96 XP won't start - just clicks

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tnguy

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I bought a 96 XP a couple of weeks ago, and it turned over slowly like the battery was weak. After cranking a few times, it ran the battery down, and I could hear the starter spin but not engage the flywheel. I brought it home and push the starter button again and the only sound is a click like a solenoid from the rear fuse box. Old battery checked bad, so I bought a new battery. With new battery, I get the same solenoid clicking sound from the rear fuse box.

Just to clarify, the jet ski ran fine when I bought it, and I have removed the plugs and rotated the output shaft manually to make sure nothing is siezed.

What does it sound like I need to try?
 
I have a 96 xp, and 2 years ago we had a simular problem. We replaced a relay switch, probably the "click" cause. I think we were able to determine it needed replacing because we could use a piece of wire to "jump" across the terminals and make it turn over. Since it was 2 years ago thats all i can remember.
 
Solenoid is pretty cheap place to start. Start with the least expensive and most obvious issues first.
 
I replaced the starter solenoid, and the starter solenoid still clicks. I'm going to check all the connections again. Would a bad connection at the starter make the solenoid click?

I have pulled the spark plugs, and the engine rotates freely while turning the engine output shaft.
 
I would try what threeseadoos suggested and put a jump wire between the two terminals on the solenoid to see if it turns over. This will make sure your starter is not bad. Also check the ground wire from the starter and all connections to make sure they are not corroded.
 
Yes, ground and hot wires loose, or with corroded connectors can cause this. I had one that looked fine, but when I wiggled the connector, it just snapped off. Corroded all the way through just inside the insulation. Swapped it, and it has run great since.

So wiggle them all before you assume they are OK.
 
Have you checked to be sure the new battery is charged. Alot of times the battery will not be fully charged after you put the acid in.. I have also had new batteries that will crank a few times then just die, they needed charging to bring them to full capacity..
 
I charged the new battery, checked all the connections (a few were corroded) and cleaned them, replaced the starter solenoid, and the starter solenoid still just clicks.

Removed the starter and found that it will try to turn sometimes (using jumper cables between it and the battery) but never enough to engage. Even with my truck battery, it does the same thing. I'll have the starter double-checked Monday before I buy one, but I think this is the problem.

I don't know why I couldn't hear the starter try to turn, though.
 
The starter may be worn out or just needs cleaning and new brushes. Load test
before re-useing. Battery cables lugs corrode internally.
 
So I had the same problem. I did some trouble shooting and learned a little trick.
I have a 1990 seadoo sp. When I would go to start it, it would just click at the starter solenoid. Wouldn't turn over. I checked all my wires, which aren't in the greatest of shape but they all looked fine at the connectors, and I wire brushed them all. Still just a click at the solenoid. So I took the face plate off where the starter motor meets the big gear and turned it to make sure the engine wasn't seized. That turned fine. So I pulled off the starter, thinking maybe it was bad. Here is my little trick, when the starter was off, I took a battery jumper pack, the kind you keep in the car instead of jumper cables, and I hooked it up to the positive and negative end of the starter motor and turned it on. The motor kicked on, so that was good. So then I got the actual wires that connect to the solenoid and the negative terminal of the battery and I hooked those up to the starter motor and hooked the battery pack to the ends of the wires and.... nothing..... So I took the red wire that goes from the battery to the starter solenoid and exchanged it for the one that connects to the starter motor..... Flipped the switch on the battery pack and the motor works. So I was able to figure out that it was the red wire that connected my starter to the solenoid. I took the old wire and checked it with the ohms meter and it looked like it was ok, but it must have been broken and bent in a way that it wasn't making a connection when in the seadoo. Got a new wire hooked it on and it works now. That starter motor is a beast to get back on though.
 
This was the first thread that came up on Google for me. This was the thread that helped me. This seemed appropriate. Figured it would be a place that people with similar issues would see first when googling. 8 years old or not, all the information is still relevant and starting a new thread seems redundant. Feel free to delete my comment and close the thread.
 
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