Please help Trouble shoot - 2012 RXT - 260

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Gator3000

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Can anyone help troubleshoot a reoccurring issue I have been having with my 2012 RXT 260....

I am the original owner so I am aware of the history and have always properly maintained/flushed the pwc after use etc. The pwc now has 167 hours after 2.5 years of use. I have always used 90 octane pure gas.


The problem is that the boat seems to require a new set of spark plugs every week of riding or else the check engine light comes on and stalls. The plugs I use are the ones recommended by Sea Doo.

For example, four weeks ago I changed the oil, plugs, and fuel. The machine ran beautifully all day of all types of riding in the gulf. Took it home flushed and engine, washed down the engine, and sprayed it down with sea doo recommended lube. Took it to the lake the next day and again it ran like a charm...70 mph great acceleration and power etc. no problems.

Six days later take it to the gulf.... Starts fine, the check engine light comes on and it only will idle...sometimes I can restart the machine, and let it idle and very very slowly and slowly add throttle until it warms up. If I do this for 15 minutes of riding, eventually it seems the machine warms up and seems to run fine... otherwise, I am forced to change the spark plugs in order to get the check engine light to go of and get the boat running perfectly again.

Yesterday, one week after again changing the plugs (and having the machine run perfectly), the check engine light came on again. I could be babied up to 50 mph and 6k rmp, but if I punched it or went over 6k the machine stalled and the check engine light would come on.


In any case this has been happening with more frequency over the past 50 hours when I last had the machine serviced for this problem. The certified shop had connected the machine to BUDS computer and said nothing was wrong. They changed the plugs and the gas (saying it was probably bad fuel) and charged me $400 for doing what I already had done myself. Could this be a computer or some sort of sensor problem? The pwc is under warranty, but if the dealer cant find the root issue, changes the plugs, and says its probably bad gas, then I get charged for maintenance and service check etc. without solving the root issue.

I have since used two different stations 90 octane ethanol free gas and some recommended fuel additive k-100, but still get this check engine light and stall issues start up again after just two or three times of taking the pwc out requiring another spark plug change. If had to change the spark plugs about every 30 hours of riding after this problem first started at 100 hours , but now its happening about every 5-10 hours of riding.

Thanks for any insights you might have.
 
Why do you think it needs sparkplugs or why do you keep changing them? Are they oil fowled or black? To get a code #

With safety lanyard on its post, press 5 times the SET button to
start the display of P-codes (onboard diagnostic).
Press MODE to scroll codes if more than one is
present. When the “list” is over, END will appear.
When END appears, press MODE to exit.

Seems like a injector is clogged or coil pack maybe bad and its misfiring, bad sensor somewhere. If the error is there or even occurred but the light is off the shop will see the code occurred on the BUDS system.
 
I agree. This is not a plug issue at all. If you're eating plugs that frequently there's an underlying problem. You need to find out what code the computer is displaying when check engine light is lit. Once we know that we can further help you.
 
I third it. Not the plugs. You have found a mini-solution with new plugs as they are nice and clean and spark well. What you need to finis determine why the plugs are fouling.

As the others have asked, what do the plugs look like when you pull them?

Do a compression test and post the number.

I don't think you have a SC issue based on your max speed.
 
I went through the same issue on my '11. Do you have the updated intercooler with the additional "pee hole" water outlet/indicator in the rear of the hull? It's an updated design to the intercooler. Basically seadoo says to thoroughly flush it after use and monitor the water coming out the indicator to be sure salt water is flushed out. Have the dealer pressure test the intercooler. It's fairly easy to do, they just have to remove the port side storage bin to access the hoses. Mine wasn't leaking quite that bad to make it stall, but I had terrible throttle response from idle-6000 and 99% of the time nothing above 6k. Another way to check would be to idle around a bit then give it gas to go. If it stalls, pull a plug immediately and see if it's water fouled. You could do it at the ramp on the trailer.
 
I'm thinking it's something intercooler related myself. Plugs crapping out so soon sounds a lot like water being sucked in the motor. Just enough to blow out a spark but not enough to cause a hydro lock.
 
Thanks all, sounds like some great advice. I will have it in the shop for some unrelated warranty issues and have them test it again. I know its an underling problem (not the plugs), but the fact the service shop claims they couldn't find an issue when it was on buds was a real pain. It seems to run on the hose fine when its in the shop, but under load around 6k rpm is when it misfires and the check engine light comes on. I will have them check check the items you guys suspect and let you know what they find.
 
Just to follow up...

Armed with the good advice about from this forum about the sensor/limp mode home recall, I let the dealer know I wanted only recall or warranty work completed. Based on the two error codes I had listed and whatever else they found, they said they were replacing the entire throttle body under warranty.

Hopefully it will run perfectly when I get it back.

Thanks for the advice everyone.
 
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