Issues with the 2000 GTX RFi - ready to light it on fire and claim the insurance!

[davistek]

So, the last problem that I had was taken care of, the ski ran great for about a week. Started sputtering after about 4 tanks of gas - then the spark plugs needed to be changed. Ran good again - for about a tank of gas. Now, it is back from the lake and the issue it has is quite confusing. First let me start by saying I am a noob to the whole sea doo mechanics, I do build race bikes (Current project is a 2004 RC51) and I have been doing that for years.

Issues: Sea doo will not start.

Checked the plugs - they are good - I replaced them any way (and they have good spark)

Checked the ride plate (good)

Check the prop (nothing holding it back)

Battery is good and holding a charge.

When you try to start it, it acts as if someone has stuck a potato in the exhaust.

When I pulled the plugs after trying to start it, exhaust comes out quite strong. it acts like something is blocking the exhaust. It has good compression, in fact with the plugs back in it it will try to start and then start sounding like the battery is dead - but it is not - take the plugs out and it turns over like crazy.The first time it did this, I thought it was the motor seized up. I thought it was something blocking the prop, which is why I disassembled the entire drive system - nothing blocking it. I read on hear about the RAVE system - I am looking at cleaning that, but it seems to be quite a bit of work - they dont come out very easily from the looks of it you have to remove the header to get the valves out. Not sure about this - or if I am even chasing the right path, I could use some advice from you guys.

Appreciate any help

Thanks

 

[davistek]

This is the second time that I have asked a question on here, and I get no response. Not really pushing me towards being a premium member if I cant get any type of response in the general membership are - I am a member of Rogue RC51 forum, which has a lot less members and I can get a response in a couple of hour - been days here - wow.

 

[ski-d00]

sounds like the battery is weak/bad. what is the voltage while cranking? it won't run unless it has a very good battery, not just a battery that measures 12.5v while sitting. The RFI motor is power hungry when starting, batteries typically only last 2 years. If the battery keeps discharging, your voltage reg is probably bad, a common problem with the RFIs.

 

[davistek]

The battery is brand new - the voltage regulator is brand new in fact it was just replaced by the dealer the week before. I will check the voltage while the battery is cranking though, could be a bad battery.

Thanks for the advice - ski-d00

 

[ski-d00]

If your battery is good(you can connect a car battery to test system, not a running car though) and doesn't go below 10.5V when starting and it cranks fine with the plugs out, you have something that is pulling more amps than it should, could be a corroded connection at ground to block, could be starter, could be solenoid(jump solenoid with screwdriver to test), corroded wire on the inside of the coating, etc. pretty simple system so it should be easy to find the problem.

cleaning the rave valves is a good idea but not related to your starting problem, you don't have to remove the exhaust, the valves will come right out when disassembled.

 

[Dr Honda]

This is the second time that I have asked a question on here, and I get no response. Not really pushing me towards being a premium member if I cant get any type of response in the general membership are - I am a member of Rogue RC51 forum, which has a lot less members and I can get a response in a couple of hour - been days here - wow.

Dude... it hasn't been "Days". Your first post was at 10 PM yesterday. Then the post above was 12 hr's later. People sleep, and you have a poor attitude. Give it at least 24 hr's before bumping your post. If you want help, we will help, but there is only 4 or 5 guys here qualified to answer a question on an RFI or Di engine.

So the question is... do just want an answer... or do you want the right answer?

So... if you want to stop bashing the board, and it's members... the help will be here.

FYI... a 2-stroke RFI engine shares NOTHING with a gear driven, overhead cam, V-twin.


With that said... we need this info.

1) Compression numbers
2) Voltage while cranking. (a new battery can be bad out of the box, and the RFI needs 10.5v to light the computer)
3) Fuel pressure

 

[Dr Honda]

Since you were having such a hard time getting an answer... I figured that I would check into the problem, thinking that maybe we (the forum) dropped the ball. Welllllll...... the problem was yours. You asked this question in the "Meet and Greet" section. That's a place to say hello... not ask questions. So.. people over look it, and don't respond.

I guess you need to read the title of your own Avatar. :thumbsup: