'97 GS won't turn over unless I pull plugs

[mrlmd1]

I haven't used my low hour '97 GS for about a year (before that it started instantly and ran well). I don't have a battery installed in it now but hooked up heavy duty jumper cables from a charged-up golf cart battery, (which starts the cart fine), and I get 2 beeps from the DESS when I plug in the key, but when I hit the start button, I get a very loud click, more like a clunk, then, a long beep. The engine is not turning over (rotating). If I pull one or both plugs and do the same, the engine spins at what sounds like a normal starting rpm, so the engine is not seized or stuck. Trying to start it after replacing both plugs just gives a loud clunk again, without the engine spinning. Each time you remove and replace the key you get 2 beeps and a loud clunk on hitting the start button, followed by a long beep. But it spins if I remove a plug again.
Looking into the cylinders, they are not flooded or hydrolocked. Should I spray any lube or oil in there to loosen things up a little?
Is my battery weaker than I think and does it not generate enough starter torque to turn over the engine while generating compression, or is the Bendix drive on my starter getting stuck and hanging up, or is there something else going on?
How do I even get access to the Bendix drive if that's a problem? Have to take the starter out?
First thing I have to do when the weather clears is to measure the battery voltage and make sure that it's fully charged, but this battery starts the cart and is at least twice the size of the ski battery so it should have enough capacity to turn over the ski with the plugs in.
Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks.

 

[JeremyD615]

I would say it’s most likely that the battery doesn’t supply enough cranking amps to get over the engine compression. The other possibility is a weak starter. I’d put a fresh correct battery in it and see if that does it...

 

[seawolf18]

Aren't golf cart batteries 6 volt? Unless its a gas one with a 12v starter battery

 

[mikidymac]

It’s bad connections and probably the cables.

Everything you are experiencing is from low voltage and amps.

Get a good new battery and it should be fine.

No jump starting or boosting.

 

[mrlmd1]

Aren't golf cart batteries 6 volt? Unless its a gas one with a 12v starter battery

Electric carts use 6 V deep cycle batteries, gas carts use 12 V standard starting batteries.
I'll recheck the battery voltage and connections and make sure I have a fully charged battery.
Is there anything else I need to do, besides fresh gas, before trying to get it to run after being laid up so long?

 

[Ckrawiec]

I was experiencing very similar scenario as you trying to get my '96 back up and running...

First thing, as already stated by the JeremyD and mikidymac.....START with a known good battery in the ski....these skis are nothing without a good battery. Then check all cables (test them), looking at them won't give the whole story...they can look great but be corroded inside the insulation jacket.

Once I got through the electrical (cables, connections, continuity) issues THEN it was into the carbs.....a sitting ski MIGHT need some carburetor attention.....

 

[mrlmd1]

Got a new AGM battery, charged it up and cleaned off the cable ends, put a few cc's of oil in the cylinders and spun it a few times without the plugs to lube the cylinders a little. Put a gallon of fresh gas in it and reinstalled the plugs and after less than a minute of cranking, it started up and runs great.
Not only was the golf cart battery a little low on charge, but using jumper cables to make a connection has a very low surface area and doesn't carry the amps necessary to start a jetski. New battery and solid clean connections make it happen. Happy now.
And now, to keep it in good shape, I have to use the damn thing. What happens, in the medical profession what is called atrophy of disuse, is that when something sits for a while untouched, it deteriorates. Don't let that happen.