another problem on my 96 XP 800

[thecolonel1941]

so much for the best model seadoo out there lol.

I got the carbs rebuilt but now my starter is acting up. put a new starter in and it won't engage. just spins. i can hear the starter spool up but not engage. any ideas?

 

[AdamXP800]

Either you have a crap battery or you have a crap Chinese starter haha

Is the starter oem?




96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!

 

[thecolonel1941]

i was hoping a crappy starter. battery seems good. over 12.5V

its a cheap eBay starter. I took my chances and looks like i lost

 

[AdamXP800]

Lol unfortunately when it comes to starters you get what you pay for.



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!

 

[thecolonel1941]

well i'm glad its that. I'd rather have that the something seized in the engine somewhere. (i'm still new so excuse me if that sounds retarted) lol

 

[AdamXP800]

Did you keep the original starter?



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!

 

[thecolonel1941]

yup. gonna go with plan b and rebuild it

 

[1983]

Yup yup on the starters the oem units are the best. I know these guys use a certain rebuild kit online that has decent brushes and whatnot.

 

[AdamXP800]

I'll find the link



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!

 

[1983]

I could swear it's the same guy who does my mustangs alternators.

"Crank n charge" possibly


Rob

 

[CReynoldsMIZ]

I believe that is it rob. Although any brush kit will probably do

 

[mikidymac]

Do not buy the ones from Amazon!
Last month I ordered one and the box had two of the brush holder plates and none of the positive brushes with the stud. Filed a claim and ordered another one. Same thing so amazon was going to suspend the part and investigate. I though it was a fluke and tried a third time and same thing. SO three times and three wrong parts but Amazon credited me on all of them.

I then ordered the kit from eaby and in three days had the correct set.

 

[thecolonel1941]

I got hold of a good starter and a good battery. Now when I crank it just goes click. No idea what's up

 

[1983]

disconnect battery, take key off post, turn fuel selector to off, take spark plugs out then try and spin engine by hand by grabbing on driveshaft. driveshaft is beneath a gray cover held on by plastic wing nuts and 2 washers connected to rear engine plate/motor mount.

Lets verify engine isn't locked up, takes 5 mins.


Rob

I got hold of a good starter and a good battery. Now when I crank it just goes click. No idea what's up

 

[thecolonel1941]

I can turn engine. That was my first check

 

[Coastiejoe]

I got hold of a good starter and a good battery. Now when I crank it just goes click. No idea what's up

If you KNOW you have a good battery and starter, what happens when you jump the solenoid?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thecolonel1941]

Nothing. Pretty sure I'm doing it right lol

 

[1983]

I can turn engine. That was my first check

Ok so now we can lean towards electrical being issue

 

[thecolonel1941]

Is there a video or something to show correct way to do it

 

[racerxxx]

As CJ said, also please make sure you clean the cable end and the point of connection.

 

[thecolonel1941]

Could it be a bad ground?

 

[CReynoldsMIZ]

As far as jumping the solenoid, take a real thick screwdriver and put it acros both posts. The solenoid is in the back box by the battery. Make sure before you do this that you have let the ski vent for a while with the seat off and there is no gas or oil around. It should spark when you touch them with the screwdriver

 

[thecolonel1941]

Yup. Did that and no spark

 

[racerxxx]

Yup. Did that and no spark

And it didn't turn over? IF that is the case, check your ground. The starter requires 2 things. Power and ground, if you're checking just the starter and not the complete circuit. In a start circuit the solenoid it the "relay" to send power from the battery to the starter which is triggered to do so by a 12v signal wire. Do you have a test light? Clip the test light to the ground on the battery. Probe the solenoid wire from the battery the light should light up, if it does probe the other side of the solenoid. You will have nothing. Now keep the probe there, press the start button, that stud SHOULD get power. If not there is a 2 wire plug on the center of the solenoid. I think it is the yellow/red wire that should light up if you probe that and press the start button, the other wire is ground. If not your problem is upstream, either the start switch (can be ruled out by pressing to see if the gauges power up) or the MPEM or wiring between the MPEM and rear ebox. On top of the rear ebox there is a connector under the rubber boot on top. 6 pins in there and they can corrode thus not making contact. OR also you have no ground to the starter. So you could disconnect the from plug from the mag housing, leave the ground from the starter to the battery. Now, clip the test light to the engine, tray and get one of the screws on the main exhaust pipe. Now, probe the hot side of the battery. If it lights up you know the ground from the battery to the starter "should" be good meaning the engine is grounded to the battery. If it doesn't light up, well you know you have a ground problem. I told you to remove the mag plug because that shares a ground back to the battery via that little ring terminal and that 6 pin plug. I'm sure i'm missing something somewhere so if anyone reads this and wants to add/correct me please do so, I'm going off memory from when I did my 96 a few years ago. If you can run a meter you can go through some voltage checks and some ohm tests to verify grounds as well.


Have you checked all the fuses?

 

[Coastiejoe]

As others are stating,,, You have an electrical issue.

If you KNOW you have a good starter and good battery and the engine turns over which you said it did, then it MUST crank when you jump the solenoid. If it does not, then you have a bad wire or connection.

Do you have some quality jumper cables? Is so, put the ground from the battery to the engine. And the hot from the battery to the output side of the solenoid. If it cranks, then you can confirm you do have a good starter and the wire that runs from the solenoid to the starter is good.

Then, remove the ground (jumper cable) and touch the output side again, if it cranks, your ground wires are good. If it does not, then you have bad ground wire.