97 gt cranks slowly on good battery but cranks fine with plugs removed

[jststrd1]

97 gti cranks slowly with a good battery just hear starter engage and try to turn engine. Seems to crank ok with plugs removed. It turns freely by hand no hitches. I put the battery in my other ski and it cranks fine. Both are sea doos with same engine different years. Any suggestions? I am trying to do a compression check.

 

[kustomkarl]

Check the wire connectors on the battery and the ground going to the engine, near the starter. If all check out ok, it might be either a a scored cylinder, which a compression test will confirm or maybe a worn out starter.

Karl

 

[seadoobie]

May have oil in one of the cylinder jugs as well, one I had worked on eirlier in the season had this problem...compression on one cylinder was way high from this, causing the engine to bearily turn over. Had to pull plugs & turn it over alot to get enuff oil out to finally start it.

 

[jststrd1]

May have oil in one of the cylinder jugs as well, one I had worked on eirlier in the season had this problem...compression on one cylinder was way high from this, causing the engine to bearily turn over. Had to pull plugs & turn it over alot to get enuff oil out to finally start it.

Anyway to take a proper compression reading if i can't get it to crank?

 

[ski-d00]

nope, need to be able to crank.

I'd say your starter is drawing too much current when under load, that's why it cranks fine with the plugs out. take out your starter and clean/rebuild it, it will work like new.

 

[jhjesse]

Rebuild or replace the starter. Try to stay away from e-bay starters.