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Bought new (Well older) 1997 SeaDoog GSI off Craigslist and it won't start

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FloridaLife

FloridaLife

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Seller said it only needed a battery, bought one at walmart
installed it, heard the beeps the sea doo makes to alert there is power
then placed the key thingy in, and another loud beep

pressed START and it didn't

so what did I hear?

I heard once every few times a starter kinda turning faintly (once in a while)
Always heard a click from like a starter solenoid?

any suggestion on what to do? what it could be, I really want to ride this weekend
have a friend flying into florida
 
Just needs a battery/starter is the oldest trick in the book. It can mean blown engine but.....
I always bring a fresh battery and compression gauge with me


96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!
 
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Walmart batteries are terrible. Nicknamed neverstart
Have it load tested or buy a quality battery for the doo



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Remove the plugs and try turning the engine over by hand to start. Then the forum will move you on to other things. Solenoid, ground/cable issues, battery issues, grey fuel lines etc that need to be looked into



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!
 
If it turns over by hand, grab a screwdriver and jump the posts on the solenoid. If it turns over you lucked out and it just needs the solenoid replaced. Sorry my phone is acting crazy. I didn't mean to have 4 posts



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!
 
After the Walmart Battery I tried it with a fully Charged deep cell marine battery I use for my Trolling Motor
and seemed like the same thing.

What do I turn by hand?
 
Remove the grey plastic pto guard(2 wing nuts). Remove the spark plugs and try to spin the drive shaft with your hand. Is it making a clunk sound from the starter?





96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!
 
Not really making a clunking sound from the starter.
I hear the click on the solenoid every time I press the start/stop

The starter doesn't really make a sound, but a faint sound like it has not enough battery to turn it, but
that isn't the case with trying the marine battery, which is fully charged.
 
Did you pull the plugs? If not, PULL them, put a towel over the cylinder holes, then try to crank it again. The towel is to catch any oil that may come out like a GUSHER if the crank seal is bad. If it is bad, the engine is full of oil and con't crank as the oil is stopping it.

So,,, first thing is pull the plugs, towel, then try to crank it. If it does not, jump the solenoid. Let us know what happens at this point.
 
I mentioned my problem, to a local boat mechanic earlier today, and he seemed busy, and his suggestion was to pull the plugs...
 
Tomororw I will:

Jump the solenoid with a screwdriver
and
pull the plugs -- put a towel over the cylinder holes, then try to crank it again
 
The faint starter sound (liked the starter spinning faintly ) could very well be because of a bad ground. DOUBLE check the connections at the starter all the way back up to the battery.
 
That chart is not for your year or model but some things are similar. Just follow what these guys have said. First things first pull those plugs. If she spins over free and fast it will most likely be a bad positive or negative cable. If she pours out tons of water than your motor is junk. If it pours out oil, you will need new seals but can probably run it as long as it is a slow leak. Some people pinch the rv line when not in use or install a shut off. If she doesn't turn over well with the plugs out then either it is the starter, bad ground or positive, or bad battery. You should test the battery and see what it is at while cranking and test the cables to make sure there is not a break in them.
 
If you want the shop manual for your gsi go to freeseadoomanuals and it is .net. if i put it as a link it will be blocked. Just find your year and get the shop manual. It will be about 500 pages.

I had a gsi as my 2nd seadoo. It was a fun machine.
 
FloridaLife said:
I am in Tampa Florida
Click to expand...

DIY isn't a bad idea at all, obviously it helps keep costs under control, but finding a local shop that will give you an hour and go through the basics is my suggestion, get it started for you or diagnose why it won't, make a list of things that need done, if this is your first PWC its almost a given that you'll miss something that could be critical.

I know your hoping to get it started before a friend arrives, but I strongly recommend being very cautious about buying a ski off CL, then just heading out this weekend on the water w/o a qualified 2nd opinion, getting stuck out on the bay is not a fun thing, getting stuck out on the bay alone can be a dangerous situation. You might be better served taking your time on this to make sure you can trust the ski, and even then I never recommend going out alone w/o another ski/boat that can tow you in if you have issues.
 
Bought the spark plug socket, then on way back home
Found a local shop (Randomly) only a few minutes away -- spoke to him about it

I will bring it to him to check it out, and also show me more about it.
Will let you know what he finds.
 
Im confused on why not to check the simple basic things before bringing it to someone's "shop"? Prepare the wallet..
 
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