96 gsx800

[mango11]

Hey guys,

Ive just joined up and i have to say, what a great site.


I have just purchased from EBay a Seadoo GSX800 96 Mdl, Navy blue and white etc.

Its being transported as we speak and i should recieve it tomorrow afternoon, i cant wait.


The ski however has no key or battery, the battery is no problem, but who in melbourne supplies dess keys (western suburbs preferebly), and whats involved?

Do i take the ski in for programming etc, or serial numbers etc?


It may seem silly to buy an unstarted ski, but it turns over by hand, has comp, and has aftermarket prop, intake grate, sponsons, air filters etc and is very cleen.

I have been told it only needs a battery and key and it will be good to go??? either way i was looking for a project so it will get rebuilt after easter anyhow.


So can anyone tell me any pros and cons about this ski, or any other relative info on what to look out for etc,

I think i will be a regular here after it arrives.



Cheers

 

[b15philly]

You will have to bring it to a certified seadoo dealership to have have a new key programed to work with your ski.:cheers:

 

[mango11]

cheers dude,

I was hoping to get things going by the weekend, but i guess not,

Its so hard, ive never owned one, but i researched for a while and this came up, so to organize keys batteries and a few other minor things like reg etc is a hassle when the ski isnt here yet.

Should arrive tomorrow arvo so this weekend ill just look her over.

Any things to look for?

Anything to do to check it out before battery and key???

 

[hitman782]

I am not sure if this model has the grey fuel lines or not, but if it does, those need to be changed out, there are plenty of posts on that subject with instructions how to do it. That may be something the dealership takes notice of and might recommend, and charge a pretty hefty price on. Best of luck with your new ski. There will probably be a fwe other things based on how many hours it has on it.

 

[b15philly]

Yes, this ski does have the gray fuel lines and you will want to change these out along with a carb rebuild or just a good cleaning. The R.A.V.E valves should also be examined and cleaned they usually have a heavy carbon build up if they have not been cleaned in a while. All of this can be done if you are mechanically inclined and with the help of this forum. I would highly recommend that you look into becoming a premium member so you can download the manual for this ski and also be able to get expert advice at all times. Enjoy you ski, I have the same one and its great:cheers:

 

[mango11]

fantastic guys,

I have built a few cars, 4x4's and motor bikes both 2 and 4 stroke over the years not to mention go-karts, chainsaws etc, so im no slouch in the mechanical department.

Just a few weeks ago my dads mate bought a kawasaki 90-91 model 700 super sport? or something of the like, he got it for nothing and had it rebuilt for 1400 aud?????

Then we had so many dramas with it, a bit of a baptism by fire for me, as i had to strip the whole thing down, motor out, jet pulled right down etc, this got me to looking for a project.

So if this thin need work, over easter i will rebuild it.


Good point about the premium membership, will get on to it straight away, as im sure it will come in handy over the next few months.


Another silly question, dads mates kawasaki is supposedly a 2 seater however i cant really see it happening unless you have 2 skinny kids on it.

Is the gsx a genuine 2 seater??, can i take the missus for a spin or is the hull a little tippy????


Sorry , also arent the XP and the GSX the same ski apart from the fuel tank capacity and cosmetics?????


Thanks for the promp help guys, the ski will be at the depot this afternoon:hurray:

 

[b15philly]

Yes, the gsx is a 2 seater and you can definitely have two people on it, I'm 6'1 245 pounds (all muscle:rofl and my girl is 5'10 135 and we scream on it all day no problems. This summer we were out in the ocean in 6 to 7 foot chop having a blast getting pounded by the waves. Your going to love this ski.

To answer your question about the xp and gsx having the same hull, the answer is no, the xp is a little bit smaller and utilizes the famous X4 hull, the gsx is a little bit bigger. Both skis have the 787 motor

 

[mango11]

thanks heaps for the info dude,

im so looking forward to it now,



I was meaning the running gear similarities, i thought the hulls and top decks were different given the measurements and fuel capacity.


As i said in an earlier post it does have a bit of aftermarket kit on it so im hoping it is set up properly,

Also what does this machine go like???

The only ski ive ridden is the kawasaki hunk of junk and it left alot to be desired, would it be fair to compare to new 4 stroke models??


From the research ive done they dont seem to pop up very often, are they a desireble ski to own, or are they the ugly duckling of the seadoo family?

Could you also give me a rundown of your machine with pics if possible, looking forward to hearing from ya.

 

[mango11]

finally got the ski home, and im not really impressed at first glance...........

But thats ebay for ya i guess.

Was told it needed a key and a battery,

As it turns out it looks like its been for a dive!!!

Lots of oil in the hull, hoses and wires disconnected here and there, sand in the hull and inbetween everything in the hull.


So i guess ill start with the key and battery and see if it starts but i think there will be alot more to it.


I think i need to find a seadoo wrecker and replace a few things..........



