pulled the motor to go over the whole ski and check everything. I took the motor to the mechanic and had him rebuild it then I picked it up and put it back in the ski not knowing that it may or may not have also had a spark issue because when I purchased it the motor was seized.

 

[artr]

You might want to check the drive signal and the ground at the base of the ignition coil in the rear electrical box. The drive signal (white wire) I believe can be tested with a test light to see if it flashes while cranking. There is a small ground wire that connects to the base of the coil and you could test with an ohmmeter that it is supplying a good ground to the coil.

 

[burtshaver2021]

You might want to check the drive signal and the ground at the base of the ignition coil in the rear electrical box. The drive signal (white wire) I believe can be tested with a test light to see if it flashes while cranking. There is a small ground wire that connects to the base of the coil and you could test with an ohmmeter that it is supplying a good ground to the coil.

What about the pick up coil in the mag housing? I’ve never had one apart but I do have a 96 GSX that has no spark and have read that it’s a common issue with the GSX. Could this be a possible cause of no spark for the poster here?

 

[artr]

Also at the time of rebuild, did new stater and pick up,

Sounds like stator and pickup coil are new but if the pickup is not supplying the proper trigger signal that would also cause a no spark condition.

 

[mike.metzger6]

You might want to check the drive signal and the ground at the base of the ignition coil in the rear electrical box. The drive signal (white wire) I believe can be tested with a test light to see if it flashes while cranking. There is a small ground wire that connects to the base of the coil and you could test with an ohmmeter that it is supplying a good ground to the coil.

Ok thank you. I’ll give that I try. If I were to get no power at that signal wire…assuming it’s the MPEM that is responsible for sending the signal ??

 

[artr]

It is but it also requires the proper trigger signal on the MPEM input. I think your shop manual specifies a dynamic test for the trigger signal from the trigger coil.

 

[mike.metzger6]

It is but it also requires the proper trigger signal on the MPEM input. I think your shop manual specifies a dynamic test for the trigger signal from the trigger coil.

Just got back from vacation and got around to testing. Pulled the white wire off the coil and used the test light grounded to the battery. Crank and no flashing of the light, so I’m assuming the coils not getting a signal. As I stated the stater and the pick up are brand new, as well as the coil plugs and wires. Is there a way to test the new trigger coil that I put in with the stater without removing the whole front cover. Or do you think I have a computer issue anyway to elaborate to figure out which it is

 

[burtshaver2021]

Did you put a new trigger coil in already? If you did and it was aftermarket I’ve seen people have issues where the gap is not correct and will not work

 

[mike.metzger6]

Did you put a new trigger coil in already? If you did and it was aftermarket I’ve seen people have issues where the gap is not correct and will not work

Yes I had the motor rebuilt and once I installed had no spark. Pulled everything back off top of motor and jacked up the front to get front cover off. I replaced the stator first and I didn’t realize but the one I got didn’t come with a trigger coil pickup. That didn’t fix the problem so I returned it and I ordered another one which was a new stator with the new pick coil. Installed that put it all back together and still no spark. It is aftermarket but the websites I’ve checked for factory parts say OEM is no longer available. The aftermarket’s all say OE quality lol but you know how that goes. At that time I wasnt aware I could test the wire at the ignition coil to see if it was getting a signal but that still leaves me with the issue ….is it not getting a signal from the trigger coil or from the MPEM

 

[artr]

Did you look up the trigger coil test in the shop manual and try it? What was the result? If you get the output specified and that trigger signal is on the input to the MPEM but there is no output from the MPEM to the base of the coil then it's likely the problem is the MPEM. Maybe places like Westside Powersports that program new keys to your MPEM also offer test services if you send it to them.

 

[mike.metzger6]

Did you look up the trigger coil test in the shop manual and try it? What was the result? If you get the output specified and that trigger signal is on the input to the MPEM but there is no output from the MPEM to the base of the coil then it's likely the problem is the MPEM. Maybe places like Westside Powersports that program new keys to your MPEM also offer test services if you send it to them.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a shop manual. Just tore it apart to verify that the magneto is not 180 out.

 

[mike.metzger6]

Just took the front cover off again to look for any signs of a problem. Can anyone verify if this magneto looks like it’s in the correct position. It was removed on the fly wheel, when the motor was rebuilt..never separated, and the fly wheel is keyed so obviously it can only go back one way. Front mag cylinder is at top dead center. This is the position of the raised area on the outside of the magneto cup.

