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96 XP Starter always turning over engine

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robear656

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Just got my 96 XP out and installed a new battery, only to discover that the starter solenoid is energized all the time and as soon as the ground cables are connected the engine turns over. When I stored it last year there was nothing that needed attention. Does this mean that over the winter the MPEM went bad? or am I missing something else?
 
It's probably a stuck solenoid or a stuck switch. Unplug the switch connection at the base of the solenoid. If the starter still spins it's the solenoid, if it stops spinning it's the switch or the switch circuit.

BTW, Welcome to the SeaDoo Forum.

Lou
 
Do what Lou said and report back. A click in the solenoid means nothing.

Welcome I the forum. You should check out the X4 thread
 
second ground wire, goes into the rear electrical box and grounds the coil and solinoid. I will unplug the harness and check the starter again along with a current test of the solenoid and report back.
 
checked the wiring, switch, solenoid, everything is good. checked the yellow/red wire inside the elec box that signals the solenoid and it is hot all the time. no beeps when plugging in DESS and yellow/red wire disconnected but got lights
 
Should be in the control box

checked the wiring, switch, solenoid, everything is good. checked the yellow/red wire inside the elec box that signals the solenoid and it is hot all the time. no beeps when plugging in DESS and yellow/red wire disconnected but got lights

I have the same problem. Installed a new battery. Everything sounds good. Two nights before we are to go to the lake. I tried the boat. Runs fine. Turned it off. I heard this winning noise. It was the starter. Disconnected the battery.

My mechanics traced the wire. Replaced the switch. Same thing. Always hot on the starter power. He traced it back to the box and pointed to the big rectangle box with two fuses on top and swear that IS what I need to replace.

Will go to the local Seadoo dealer tomorrow
 
Did you by chance connect the battery backwards the first time ? This could short out the mpem or start relay and do all kinds of weird things like this.

FYi, inside the large relay there are two parts. The contact plate that shorts out the two bolts on top and then there is the relay. These two pieces are not connected together and the relay only has a certain amount of travel.

So over time and use the contacts arc and burn, Eventually there is not enough left of the contacts to touch and since the relay doesn't push it any further, its never going to make contact again..

The other side of this is that the contacts could have welded together. Pressing the button will make an audible click but will not do anything else since the contact plate and solenoid are not connected together.

IF you remove power to the solenoid and it stops turning the starter, your problem is somewhere else.

If it doesn't stop turning the starter, then you have a bad relay.
 
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What year and model ski do you have? I don't think I've heard of a big rectangle box with two fuses.

If you've already replaced the switch I would suspect the solenoid, there's also a starter relay located in the front E-box but I've not heard of those going bad.

Lou
 
What year and model ski do you have? I don't think I've heard of a big rectangle box with two fuses.

If you've already replaced the switch I would suspect the solenoid, there's also a starter relay located in the front E-box but I've not heard of those going bad.

Lou

Think he means the mpem in the Ebox Lou

What else is grey and has two fuses attached to it besides the mpem ?
 
That's kinda what I was thinking, but he doesn't need to replace the whole rear E-box probably just the solenoid. I think he's about to get ripped off. Besides one of my pet peeves is not putting your model and year ski in your profile.

Lou
 
Hello

That's kinda what I was thinking, but he doesn't need to replace the whole rear E-box probably just the solenoid. I think he's about to get ripped off. Besides one of my pet peeves is not putting your model and year ski in your profile.

Lou

Sorry was busy and never know such a wonderful forum existed. that was my first post because I AM anxious to have both my 96 XP ready for the 4th of July

My mechanics works for me - on cars and he does have his own boat and likes to work on them.

So, he did took the parts from the good boat to make sure the starter relay and the switch were both fine.

And, yes sorry for my ignorance. The little box I was referring to was the MPEM in the front Ebox(thanks to eBay for the people selling them to confirm with their pictures)

Any suggestion regarding how to test the MPEM? The switch was $97 at the dealer(and I have to wait a week, luckily now I know I don't need it). ebay seller are asking $150 to $500. Guess it is going to cost from the dealer. Does I need to re-program my keys after that?

Sorry for all the newbie questions. Had two boys who were letting me less worried about my boats - just gave to them and they enjoyed working on them.

Yes, allow me to introduce myself:

Older guy and have a wife we loves PWC over larger boat. Found the XP as the most fun boat on the lake. Had 3 96 and a 97. Just unloaded the 97 and the least worthy 96 last winter. Looking forward to a fun summer and learning a LOT of the bits and ends on this boat from y'al. Yes, I am a southern redneck.

If I need to, will post some pictures.

Any suggestions/questions welcome.

Glad to be here. thx a million!
 
Send the MPEM to minnetonka4me, you can PM him on this forum, he can test it for you, if it's bad he can sell you a good used one and program it to work with your existing lanyard.

Lou
 
Send the MPEM to minnetonka4me, you can PM him on this forum, he can test it for you, if it's bad he can sell you a good used one and program it to work with your existing lanyard.

Lou
Thank you, Lou

Will try this. just probably have to do single boat for the 4th
 
Wanted to say thank you to everyone for the input. Long story short, I removed and depotted the MPEM, located the three power transistors, replaced them (cost less than $10.00) reninstalled the MPEM. Have clocked a total of 10 hours now with no problems what so ever. YEA!!!!!
 
Wanted to say thank you to everyone for the input. Long story short, I removed and depotted the MPEM, located the three power transistors, replaced them (cost less than $10.00) reninstalled the MPEM. Have clocked a total of 10 hours now with no problems what so ever. YEA!!!!!

Very glad to see this:

It sure is much cheaper to replace those transistors than the MPEM
 
I did take pictures, and I will get those posted here or on facebook. Let you know when that happens, but it will be this weekend. Thx
 
LouDoo, one the subscribers asked for photos of the MPEM repairs I made. Is there a place here to post those, or should I put place them on facebook with a link to there?
 
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