94 SkiDoo Starter Relay Only Clicks.

[golfmaniac2]

New member, and am 71 last March. Need some advice. I have 2 Jet Skis. A 94 Yamaha Blaster and a 94 SeaDoo Bombardier. Am 2nd owner since about 2005. They have ran perfect to 2018. They have never needed any repairs and always stored in an unheated garage in the Seattle/Tacoma area. On 4/14/2023 I pulled them out from the garage. Installed new battery. Drained the fuel tank and put new fuel in. Made sure the oil tank has oil. Sprayed a little WD-40 into the cylinders. Hit the started for a second to move the cylinder. Did that a few times to lubricate the cylinder walls before actually trying to start the engine. Added some starter fluid to the 94 Yamaha Blaster and it started right up. Kept spraying starter fluid when the engine began to die to keep it going. Soon the engine idled on it own and after a minute or two I gave it some throttle and it revved just fine. Let it run for about 5 minutes. Yes I did hook a water hose to it for cooling. Did the same prepping to the 94 SeaDoo. When I hit the started, I hear only a click, every time I pressed the starter I hear a click. The SkiDoo engine is a bit intimidating for it does not look like a typical 2 stroke engine. I'm used to seeing a carburetor. I know a little about older car and motorcycle engines. My plan is to try to locate the starter relay that is clicking and follow the wires to the starter. I'm hoping that the connectors might have some corrosion. Am I on the right track? Welcoming advise. Thank you.

 

[tobytd]

Fully charged..load tested battery?
Engine turns over by hand? ( spark plugs out)

 

[golfmaniac2]

Fully charged..load tested battery?
Engine turns over by hand? ( spark plugs out)

The battery is new, fully charged. I first used the battery to start the 94 Yamaha yesterday, and barely used the started. How does one turn the SeaDoo engine by hand?

 

[rusty nail]

the click is the solenoid....if you are hearing it, it is probably working and you have a bad starter. bridge the two posts with pliers on the solenoid to bypass it and the starter should crank. if no crank, bad starter....if it cranks, bad solenoid.

 

[bigJake]

the click is the solenoid....if you are hearing it, it is probably working and you have a bad starter. bridge the two posts with pliers on the solenoid to bypass it and the starter should crank. if no crank, bad starter....if it cranks, bad solenoid.

Please use pliers with well insulated handles or we will be reading your next post in the obit section. I usually just use a screwdriver with a plastic or even better a wooden handle.

 

[JC-SUPERJET]

Yep, it only takes one-tenth of an Amp to kill a Human.

The Starter will pull 300+ Amps across those Copper Solenoid Posts...

 

[PJ Moran]

the click is the solenoid....if you are hearing it, it is probably working and you have a bad starter. bridge the two posts with pliers on the solenoid to bypass it and the starter should crank. if no crank, bad starter....if it cranks, bad solenoid.

Which two posts? Mine just goes click, click, click, click when I press the START button. I can feel something going on in the relay, but the engine does not crank. I need to know what these two posts are that people keep referring to.

 

[mikidymac]

Inside your electrical box is the starter relay. Just follow the red battery cable to the box.
The two copper posts are what we are talking about.

 

[PJ Moran]

I jumpered those and just got sparks. Nothing from the starter...

I don't understand the click, click, click thing. Most automotive relays are on or off, not cycled. How does that work? I tried measuring the voltage on the starter side while the relay was clicking and couldn't get a real reading on a DMM.

 

[Grim]

Sound like a starter issue. I would either remove the starter and apply 12V to it and see if it works or you can get a good size wire and connect directly to the positive side of starter from battery and see if it moves. You could also have something binding the starter. Do you hear any humming or clinking from starter when energized it from jumping the solenoid ?

 

[PJ Moran]

I went back out and did some more work. I disconnected both large cables from the solenoid. I then energized it via the START button. It reads open normally, and zero ohms when closed.

Also, with the starter cable disconnected, the solenoid clicks only once. It holds shut as long as the button is depressed. But, with the cables connected, it does the click, click, click thing.

That has to be an indicator of something. Why multiple clicks with the starter connected, but not when it's not? What is actually happening to cause the multiple clicks?

BTW my craft is quite clean with low hours. All connections are clean and dry with no signs of corrosion (I actually checked).

I really want to avoid replacing the starter. All indications are that it's a difficult job.

 

[Grim]

Then I would take the spark plugs out, disconnect the positive to battery and go directly to the starter with the battery, just tap it to the battery and see if the starter spins. Got to use good size wire though cause it is going to pull some amps, that is why you just tap it.

 

[PJ Moran]

I did that. No sparks. But the starter motor turns VERY slowly. It must not be pulling much current at all. I'm beginning to think the battery is bad. I'm taking it to the parts house for testing / replacement. New battery = simple fix. New starter = very difficult fix.

 

[Grim]

With spark plugs out can you turn the motor by hand at the drive shaft. That will tell you if the motor is dragging. You should be able to spin it by hand.

 

[PJ Moran]

I'm embarrassed to say that the problem was the battery. It tested bad. I have a "backup" battery that I keep on a maintainer. I took both to the parts store. The one in the craft tested bad. The backup tested good. I put the good battery in and it fired right up.

I checked the battery voltage and it seemed fine. But, it can't handle a load.

I still don't know why the solenoid goes click, click, click with a weak battery. Disconnecting the starter cable renders just click and hold. Something about the load in the circuit that causes the solenoid to do this.

 

[POPPS]

To thoroughly test a starter before I go to the hassle of removing it,,,I have a jumper cable with alligator clip on one end,,,that end I clip to the positive terminal f the starter,,,to avoid any sparks there,,,and then just try to turn it over using the ski’s positive battery,,,or an outside booster source,,,,the motor is already grounded.,,,

Of course it goes without saying that the hull is “aired out” and that there are no fuel leaks,,,