digital dials stopped working

[soulsonic]

hi,

so i have a 2007 RXP, and i've been maintaining it as best as i can. I do full tuneup myself every year, and usually replace the battery (although original lasted 3 seasons)

This year, i tried charging the old battery (it came up to 12 v) but the jet ski wouldn't start. My neighbor had the idea to try jump starting it from the car. I tried that and it worked (only kept it on for a second).

So i concluded the old battery is just bad, and got a new one, and installed it after charging for an hour.

Jet ski started (barely) and i was able to ride for a few hours, but the digital clocks only come on when putting the key in. After starting it, the dials are all off (accept for compass).

At first i thought maybe the battery is not charged enough, so i took it out, and charged it again to full. But after putting it back in, the dials are still off.

any ideas why this is happening? I am a little worried that maybe the jump start from car did some damage.

CLARIFICATION ON ONE THING

actually after charging the battery fully, the starter works like new, and there are no problems starting the jetski. the only remaining problem is the digital dials are off, after the engine starts.

 

[Michael211_2000]

You almost certainly have a bad connection somewhere... a cable has corrosion in it, or terminal ends have corrosion under them. A new battery shouldn't have a hard time turning the engine over, that's a sign of poor electrical conductivity somewhere. Check your battery cables for signs of white powder, take the ends loose and clean them with a wire brush (I recommend using a rotary tool with a wire brush on the end), take the ground leads loose from the front of the engine and inspect/clean them also, put a dab of marine grease on them before re-installing.

Something somewhere is seriously impeding the flow of electricity, you gotta find it and clean it up or replace it! Jumping from an automobile shouldn't have hurt anything honestly it's still only putting ~13-14 volts of power to your RXP's electrical system the same as if your RXP's engine were running generating electricity.

ps. As a matter of practise be sure to let your PWC air out as often as possible don't just park it on the trailer and leave it with the seats latched down for long periods of time humidy builds up inside and causes corrosion! Every pretty day you get if you're not using it at least go take the seats off for a few hours and let it "breathe", even during winter storage. Also after riding it when you put it up leave the seats off for a few hours to let the engine cool down and moisture escape, it's like a sauna inside the hull after it's been ridden and left with the seats on the engine gives off heat and you have extra moisture inside the hull from being run in the water it's a bad mix leave the seats off till you get ready for bed that night then put them back on cover it and hit the sack!

- Michael

 

[soulsonic]

hey Michael, thanks for the quick reply,
actually the starting is no problem after the battery has been fully charged. The only issue now is the digital dials only come on when putting the key in, but they come off after the engine starts.

do you still think its a bad connection?

 

[Michael211_2000]

Yuppers. The battery shouldn't have to be fully topped off to crank the engine, power is having a hard time flowing. Something is corroded somewhere.

- Michael

 

[soulsonic]

well, there is no white powder on any cables, and we did put some special grease on all the connectors. i mean the engine and that whole area looks brand new.

 

[Michael211_2000]

Did you pull and inspect all the fuses too? I'm out of ideas here otherwise. Sorry.

- Michael

 

[Michael211_2000]

fyi: There is a good used LCD display from an '06 RXT model on Ebay right now, I don't know if it's the same as the '07 RXP LCD display or not though or if changing the display would even make a difference.

- Michael

 

[soulsonic]

nope.. didn't look at the fuses. i'll try that. thanks

 

[soulsonic]

the display is not broken. it comes on when i put the key in ignition. it just shuts off when i start the engine.

 

[ski-d00]

you can check the fuses but I doubt that's the problem and I don't think it is a connection problem either, I suspect you partially fried your ECU or your gauge when you jump started it. The ECU controls your gauge which also has an IC in it that is married to your ECU. Whenever an 06 or newer 4tec is jump started from a running car, it will either fry the ECU or Gauge, or both. 05 and older normally just fries the ECU, gauges do not have IC in them and not married/synced to the ECU.

 

[Michael211_2000]

How does that happen? The automobile system is only putting out 13-14volts max, the SeaDoo electronics aught to be able to handle that without damage, I'd think.

Are you also saying that with an '06 you cannot change the LCD display unit out with another one?

- Michael

 

[ski-d00]

it's not just plain voltage that matters, kind of like saying AC and DC are the same. cars have an alternator which creates frequency spikes in the current, the seadoo electronics can't handle this, none of them.

Correct, you can't just change the lcd and expect it to work on the newer models. you have to marry the LCD to the ECU together usings BUDS, it won't work if you don't.

 

[Michael211_2000]

AC and DC are worlds different.... 1 will kill ya if you grab hold of a live wire, the other not so much. While I still fail to see the connection between jumping the SeaDoo battery with an automobile and jumper cables and damaging the electronics, I will certainly keep this firmly in-mind and under advisement NOT to try doing this just to be on the safe side!

I guess SoulSonic is going to have to B.O.A.T. it.... take it to the Dealership and Bust Out Another Thousand. (sure hope it won't cost that much but prepare for the worst and hope for the best!)

Good luck and let us know how things turn out!

- Michael