As mentioned philly, a few pics of yours under the seat, up front, guages etc would be great for a comparrison to get me going.

Your welcome to email them to me Petkinis@tpg.com.au


Cheers

 

[mango11]

Just had a mate that is quite familiar with the xp model of that year confirm that things look good,

Truns over by hand so no seizure of any sort, and he said the inside of the hull doesnt look out of place at all, with regard to oil and salt/sand particles.

All wiring seems to be in good order and all dry compartments are free of rust and mildew.

So it looks like im good to go, ive become a premium member and am about to print off the shop manual, ive just bought a battery and am booked in for a key on monday, so hopefully it all goes well!!!!!!!!


Now im excited:hurray::hurray::hurray:

 

[seadooya]

hey, alright man. Hope all goes well.

 

[b15philly]

Congrats on getting the ski, give it a good clean up and get everything you need to get together. My ski with a few different aftermarket parts has GPS 60 to 61 MPH on flat water I would expect to see any ware from 50-57 MPH

 

[mango11]

Hey man, what parts do you have fitted to gain the extra speed?????

 

[b15philly]

It has a different pitch impeller, different intake grate (not sure what brand) R&D flame arrestor, Rossier pipe, Bukshot carb's, pump wedge and everything is tuned in pretty well, it wasn't just slapped on. There's probably other stuff I am forgetting. The great thing about it was I bought it with everything already done to it with only 50 original hours:cheers:

 

[mango11]

that sounds awesome dude,

I bought the wrong battery the other day (too small) and my mate said not to use it so i took it back and am searching for a suitable one.


For now, if i hook up the battery cables to a 12v jump starter power pack and place a magnet on the dess post, will i effectively have power to check the operation of the vts system and also will this power up the info guage??

It seems the info guage has what looks to be water damage under the glass but im hoping it all works fine but i need it powered i figure.

Also if i go to get the key organized in the next day or so will the craft require battery power, or will the mpem programmer power the mpem???



Thanks so much for your time Phily, youve been a great help so far. :cheers:

 

[b15philly]

Yes you will need battery power to see whats working and whats not, if your looking for a good battery that is maintenance free, look at getting a gel battery. From what I have read and experienced first hand is that they last much longer than any other battery I have ever used. They are a little pricey but I believe its worth every penny. Check out this link http://www.batterystuff.com/batteries/motorcycle/sYT16CL.html this is the same exact battery I have and they dropped the price substantially since I bought mine a year ago by almost $40.00:ack:

 

[mango11]

thanks again philly,

I saw the yxt16 battery at my local but a mate said reccomended battery is the yxt20??


Anyhow ill sort it eventually.

I did try to hook up another battery via jumper cables and got nothing

Ive just degreased the entire machine inside and out and am waiting for things to dry out a little so i can spray some water dispersent everywhere applicable and start checking fuses etc while i wait for a battery.


Also still waiting for my dealer, i need to verify paperwork first though.

Cheers guys

 

[mango11]

Hey guys,

I have just purchased a 96 GSX800 from another state off E-bay, the ski has arrived all beit without a DESS key or a battery.

I thought it looked a bit ratty in and out, and was a little worried about its condition etc until a mate that is familiar with the 787 inspected it for me (before i wasted any time),

We pulled the plugs out and checked for any full or partial siezures and all was fins and quite smooth when turning the fly wheel, there is no adverse movement in the drive shaft, and all RAVE valves are quite smooth.

We then inspected the Electrical system, all connections look good, the VTS system looks like new, all other electrical boxes show no signs of water ingress so i am thinking everything should be ok.

Upon visual inspection of the jet unit everything looks ok there also.



Today i totaly degreased the interior and exterior of the ski as there was a bit of sand and oil etc in the bottom of the hull and everything was covered in water dispersant etc which was making for a messy inspection.


Everything is dried out now and resprayed where it requires with a water dispersant, and things look pretty damn good in side and out now.



I will be hooking up a battery tomorrow and proceeding further from here, i have become a premiun member and downloaded the appropriate manuals etc.


I did hook up a jumper to the battery terminals today to power the system and hope to hear the VTS system engage but nothing, also nothing from the info center?????


Could this be a fuse??

I have never worked on a seadoo before and appreciate any help given.


I am booked into get a DESS key programmed, however i need to get the ski powered before they will look at it.





In your opinion are there any preliminary inspections or servicing jobs that i can undertake to inspect the condition of the ski, or should i just try to power it up and start it once power and DESS are sorted.



Although the engine seems free should i pull the head off for an inspection anyway, or would this be a waste of time??



Any other suggestions welcomed.


Great site :cheers:

 

[seadoosnipe]

Advanced diagnostics?

You should get a battery for it and try the advanced diagnostics.

Without the lanyard, you should be able to push the start/stop button one time to activate the delay timer. This should allow you 33 seconds of power to the VTS and gages. If you are not getting power from activating the start/stop switch and delay timer from the MPEM, then you might have a problem in the start/stop swith itself or a bad fuse.

