2000 RX (non DI) won't start...possible DESS post or short somewhere

[QuincySeadooRX]

My 2000 Seadoo RX Millenium (non-DI) with 70 hours ran fine all summer. I haven't run it for since I ran it through with salt away a couple moths ago. I went to winterize it a few weeks ago and it won't start...not even crank. When I put the key in I don't get any beeps or display. I push the start/stop and the maininence light flashes. In the advance diagnostics mode (after pushing the start/stop 5 times) and trying to start it I get 3 beeps which I hear signal that the wiring harness of the DESS switch are grounded, or a short circuit somewhere. I got the volt meter out and checked the switch...I connected the test probes to switch Black and Black/Yellow wires-open circut. I connected one test probe to the White/Gray wire and the other test probe to the switch terminal to check resistance and no change on the meter (flashed 0). I connected one test probe to the Black wire and the other test probe to the switch ring and got near 0 (.3) ohms. With the Safety lanyard on the switch; I connected the probes to switch Black and Black /Yellow wires and got a near 0 (.1) ohms resistance. The timer verification checked out, 33 seconds to the T. I checked all the fuses in the fron box and they are all good. There is absolutely no corrosion in the wireing harness, or any where else in the craft...it is very clean. As everything with the DESS post seems to check out, is it still possible that the magnet suddenly went bad sitting in the garage and is causing all of this? PLEASE help as I live in Boston area and the cold is setting it and I want to be sure to winterize it ASAP. any help would greatly appreciated.

 

[Bills86e]

Whats going on could be battery failure. Check voltage and CCA.

 

[QuincySeadooRX]

when it first happened i hooked the battery up to the trickle charger and it read charged after about 20 min. I will try checking voltage and CCA tomorow afterwork though. A bad battery would make me a very humble but happy man

 

[QuincySeadooRX]

I checked the voltage and it was low...wasn't holding like it should. So I went and got a new AGM battery, charged it for a few minutes, checked the voltage to make sure it was fully charged and...same story. I find it hard to believe that there is a corrosion based short somewhere as there is literally NO corrosion anywhere in the craft. I'm really under the gun here as the days are getting colder and i'm running out of time. ANY advice, opinions, or help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bills86e]

Jumper the starter relay lugs in rear Ebox by the battery to see if it cranks. If it does
that eliminates the battery and ground cable being bad (internally rotted). Usually
you can tell a bad ground cable if it gets hot while cranking. Also is the small black wire connected to coils grounds?
See if the yellow/red wire to the solenoid is getting power when the start button is pushed with a test light,if it is then the solenoid is bad,if not MPEM is bad. Without the lanyard plugged in, press the start button. Gauges light up?

Still No Electrical?

Do you know there is a 15 amp fuse in the coil box ? This is the main power supply wire to the front of the boat. That power goes to the MPEM, which has it's own set of fuses on it. Did you cover the bases and check all of the fuses ? When testing fuses, just looking at them and saying " they are fine" can get you into looking in the wrong places. Be sure power is coming off each side of the plugged-in fuse. It is possible to have a bad fuse holder, especially the ones in the coil boxes. Use a pointed test light on each side of the fuse. Main power fuses are 15 amp. The 5 amp fuse protects the MPEM, and the 7.5 amp fuse protects the system from the VTS. So, to get spark, you must have a good 5 amp and two good 15 amp fuses, plus all good grounds and connectors that make good contact, a working DESS switch, and the mag connector connected.
item 31
http://partsfinder.onlinemicrofiche..._oem/Seadoo_PWC.asp?Type=18&A=72&B=7&Action=O

 

[QuincySeadooRX]

So I jumped the starter relay lugs and it cranked. I see a few small black wires in the area, all are attatched, with none detatched though I can't quite pinpoint which should be the coils grounds. I don't have a test light to test the yellow/red solonoid wire, is there a way i can improvise with a volt meter or something? After pressing the start button with or without the lanyard plugged in the maintinence light flashes and says "maintinenece required" and then after a few seconds the guages light up like its ready to go. As for the fuses, I checked the 15 amp fuse in the coil box the same way I checked those up front by (you guessed it) just looking at them and saying "they are fine..." I can't see a way to get the meter test probes in to the fuse to test it while it is plugged in. Can I remove the fuse and check it for resistance or continuity? I REALLY hope i'm not dealing with a bad and expensive MPEM. Thanks a million for all the help Bills.