99 seadoo gsx rfi bad starter solenoid?

[jeffthro87]

My problem just started happening, I've 12.8 volts at the battery and the battery side of the solenoid, but when I press the starter button I only have 8.5 volts coming through to the other side and 8.5 volts at the starter. So my question is, do I have a a bad starter solenoid? Is, that enough to turn over the starter? Because the solenoid will just click and not turn over the starter.

 

[2strokeboy]

Definitely not enough to turn of the engine. Mostly likely your solenoid or your starter wire or where you starter mounts not creating a complete ground.
If you jump the solenoid does it turn over with plugs in?

 

[jeffthro87]

I tried it with a screwdriver and it just sparked and the starter didn't turn over.

 

[2strokeboy]

Most likely a bad ground on your starter or the wire is frayed to the starter

 

[Grim]

I would load test the battery first, make sure it is good. Any of the autoparts store can do that for you...free.
Also what is the voltage at the battery when you press the start button?

 

[jeffthro87]

The battery is brand new. When I tried jumping the solenoid the starter wouldn't work, but I just pulled it out and it worked just fine. The engine turns over. I've got a new solenoid arriving tomorrow.

 

[jeffthro87]

Should my starter have a ground wire connected to it? Because my did not have one, it was just the positive wire only?

 

[2strokeboy]

Make sure the connection points of the starter are clean and the ground wire on the bottom of the engine in connected and clean

 

[Grim]

My 98 GTX has a big ground cable that connects to one of the mounting bolts at the starter directly from the battery. Its the main ground plus there is a ground at the front of the motor.. Most likely there should be a ground. Check your parts manual it will show if there is one, the manuals are free online.

 

[jeffthro87]

I talked to the parts guy at a seadoo dealer and they said there wasn't a ground cable for the starter on the 99's.

 

[DaddyLoafin]

I talked to the parts guy at a seadoo dealer and they said there wasn't a ground cable for the starter on the 99's.

So I dont know this ski but on my ski which is a 98 with a 787; it has a ground going from the battery to the starter

 

[tobytd]

278001446
Battery neg. to engine

 

[burtshaver2021]

I talked to the parts guy at a seadoo dealer and they said there wasn't a ground cable for the starter on the 99's.

I’m sure he said there was no ground cable just to get rid of you. Had he have said there was one, then he would have had to take the time to pretend to look it up for you or tell you he’s not interested. Dealers don’t really want anything to do with these old 2 strokes

 

[2strokeboy]

I talked to the parts guy at a seadoo dealer and they said there wasn't a ground cable for the starter on the 99's.

there isn't a ground cable that goes off of the starter but the ground for the starter goes through the engine into the main ground that the battery connects to.

 

[jeffthro87]

That's what I somewhat came to the conclusion too, since the battery is already ground to the engine, and the starter is touching the engine, it should already be grounded.

 

[jeffthro87]

Put in a new starter and starter solenoid and it fired right up! Problem solved and ready for the water.