Once the battery is in place, press your start stop button 5 times in succession. Once you have pushed the button 5 times (6 if you don't hear anything) you should hear a long and short beep. As long as you hear that, you've got electrical power to the mpem. But, without the lanyard, your test would end there. If you get nothing, then again, your problem could be in the start/stop switch.

In troubleshooting your electrical system, should this become necessary, you'll have to check continuity from beginning to end. You cannot hotwire or jump the DESS post. The lanyard contains a magnetic ROM (read only memory) chip and must be read by the MPEM before it will allow the starter to be engaged.

Ebay? I don't know the specifics of your purchase but I've always seen ebay as a shady place for people to pawn off their troubles. It's in my opinion that if someone had a good item to sell, then why not sell it locally instead of paying ebay fees? If this person put it up for sale on ebay, did he say it was without the lanyard? Without the lanyard, you will need all paperwork to prove your the owner before Seadoo will program a new lanyard for you. The DESS (digital electronic security system) is to protect you from theft. Without it, a dealer may think you stole it and not program a new key for you.

I would recommend you attempt to contact the seller and ask for the lanyard. Tell him he forgot to send it along with the ski. The battery? I can understand that since they are considered an explosion hazard by most transportation companies.

Good luck and holler if you need anything.....:cheers:

 

[seadoosnipe]

Battery..?

thanks again philly,

I saw the yxt16 battery at my local but a mate said reccomended battery is the yxt20??


Anyhow ill sort it eventually.

I did try to hook up another battery via jumper cables and got nothing

Ive just degreased the entire machine inside and out and am waiting for things to dry out a little so i can spray some water dispersent everywhere applicable and start checking fuses etc while i wait for a battery.

Also still waiting for my dealer, i need to verify paperwork first though.

Cheers guys

The recommended battery for your machine is the Yousa/Exide 19 amp hour battery. You can get any battery cross referenced so it doesn't have to be the Yousa battery.

I believe I told you in another post about the power. IF you push the start/stop button, you should get 33 seconds of power from your delay timer of the MPEM. And yes, you need power on the MPEM to program it.:cheers:

 

[mango11]

cheers,

I knew the ski was coming without a lanyard or a battery, and as you say the battery is considered an explosion hazard etc.

The story with the key goes like this,,,,,,

The guy i bought it off runs a legitimate secondhand dealership, he buys and sells everything from dirt bikes, boats, industrial trailers, caravans etc, just whatever he can get cheapish and adds a few bucks onto them and makes money that way.

Anyhow a few months before xmas he had a young guy , out of work come in to his shop to sell his GSX, the shop owner had no previous experience with skis and did not want to get stuck with it, so every month later that the young guy was getting desperate and still got knocked back every time, then a few days before xmas hes was desperate and needed some cash so the shop owner having a heart bought the ski off him.


I think then the young guy was being a bit of a smart ass and kept the key, the shop owner has receipts for his purchase and i have reciepts from him, surely this is enough proof to get over the line.

Otherwise why cant i buy e secondhand mpem off ebay with lanyard??? or an after market mpem???



Either way, untill i check electrical continuity i wont be doing anything else.

 

[mango11]

Cheers :cheers:

 

[seadoosnipe]

Ebay...

Yeah, sounds like the young man knew that if he kept the lanyard, that would screw the guy around. Sad but it happens.

I really don't know the laws in Australia but here, if you purchase a ski/boat, they run the hull number to see if it's been reported as stolen. If it comes back clean and shows that your purchase was in fact from the last one it was registered, then we can get it licensed.

Aftermarket or program?.... I'm sure there is someone that will program it without looking over the paperwork. A dealer is not suppose to do it without proof of ownership or they stand to loose their BRP franchise. The digital electronic security system is the same as having a car key. You can't just have one made. But, with money, I'm sure you could find your way around it.

Anyway, go through the steps to see what you can find out. Try the advanced diagnostic on the MPEM, then holler back. Like I said, you should get power for 33 seconds when you push the start/stop button. I believe your power wire to the info center is purple. So, have your voltage meter ready and push the button, then quickly test the power to the info center. Or, test across a fuse in your electronic box........:cheers:

 

[mango11]

Thanks snipe,

I cant believe the detail and timely manner in which you reply, thanks heaps, i litterally just bought the battery you recomended and am about to go into the garage to install.

No doubt i will have a few more questions to ask, however i will try everything you have suggested first.


Also i was looking through the sites Parts section, i am assuming all prices are an USD, also would you know of any wreckers over there if i require some parts in the future, in AUS we dont have many at all. Only 1 on the other side of the country.

 

[seadoosnipe]

Seadoowarehouse.com?

I'm pretty sure Seadoowarehouse.com is international. I'd have to check to be sure but I'm pretty sure they do. I'll double check.:cheers: