RESTO Another Speedster project

[gfk]

Hi!
I bought an old Speedster with twin engines, and now am looking forward getting this thing up and running again. Problem is that I have next to no experience with Speedsters, am in Sydney Australia without many workshops or parts shops here, and am hoping that on here are a few friendly people helping me along. My first problem is that I don't even know what exactly I have, from comparing with pictures from other threads it looks like a 1998 Speedster with twin 787's, but that is just my guess. The plate on the stern says " US ZZN90929D95 ". I have attached a few photos and would be grateful for any info I can get. The engines look to me like 787, but again, just my guess. They both turn over reasonably well, but are full to the brim with some oily emulsion. Exhausts are clean, water, fuel and oil lines look to be clean, I'm missing a few parts (fuel gauge, fuel pick-up and sender unit, flame arrestor metal frame, the stiffening bracket between carburettor and exhaust, steering cable, reverse cable, exhaust fan and hose etc.). I have no key, and from what I have learnt I have a DESS system. Wiring looks in pretty bad condition. To start working out what I need to do, I have the following questions:
How can I get a new keyfob and how can I program it
Can I bypass the DESS so I can start working on the electrics?
How can I test the electronics (MPEM?)
Is there a way to empty the engines from that fluid so I can test compression?
How do I know which sparkplug-lead goes to which cylinder?
Where can I source parts (new and used)
I am pretty confident I can bring the boat back to life with some help from you experts here, so many thanks in advance! I'm really looking forward to your comments!

PS: Having trouble uploading photos, please bear with me.......

 

[gfk]

Sorry, stuffed up the picture upload properly.........I'll learn eventually

 

[Ruskeyjdm]

HIN is definitely not OEM, what does the paperwork say? Does look like a 98
Correct on the engines, those are 787’s
MPEM is near impossible to bypass.

 

[gfk]

Thanks for your quick reply! No paperwork, bought it at an auction, just have the invoice. For registration here we only need a certification from an approved agent, no HIN needed. Happy about it being 787's, how many HP do they make, is it still around 100?
If I can't bypass the MPEM, can I measure it somehow to see if it is working before I get a new keyfob made and programmed? How does getting new fobs work?

 

[Ruskeyjdm]

110 hp
Not sure about testing the MPEM, I’ve never diagnosed them that deep.
best way would be to bring the boat in to a dealership but if nothing is close, shipping it out and getting a new key programmed. They sell keys online.
You can turn the engines over by jumping the starter solenoid in the smaller black boxes to the side of the engines to clear them out and to test compression.
Seems like you are missing a good amount of parts, @Minnetonka4me carries a ton of good used parts over here in the states. He also does key programming

 

[racerxxx]

I bet if you flip that hin tag over its got another number on it, LOL. You've got your work cut out for you.

 

[gfk]

Kinda am aware, and afraid of that, but at least it keeps me off the streets
Not that many parts missing, I have all the trims and seats, they are getting recoated.
If I crank the engines long enough, will that get rid of the oily liquid in the crankcase and squirts it out through the sparkplug openings, or should I just tear down the engines (most likely I'll have to do that anyway). I really wanted to get a DESS key programmed and make sure the MPEM is still alive, and check the compression before I rip it all apart

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

yea, it seems you'll maybe have to send that MPEM out to get a key programmed, unless you can find an old school seadoo guy out in Australia. You have to use the correct 2-stroke oil (API-TC, not TCW3) because those Rave Valves are pretty particular on what type of oil you burn.
Make sure your cooling lines are clear. I had sand build up and completely clog that return line that comes off the T-fitting at the back of the cylinders. It'll run and you'll never know that your motor is slowly dying from overheating. I've also had an instance where a tiny shell was stuck in the fitting that that line attaches to. It was all the way at the muffler. I only found it when I took the damn muffler out. You PROBABLY don't have that issue, but it did happen to me (and I went through 3 787's before I found it).
You can crank those engines over by jumping the solenoid. Careful as it'll throw a hell of a spark. Hold the throttle open to get a good reading.

 

[Ankeneyou]

That looks like a 99 just based on the yellow. The first thing I would do before spending any more $ on it would be to get a key programmed and check that the mpem is functional and has spark to both engines. These are notorious for losing spark and the MPEMs are not cheap if you find one.

 

[gfk]

Exactly what I am thinking! Can I take the MPEM out of the boat and take it to a shop to get it tested and key programmed, or does it have to stay in the boat to do that? If I crank over the engines without exhaust and carbies, does that change my compressor reading? How do I know I expelled all the fluid in the crankcase before compression test?
Sorry for the many questions, and thanks for everybodies input!

 

[racerxxx]

They would need to have a bench test harness to be able to program it. Easier to drag the boat I would think.

 

[gfk]

Okay, called every dealer in a radius of about 1000km, and they are all pretty useless - best response was from a guy charging $500 to program a DESS key, but he couldn't check the MPEM -wtf? If I buy myself a candoo or similar, would that let me read the MPEM and program a key? Does anybody have any suggestions what the best computer is to buy and what the costs are?

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Testing it without the bolt-ons would give you an accurate compression reading. You're actually supposed to hold the carbs open during a compression test anyway. If your MPEM is toast, and you can't find a replacement, you could always go the route of getting two mpems and harnesses out of two skis. Then you'd have the benefit of total engine redundancy. This method would be more difficult though, as you'd have to manage all the wiring that is not native to that boat. It would be a challenge to keep that all clean and nice. There are plenty of boats out there that DO work just fine, even after all these years. My buddy just sold one, and it ran great, so there is hope. Also, check to see if there are aftermarket MPEMs. They don't require key programming. Rather, any DESS key will work on them. I know they have them for skis, just not sure about twin engine applications.

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Okay, called every dealer in a radius of about 1000km, and they are all pretty useless - best response was from a guy charging $500 to program a DESS key, but he couldn't check the MPEM -wtf? If I buy myself a candoo or similar, would that let me read the MPEM and program a key? Does anybody have any suggestions what the best computer is to buy and what the costs are?

Holy F! $500 to program a key? What level of hell are you calling? That's extreme! I'd definitely consider buying the Candoo and doing this yourself. Then you can charge other people for programming keys At that rate, it would pay for itself in just a few keys!

 

[Ankeneyou]

Candoo is a good tool for $400 USD and you get a license for 4 boats/skis.

It stinks you are in Austrailia as I've got a programmer but with shipping you'd be better off owning a candoo.

No-one ever made aftermarket MPEMs for these boats.

 

[racerxxx]

$500 is supply and demand prices. I'm not shocked. There seems to be little support for the seadoo down under is remote areas. Don't get me wrong it's a blatant rip off but when your the only guy in town you can pretty much set your price. There is no "checking an MPEM". He can program it but not tell you if there are issues. Before everyone gets there drawers in a bunch over swapping in 2 ski MPEM's lets.......wait.......and see how this one is. Nothing worse than throwing parts at it and hoping something sticks. The candoo does seem like your best alternative here. If your $500 aud that's about $403 usd. Still pricy for a key but.......

 

[gfk]

LOL, maybe that was a quote for a 24carat Diamond studded key - or the guy saw me coming and tried it on. Anyway, I'll just buy my own gear now, Candoo Pro seems to be the best option, I found them for $399 plus keys.

 

[racerxxx]

LOL, maybe that was a quote for a 24carat Diamond studded key - or the guy saw me coming and tried it on. Anyway, I'll just buy my own gear now, Candoo Pro seems to be the best option, I found them for $399 plus keys.

It shouldn't be plus keys. It should come with 4 HIN's available. After that you can buy a HIN for $100 USD up to X amount of HIN's then you need to upgrade to the full blown shop version which is unlimited HIN's.

 

[gfk]

Pricey for a key, but I have the feeling I will be playing more with Seadoos in the future. Had an Explorer a while ago and liked it, but was totally underpowered. This Speedster is just a hobby to have something to do over the weekends and a sexcuse not having to go shopping . Well, order is on its way, now I can only sit back and wait.
Are there any tests I can do with the MPEM to check if it's faulty or has issues? (Apart from the obvious PCB checks and terminals, corrosion etc.)

 

[IDoSeaDoo]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you get a quick code-check from the MPEM by clicking the start button 5x. I think that works even with the key off. Should give one short and one long beep, right? I'm going on memory here. I'm nowhere near a seadoo to go test this on. But if the MPEM is all hooked up, and the battery has a good charge, it should give you some sort of "Hello World" just to acknowledge that it's alive. You other speedster owners can back me on this, is there such a test on this model, or does it require a key?

 

[racerxxx]

Yes, but......you need the key to get past that. That's where the meat and taters are ,the spark and cranking. But none the less it would beep, if the beeper is good. It's a double edge sword no matter how you look at it. At this point it's a waiting game until he gets the candoo and key to program. Only thing I'd do while waiting is clean all the battery connections.

 

[Ankeneyou]

You can do simple test just by seeing if the gauges turn on when hitting the start/stop button. I can't remember if the boat needs to be in neutral, bit I would put in in N regardless. Gauges should illuminate for 33 seconds, but that only confirms the mpem is not completely dead.

Pressing the start button 5 times should cause the boat to sound 1 short and 1 long beep (assuming buzzer works) to start the advanced diagnostic mode. You then put the key on, hit start again and listen for beeps. All you will likely get if you even have an unprogrammed key is 2 long beeps, which means an unprogrammed/wrong key.

Usually what goes wrong with these MPEMs is spark dies on one or both engines, which can't be tested without a good key and everything else hooked up and functional.

 

[gfk]

I'll give your tips a try tomorrow morning, but want to test the buzzer first. Can anybody tell me where I can find it, or what contacts I can measure with a voltmeter if its too difficult to get to? So, if I connect a battery with say 13.8V to the terminals and press either start/stop button once, the gauges should illuminate, if I press either button five times in a row, I should get 1 short and one long beep. I don't have any key, so can I simulate one by connecting the ground and the active on the stem with an in-line resistor or diode or capacitor to get the two long beeps? Should all the ancilliary loads like lights, horn, pump, fan etc. work without a key?

 

[racerxxx]

Don't hook anything to the post. The beeper is in the storage compartment and would be near your shins while sitting in the driver's seat, it's black in color. You can test it by applying 12 vdc to it. But, the beep signal is so short that it can work just fine by battery testing but then when used with the MPEM signal it might not work, I've had this more than once. All the switches should work, like lights, horn and what not. None of that has MPEM connectivity.

 

[gfk]

Thanks so much, I'll try hooking up 12Vdc without testing the buzzer first, if I don't get anything, I can always check the buzzer then..........gonna be interesting tomorrow!