Need your help

[Bsarno]

I have a 97 Seadoo GTX and I recently had to replace parts of the exhaust manifold (two bolts broke off and just bought new manifold.) Once I fixed the manifold the maintenance light would come on when I put the key in. But then I tried starting it and it fired up. So we put in the water and it fired up and ran great, like new. Then shortly after its first run we turned it off. Then when we put the key back on and tried to start it the ignition would spin for a second but wouldn’t fire. Same thing was repeated three or four times and then finally it fired up and ran. All the while the maintenance light would come on and no beeps ever came on when I put the key on. Because it worked we just continue to use it.
Today it stopped working completely. The ignition spins when you try to start it but it won’t fire. The maintenance light also flashes when you put the key on for a little while.
I would greatly appreciate any wisdom you have on this.

 

[GGuillot]

I have a 97 Seadoo GTX and I recently had to replace parts of the exhaust manifold (two bolts broke off and just bought new manifold.) Once I fixed the manifold the maintenance light would come on when I put the key in. But then I tried starting it and it fired up. So we put in the water and it fired up and ran great, like new. Then shortly after its first run we turned it off. Then when we put the key back on and tried to start it the ignition would spin for a second but wouldn’t fire. Same thing was repeated three or four times and then finally it fired up and ran. All the while the maintenance light would come on and no beeps ever came on when I put the key on. Because it worked we just continue to use it.
Today it stopped working completely. The ignition spins when you try to start it but it won’t fire. The maintenance light also flashes when you put the key on for a little while.
I would greatly appreciate any wisdom you have on this.

First off, welcome to the forum, people will help as best they can..

To start you probably have a bad buzzer if you're never hearing beeps, you can check this by disconnecting it under the steering and sending 12V directly to it. It's located in the top of the steering bar cover. Download a service manual to see wire color codes to trace it down.

What is the history on this ski? You just get it? Replacing the exhaust manifold shouldn't be related to a maintenance light. When you get a maintenance light, I think you're speaking of the little red led down low on the info gauge, does it display anything in the gauge?

Need more info on what has been done to the ski recently, I have this ski, they are notorious for problems in the fuel system, majority of issues point to this area.

 

[mikidymac]

As GGuillot said you need to get your beeper working so you will know what the computer is reading, for example two beeps means it read the lanyard and is ready to start.

Is the starter spinning but not cranking the engine or is the engine turning over and not starting?

 

[Bsarno]

Thank you for the welcome and thank you for your help.
I will look into fixing the beeper.
I’m slowly learning about engines so don’t exactly know how to answer the question regarding “is it spinning and not cranking?”...I would guess that it is spinning and not cranking.
A couple of other problem indicators are:
-after I fixed the manifold it was idling really high. It has continued to do this until it stopped working yesterday.
-strangest of all...when I pull the plugs and fire it with a towel over the plug holes there is nothing on the towel (no gas, no oil, nothing.) Before fixing the manifold there would always be gas and oil (and water...I would only do this to flush water out of engine.)

 

[GGuillot]

Thank you for the welcome and thank you for your help.
I will look into fixing the beeper.
I’m slowly learning about engines so don’t exactly know how to answer the question regarding “is it spinning and not cranking?”...I would guess that it is spinning and not cranking.
A couple of other problem indicators are:
-after I fixed the manifold it was idling really high. It has continued to do this until it stopped working yesterday.
-strangest of all...when I pull the plugs and fire it with a towel over the plug holes there is nothing on the towel (no gas, no oil, nothing.) Before fixing the manifold there would always be gas and oil (and water...I would only do this to flush water out of engine.)

Water in the engine? Recently? Did you remove anything else when replacing the exhaust manifold? High idle could be an air leak, but how high are you talking about?

 

[Mekanix]

1 need a new beeper they just die. But sometimes work.

2 maintenance means nothing. It's on a timer like an alarm clock. Put key on. Hold either set or mode for 30 seconds , that will clear it. It's in the manual. I just cant remember the button. But you only have 2

3 what is the battery voltage while cranking. Anything less that 11v while cranking will mean you will not get spark.
As far as terminology I prefer cranking as meaning attempting to turn the engine over. While doing that it's either spinning and not doing anything else or its kicking a little or backfiring... some people say spinning meaning the crankshaft is rotating but no combustion is taking place. And cranking as meaning that its spinning but also kicking and trying to start.

4 high idle and all you did was the manifold.
Did you remove the carbs? Did a gasket fall out. Is there maybe a pinched line. Is the vaccume line for the fuel pump properly attached?

 

[Bsarno]

Wow, this is good stuff. Thank you. I will keep you updated. Let me know if you have any other thoughts. Thanks again

 

[Bsarno]

When I replace the exhaust manifold we had to pull the carbs. A guy also cleaned out the cards while we had it off. But we didn’t have any new gasket so we just put the old ones back in.

 

[GGuillot]

When I replace the exhaust manifold we had to pull the carbs. A guy also cleaned out the cards while we had it off. But we didn’t have any new gasket so we just put the old ones back in.

Ahh, just a minor detail you haven't mentioned until now. Now it makes sense why the high idle,(vacuum leak) get new carb gaskets, then go back and double check everything.