2006 GTX Limited - goes into reduced power mode and "Sensor" message displays...

[surfcitypops]

Trying to work out an issue for a friend. 2006 GTX Limited. 40 hours on it total. Supercharger has been rebuilt by Jerry 10 hours ago. Ski runs like a raped ape for hours, but ends each day (as best as my friend can tell me) with a "Sensor" warning on the dash and limited power. Basically just puts along. Shop told him "no codes" stored in ECM. Probably just overheating due to hard riding. Has been ridden most recently in so Cal ocean with water temps under 60 degrees. Any advice on where to start with this thing? He's at his wit's end and I want to help him get this thing back in order.

 

[Coastiejoe]

The oil sensors are know to fail. Replace them with the upgraded version Seadoo makes. It is likely the issue. There are two on the engine.


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[surfcitypops]

The oil sensors are know to fail. Replace them with the upgraded version Seadoo makes. It is likely the issue. There are two on the engine.


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Thank you. Are they oil pressure sensors? Can you tell me where I might find them located on the motor? I checked the fiche and it seems to only show one oil pressure sensor.

And am I correct in assuming that a defective oil sensor WILL NOT always trigger a fault code?

 

[Coastiejoe]

I have yet to replace them myself. From what I understand, they are on the two ends of the head. There MAY be only one, but in every case that I have read about, there have been two. Others have done this job before, lets see if someone else jumps in...

 

[ski-d00]

Only one oil pressure switch on yours, the older ones with the electrical TOPS system had two. It is under your throttle body at the rear of the motor under the intake.

However, if it said sensor, it stored a code that can be retrieved using BUDS. Sounds like you need a better shop. Oil pressure switches were improved by 06 and don't normally fail like the older ones. A high temp warning from exhaust or motor will say H-TEMP, not sensor.

Need a little more info. If the lanyard is pulled and put back on does it run fine? If so, how long?

 

[surfcitypops]

Only one oil pressure switch on yours, the older ones with the electrical TOPS system had two. It is under your throttle body at the rear of the motor under the intake.

However, if it said sensor, it stored a code that can be retrieved using BUDS. Sounds like you need a better shop. Oil pressure switches were improved by 06 and don't normally fail like the older ones. A high temp warning from exhaust or motor will say H-TEMP, not sensor.

Need a little more info. If the lanyard is pulled and put back on does it run fine? If so, how long?

I gotta get out and ride the thing for myself and get more info. Just not enough for me to go on at this point. Best I've heard is that it goes into limp mode and "SENSOR" appears on the cluster.

I have noticed that when you run this 2006 GTX LTD on the trailer and out of the water, SENSOR appears every time the lanyard is plugged in. Someone told me that this is due to the depth finder seeing pavement. Not sure if this is true.

Also, does removing the lanyard delete stored codes? That wouldn't make much sense but I'm trying to figure out if codes get erased somehow and that's why the shop doesn't detect any.

 

[Sea Dood]

If you put the lanyard on and you get the Sensor message, then the code is already active at that point. This is easily checked with the Candoopro system, or BUDS if you take it to a competent dealer.

 

[ski-d00]

That sensor message is from the depth finder and perfectly normal when out of water. It should turn off after a few seconds.

Taking the key off doesn't delete the codes. Codes are either active(problem still happening) or inactive(problem not currently happening but recorded the event). On the older models with the mode and set buttons, you could press set 5 times to retrieve active codes, you can't retrieve inactive codes unless you have BUDS or CanDoo.

Anything that makes it go into limp mode will be stored.

 

[surfcitypops]

That sensor message is from the depth finder and perfectly normal when out of water. It should turn off after a few seconds.

Taking the key off doesn't delete the codes. Codes are either active(problem still happening) or inactive(problem not currently happening but recorded the event). On the older models with the mode and set buttons, you could press set 5 times to retrieve active codes, you can't retrieve inactive codes unless you have BUDS or CanDoo.

Anything that makes it go into limp mode will be stored.

Thanks for the reply. It gives me hope that I can get to the bottom of this. If I can't, does anyone have the name of a competent tech in the Orange County, CA area that I could get the ski to? I hate just hoping to find someone who isn't guessing like me.

 

[Sea Dood]

That sensor message is from the depth finder and perfectly normal when out of water. It should turn off after a few seconds.

Taking the key off doesn't delete the codes. Codes are either active(problem still happening) or inactive(problem not currently happening but recorded the event). On the older models with the mode and set buttons, you could press set 5 times to retrieve active codes, you can't retrieve inactive codes unless you have BUDS or CanDoo.

Anything that makes it go into limp mode will be stored.

This is not quite correct. Some faults (like high exhaust temp, or any fault condition with the ex temp sensor) are not stored.

But is it true that anything that makes it go into limp is stored.

 

[surfcitypops]

This is not quite correct. Some faults (like high exhaust temp, or any fault condition with the ex temp sensor) are not stored.

But is it true that anything that makes it go into limp is stored.

How do I know definitively when I go into limp mode? Is there something visual on the cluster that tells me? Or am I just putting along with little to no power and I just assume?

 

[Sea Dood]

Several things happen. There are two main warning messages, Chk Eng, and SENSOR. All of the sensor ones are minor things, none of them will put your ski in limp. If you have the Chk Eng warning, then there are two limp modes, the low oil pressure one is most severe and limits at 2500 RPM, all the other limp faults (like ignition coil faults) limit at 5000 RPM.

Look at your cluster to see what RPM you are getting when this happens, and what message you see on the cluster.

 

[AircraftDoc]

When was the spark plugs changed?? When spark plugs go bad, the engine runs great on the trailer and will Idle ok in the water. Then when you add power to plane, the engine loses power. . Hope this helps. Please let us know what you find out.

 

[surfcitypops]

When was the spark plugs changed?? When spark plugs go bad, the engine runs great on the trailer and will Idle ok in the water. Then when you add power to plane, the engine loses power. . Hope this helps. Please let us know what you find out.

Plugs are the first thing I changed. All good there. This seems more related to heat or a false read from a sensor since it runs great for hours and then falls on its face until it cools off, and then it's back to hauling ass for a while.

I'm almost ready to just replace the oil pressure and exhaust temp switches just for shotgun diagnostic purposes. They are cheap, and if they don't fix the problem I know I have two good spares in my hand for when the new ones do fail!

 

[AircraftDoc]

I wonder if you have debris from the ocean restricting the water cooling flow. There is lots of kelp we suck up. Maybe disconnect some hoses and back flush to jet pump and check. Pull the hose before the exhaust and look with mirror if there is any in the manifold. Then back flush through the inner cooler. Could have something building up.