 

[artr]

the shop manual can be downloaded for free at seadoomanuals.net

 

[mike.metzger6]

UPDATE…after testing all grounds connections etc still came up with nothing. Ordered another stator and trigger coil from a different company. After comparing it with the new one already installed in the ski there was a noticeable difference in the shape of the pick up coil bracket. So although the initial one I bought technically fit…the coil was mounted too far from the magneto and didn’t do its job. Anyways. Swapped them out and tested for signal before reassembling everything and sure enough had a signal. Put it all back together and it fired right up.

 

[burtshaver2021]

Glad you got it figured out, did the faulty trigger coil happen to be manufactured by AHL?

 

[mike.metzger6]

Glad you got it figured out, did the faulty trigger coil happen to be manufactured by AHL?

It was off of Amazon made by road passion? I had trouble finding an OEM one I don’t think they make them anymore. The new one is from Titan motorsports and although three times the cost…it gave me sanity because having a non running ski with a new motor sitting in my garage in the middle of July was pissing me off

 

[Solo2882]

I need some ideas!
I have a 1997 Seadoo GTX. Previously Rebuilt the Engine. Ran great for a couple of weeks then it kept popping the five amp fuse. Eventually the MPEM blow. Went completely dead. I went to start it one morning and lost spark then the mpem went completely bricked.
So I sourced out a good used oem mpem. Install a new ignition coil, starter relay, spark plugs. Remove the front stator cover. Check my stator and pick up coil. Everything looked good except that there was a bunch of metal shavings on the pick coil. I’m assuming this came from the starter in ring gear. Cleaned everything up. Did a continuity test on the pick up coil. Read good I can’t remember the resistance, but there was resistance there. Did a continuity test on the stater. Was getting about 1 to 1.5 ohms between windings. Did a resistance test to all pins to ground. Everything checked out good. No shorts to ground except the ground pin. Reassembled everything. I read somewhere that the pick up coil supplies voltage to the capacitor on the mpem which intern supplies voltage to the Ignition Coil, which gives me spark. When I plug in the dess key I get two beeps and gauges light up. Everything works. Engine turns over. But still no spark! So we got a new mpem a new ignition coil, a new starter relay new spark plugs, and the pick up coil and stater all checked out good. But still don’t have any spark. The white wire going to the Ignition Coil from the MPEM was getting about 110V cranking I’m assuming the capacitor on the mpem is working correctly. The only thing I have not changed and this machine. Is the voltage rectifier module. I’m assuming it’s no good because I’m getting 15 V cranking. But I was also told that the voltage rectifier has nothing to do with the spark.
Has anybody had this problem before? Any ideas to steer me into the right direction would be lovely. At this point I have a $3000 boat anchor sitting in my driveway.

 

[artr]

I have read that you can remove the effects of a faulty regulator by disconnecting the red wire from it. The battery will not charge but if the ski then runs correctly it shows the regulator is causing the issue. I am also not sure of the 110V you measured on the white wire to the coil. I have read that if you put a 12V test light on the wire you will see it flash if the MPEM is giving a signal.

 

[mike.metzger6]

I went thru the same issues with my 1998 GTX limited edition. Rebuilt motor. Did starter, ignition coil, wires, plugs, stator and pick up coil. Still had no spark. Everything tested perfect. After having it apart about 5 times and scratching my head…turns out the bracket on the pickup coil was inverted compared to the original and it caused the pickup to sit too far away from the magneto cup therefore not sending a signal to the coil

Pulled the pickup off the bracket and spun it 180 and clipped it back in. It changed the position of the pickup by slightly under 1/4 inch and problem solved. Pickup must be close enough to the magneto cup in order for the signal to be “picked up” which in turn send the signal to your coil to produce spark.

Hope that helps. Good luck

 

[Solo2882]

I went thru the same issues with my 1998 GTX limited edition. Rebuilt motor. Did starter, ignition coil, wires, plugs, stator and pick up coil. Still had no spark. Everything tested perfect. After having it apart about 5 times and scratching my head…turns out the bracket on the pickup coil was inverted compared to the original and it caused the pickup to sit too far away from the magneto cup therefore not sending a signal to the coil

Pulled the pickup off the bracket and spun it 180 and clipped it back in. It changed the position of the pickup by slightly under 1/4 inch and problem solved. Pickup must be close enough to the magneto cup in order for the signal to be “picked up” which in turn send the signal to your coil to produce spark.

Hope that helps. Good luck

Pick up coil is positioned properly and was never removed or replaced. Like said everything was running before the mpem failed.