99 GTI dies when hitting waves like lanyard is pulled, but...

[dashunde]

Over the pst few years our GTI has occasionally died suddenly when riding hard in rough water standing up, but today was different because it died again many times at 5-15mph.

Before today the problem has been rare though, 3-4 times last year and it always fires right back up after pulling/reconnecting the lanyard and runs fine without fail for several more weeks... I am the only person it has died on.

Today it died in rough water and would restart, but would die again right away, sometimes 5 seconds later, sometimes 1 minute later... this went on for 20-30 times as I limped it back to the dock.

Nearing the dock it finally stayed running just fine for another 20+ minutes in smooth water while pulling a 9 year old skier.

It definitely has something to do with the shock of hitting waves hard, its the only time the problem has shown up.

There is a secondary problem that has shown up this weekend too... the red low oil light came on even though the tank is full, its intermittent sometimes on, sometimes its off.

I searched and read this thread
The corroding lanyard switch and a bad ground makes sense and will be checked, but the oil light and repeated dieing followed up by running fine 20 minutes later after 20+ fails doesnt add up, yet.

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mekanix]

Oil light could be normal if your riding rough all the time. Otherwise it's the oil level sender that is going bad.

Either your start/stop switch or the dess post is bad which is causing the shut downs.
Otherwise it's possibly wiring.

 

[dashunde]

The oil light on showed up a few days ago for other riders before I arrived.
It comes and goes, no real certain circumstances, but it might be provoked by big waves/hard'ish hits?

The dying is definitely (historically and today) provoked by hard hits, but today the dying persisted for many cycles, always requiring the lanyard to be pulled/reconnected every time before restart. It always beeped if restart attempted without pulling/reinstarting lanyard first.
Restart was instant.
After 20 minutes of this die/restart cycle it ran fine, problem vanished - what changed that allowed it to keep running?
It ran normal when it was running.. smooth, good power, normal smoke, etc.

I clarified all of that because of the oil light - the oil light was on most of the time it was refusing to stay running, and it seemed to be off during the last run where it didnt die.
Before the dying cycles started the oil light had been on intermittently (tank full/visble smoke) without dying a single time.
Is that oil level sensor signal sent to any module that could/would shut it down for self-protection under any circumstances?
Is there any other oil-related sensor that will shut down the motor?
It acted like it was in some sort of self-protect mode during the repeated die/restart cycles. Temp sensor?

I'm fine with replacing the dess post, but why would it be so erratic?
Rarely a dying problem before, then many fails, followed up by completely nornal running?

Thanks again for any and all help.

 

[TheMachin0]

i would check your ground wires I was experiencing the same thing a week ago turns out the ground wire on the starter was broken would cut the motor I would pull the lanyard put it back on and it would fire up work for a min and go dead again

 

[Bills86e]

I suspect you have some starter teeth or metal shavings loose in the stator, these create an electrical havoc. Could be the bracket that holds the trigger is cracked or broken.

 

[Mekanix]

Isn't this a 717 though?
So no pickup...

If it started up each time without having to pull and replace the key, I would say start and stop switch.
If its the dess post i would expect to have to remove and replace the key each time.
Other than that, could be the ground in the engine which is the only ground for the mpem.

Loose that temporarily and you need to remove/replace the key each time.

For the oil sensor I dont believe the mpem has any protection built in. You could just unplug the sensor and that will trigger the oil warning. Then see how it runs.

 

[dashunde]

Yes, its a 717, what pickup?

So I ran it hard and soft today, the problem above seems to have vanished only to be replaced by a buzzing solenoid and no crank, no start :/
See this thread

Cant help but wonder if one thing is causing all of this.
All I found was a loose 15a fuse in the solenoid box. I thightened it, but still no start.

It has a marine battery, but its the old-school type that you can add water to.
Wonder ifit has a intermittent internal short of some sort? Still shows 12.5+ volts though?

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Let us know what you find, many excellent suggestions are given above.

 

[dashunde]

Battery drops to around 3v when the solenoid is jumped. Getting a new battery.
The starter motor also was heard turning slowly... all good news really.

I'm also hoping the jinky battery and its (assumed) lack of good balasting qualities was center to its diying as if the lanyard was pulled.

Thank you all!

Now... how the hell do I get the lid to snap back down onto the rear solenoid/coil box??
"Uncooperative" would be a compliment so far...

 

[Bills86e]

The pick-up plate trigger is on the flywheel, riveted on. I have seen these just fall off.
Yes, have the battery load tested for free at local auto part store.

 

[Mekanix]

Pull the seal out.
Put it on the bottom part first.
Put the cap on after.
push...

 

[dashunde]

Ah.. thanks, I'll try doing it that way

 

[Mekanix]

Most if the time the seal gets squished between the cap and box.
thats why its so tight.
Make sure that when you put the cap on that the back tab doesn't hook into the gasket.