Runaway starter!!!

[WonderDawg]

My ski continues to try to start even if the key has been removed. It will not stop trying to start unless I remove the negative on the battery. It just continues to try and start the engine unsuccessfully. I have tried stopping by pressing the stop/start key, pulling the lanyard key off, and the only way I am able to stop it is by disconecting the negative line from the battery. It has only done this while on the trailer not in the water.

Anyone, have any thoughts on this, or has anyone had a similiar problem. If you did how did you resolve it?


Regards,

W. D.

 

[WonderDawg]

This is happening on a 1996 XP stock engine.

 

[Seadoobuddy]

Same thing happened to me last year. The starter solenoid is bad. It's located in the box in front of the engine on a 96 GTX. It's about $35- $40 at a dealer.

 

[WonderDawg]

That sounds about right, but how did you replace it? I mean on my engine it lies down in bottom of the engine compartment beneath the flame arrestor and carberators. Do I have to remove all of that to get to the starter unit or is there an alternative????


Regards,

W. D.

 

[LouDoo]

Which SeaDoo is it? If it's the XP it's not easy. The other 2 are not bad.

Lou

 

[LouDoo]

Sorry about the last post, I thought you were talking about replacing the starter.

The solenoid is in a grey box, trace the red lead from the battery, it will lead you the the watertight box. Disconnect the battery first, neg. term first.

 

[WonderDawg]

Yes it is the 96 XP. Any thoughts on how to make this easier????


Regards,

W. D.

 

[WonderDawg]

Really the starter soleniod is in the water tight grey box???? If such is the case how much of job can it be to replace or repair this part????

Regards,

W. D.

 

[LouDoo]

It's pretty easy to replace, you'll see once you open the electrical box. Before you replace the solenoid you might want to unplug the switch wiring (it's at the bottom of the solenoid), it just unplugs. If the starter is still spinning then it's the solenoid, it not it's the switch. I'm about 98% sure it's the solenoid.

Lou

 

[WonderDawg]

I did try trouble shooting this quite a bit last weekend. And I found that with the safety laynard completely off / disconnected I was able to engage the stop/start switch on the handle bars. That is with the safety laynard completely removed the stop/start switch when press actually tried to start the enginge. I would assume that this is not normal.

Regards,

W. D.

 

[WonderDawg]

Additionally this only happens when I try starting the ski on the trailer or the dolly, it does not happen in the water. In the water it can be really hard to start sometimes. Any thoughts on this????

Regards,

W. D.

 

[LouDoo]

Now I'm getting stumped, you say it starts normally in the water, but sometimes hard to start. Does the starter turn the motor over normally, but the ski won't start? Or does the starter turn the motor over slowly like the motor is dragging? Or is the starter spinning but not catching and not turning the motor over at all? Also is the lanyard attached to the dess post?

Also when you have the ski on the trailer is the battery hooked up to a charger, boost box?

Lou

 

[LouDoo]

I'm calling in the big guns on this. I PM'd Dr Honda to take a look at this thread. If he can't figure it out no one can.

Lou

 

[Dr Honda]

Since the symptoms are changing... I'd say that your MPEM has gone bad.

 

[WonderDawg]

It starts in the water but it can be a little difficult to start it.

The starter does turn the motor over normally and the ski does start in the water and on the trailer, but sometimes on the trailer the starter will continue to go even though the motor has been started.

The starter does not turn slowly it goes fast just like it should to start the motor.

The starter does does spin and it does catch the motor and attempt to start it.

This problem has only occurred on the trailer, and the laynard was removed from the DESS post and still the starter kept going.

Yes, this has happened on the trailer with a trickle charger attached to the battery.

Regards,

W. D.

 

[Dr Honda]

The solenoid could have stuck. It's much cheaper to change than the MPEM... so I would start by replacing it.