Buying a 96-ish GTi Thursday, have some questions

[kevinz]

Hi everyone, my name is Kevin. I am buying a 96-ish GTi on Thursday for $150 w/ a trailer. I'm really only after the trailer, but it comes with the ski so I think I'll take it, too.:thumbsup: Anyway, just trying to get some preliminary thinking going on regarding it based on what the seller told me.

I did look at it today, and it appears that minus the battery, it's all there are fairly clean. The hood has a couple cracks in it but it isn't a huge deal. Overall, the ski doesn't look bad for a machine that has sat outside for at least the past year, that's how long I've seen it sitting there.

The seller said it "needs a new key fob". I did a little research here and if it is indeed a 1996 or newer (based on the hull, I think the newest it can be is a 96) it has the DESS system. He claims to have tinkered with it some and got it to crank to check compression (which he says is fine BTW), but I've read that it won't crank if the DESS doesn't see the correct key for the ski. Is that true? I've also read that the system can't be bypassed and I would need to go to a dealer to rectify it. There are two sea-doo dealers fairly close to me; both are within an hour.

I'd like to see if I can get it to crank as it should and then move to diag why it won't start; could be a number of things but I'll start simple. I figure for $150, I can afford to spend some time looking into it. Who knows, it may turn out to have some promise and if I can get a couple years out of it, I feel I'd get my money's worth, especially with a trailer I can reuse.

Thanks!

 

[Jetskigoodies]

You can get it to crank by jumping the solenoid. It will not run but you can get compression numbers this way. A new key is about $50 and they will be able to program the key for you at a dealer. Or you can send your mpem to [MENTION=41828]Minnetonka4me[/MENTION] where he will sell you a key and program it to the mpem.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Well,,, the best answer is pretty much yes to all you asked.

However,, there are options.

If it does have a DESS, it can not start without a properly programmed lanyard. Yes, the dealer can do this, but it will not be cheap. We have a member here that does it for $20 or $25 I think. I will ping him know and he can inform you of the details. (@minnetonka4me).

You can crank the engine by jumping across the solenoid. This will give you tons of info. You will be able to do a compression test as well as see if the cables, grounds, battery, starter and that the engine is not seized at least.

 

[kevinz]

Thanks fellas, appreciate the info thus far. I'm from the Polaris PWC world so I have a much better understanding on how they did it vs. Sea-doo, so I have to learn how they did it. If all works out, this could end up working in my favor a bit. I'd have no issues throwing some carb kits and hoses, as well as some seals/gaskets if it shows promise. The GTi may not have been the fastest ski, but it'll work for what I want: a cruiser to get me and mine around the lakes and rivers where we go.

 

[LouDoo]

If it has a DESS it is a 96, the 96GTI is a great ski, I have one, probably the best, and most reliable 2-stroke motor that Seadoo ever used. If I can be of any help please let me know. The last two digits of the HIN is the model year.

Lou

 

[kevinz]

Excellent, thank you!

 

[Minnetonka4me]

Yup if you are not near a dealer or that dealer has a service dept that wont program a newly bought key for free, Im your best option. I turn them around the same day and have new keys on hand. Just PM me when you are ready to go.

Oh...and what are you waiting for you should already own that thing at $150!!!

 

[kevinz]

Yup if you are not near a dealer or that dealer has a service dept that wont program a newly bought key for free, Im your best option. I turn them around the same day and have new keys on hand. Just PM me when you are ready to go.

Oh...and what are you waiting for you should already own that thing at $150!!!

I have to get the money tomorrow to give him Thursday, he has to dig it out from the back of the lot and air up the tires, and I had to arrange either my friend or girlfriend's stepdad to go tow it home since I don't own a truck. Thankfully, the stepdad does and lives with us and my friend works with me and I ride there with her so...Thursday night it will (hopefully) be home, if not def. Sat morning!

Once I get it home, clean out inside the hull a bit, and verify I won't die when I put in a battery, I will see what it's doing and maybe even post a video here so we can come up with the best option. Thank you!

 

[Mike Brown]

My lanyard is all stretched out for my boat! I'll definitely take you up on that offer!


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[kevinz]

Ok folks, the ski and trailer are home. I had to put new tires on the trailer, which i planned on anyway. First impressions...trailer needs some lighting repairs but is otherwise very nice. The ski itself is much nicer than I anticipated. The engine spins very free and the electrical box is spotless despite the hull having water in it. Everything is in the ski that needs to be there. Still has the crappy tempo lines but if I can get it to fire I will invest in replacing them and cleaning out the fuel system. The oil and fuel tanks still have fluids in them but the gas smells old. I washed the top of the ski today and am surprised at how well it cleaned up. This thing might be worth saving. For the $230 I have in it after the tires, I think I did well. Pics will follow tomorrow sometime.

 

[kevinz]

BUMP with a new question!

I went and got a nice AGM battery for the ski today. I installed it, and now with the key on the DESS post, when I push the start/stop button, I get one beep and nothing else. I can jump the solenoid terminals and it will crank - which by the way produces 150 psi compression on a gauge:thumbsup:. I'm getting some mixed info online-but is it true that the one beep means the wrong key is installed and I need to get one programmed for it? Thanks!

 

[soccerdad]

One beep means wrong key. The fix is to have that key programmed to your MPEM. [MENTION=41828]Minnetonka4me[/MENTION] can do it pretty quickly or most seadoo dealers. You will have to pull the MPEM and send it to Tonka along with your key if you go that route. It looks intimidating as hell as you disconnect all those wires, but they really do go back together fairly easily.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Yep,, until the kay/lanyard and the MPEM are on the same page, you will not get it to start. Just one of those things. And if you are anything like me, I HATE waiting...