Seadoo 2003 GTI LE RFI 787 Starting Problems

[Seadoo Tuner]

Seadoo has had problems for a while, 2003 GTI LE RFI 787.

Starts fine usually and runs on the lake, after warmed up if you turn off it is either very hard to start, need to work the throttle for a long time and sometimes fires up.

First time out this season it ran fine for half an hour and then after a break tried to restart, completely dead, no lcd display or noise at all. Battery (new) checks fine and has strong voltage. Here's a pic of a part on top of computer box (with 20amp fuse) that if wiggled there is a click and the Seadoo starts on the trailer now, can anyone identify the part circled in yellow?

 

[Seadoo Tuner]

One other thing with this Seadoo is, sometimes when the lanyard is put on the post the lcd works and part on engine circled in yellow clicks, other times (mostly) putting the lanyard on post does nothing.

 

[mikidymac]

Looks like a fuse holder. Open it up and see.

 

[Seadoo Tuner]

Asking for someone else and don't have access to the doo, but he said there is a fuse in it. They have since said they found out part in question is the starter relay.

 

[Seadoo Tuner]

Starter relay and battery was swapped out. Bad ground to starter was cleaned and new bolt so turns over and gets 2 beeps when lanyard inserted now consistently.

Runs ok when first started, hard to start still after a brief or long run. Thinking the Fuel injectors may be leaking? Rave valves need cleaning but don't think this would cause hard starting. Found out giving it no or a slight amount of throttle gets it kicking in from 600-900 rmp and then slowly adding a bit of throttle will get it going again, but this is only after about 5-10 minutes of not getting it to kick in/go over 600rpm at all so seems to be running rich and needs to have the fuel blown out upon trying to restart?

 

[Seadoo Tuner]

Update on this 03 GTI RFI LE : Cleaned one rave valve fine (had some carbon buildup and oil on the blade) and the second one wouldn't clear the exhaust elbow on the 787 engine so just pulled it out and cleaned the top then sprayed cleaner down the blade. Installed new starter and trimmed the spark plug wires and re installed into boots for better connection/spark. Lastly, this doo had no airbox on it when bought a couple of years ago so advised the owner to get one so he doesn't run lean. Sourced a used one for him and installed.

Checked compression, and this is where it gets weird - PTO was 150 on multiple tests but the other one was 115, 110, and 90. Thought this was looking bad (overheat alarm was on last ride of last year so figured piston had run lean) but it started up fine. We took it to the lake last night, put it in the water, and it starts no problem. Rode down the lake taking it easy for the first few minutes and then opened her up reaching 48mph and higher RPMs (6870) than I remembered last year riding it without the airbox (6750). Ran for an hour straight, no issues. Took a break for an hour and then it restarts fine. Tried a few more starts and no problem.

Owner was very pleased as was I but can't figure out why it starts in water and runs well with the compression readings (readings were taken on my Equus gauge that's been used the last few years with no issues)

 

[Seadoo Tuner]

Have a question on the rave valves on the 787 motor - when cleaning the PTO rave valve (Other rave valve had one long spring), there were 2 springs instead of just one, is this correct or is it just a broken spring?

 

[mikidymac]

Should be one spring and both the same on both raves.

Sounds like battery was getting low with the progressively lower numbers.

Running no air box will cause the engine to run really lean and even the fuel injection can’t compensate for that. Engine damage could have been done if it ran that way for a long time.

 

[Seadoo Tuner]

Should be one spring and both the same on both raves.

Sounds like battery was getting low with the progressively lower numbers.

Running no air box will cause the engine to run really lean and even the fuel injection can’t compensate for that. Engine damage could have been done if it ran that way for a long time.

Good point on the battery, it was sitting outside all fall/winter and then charged the day we worked on it so it may not be in the best shape. Have advised the owner to get a new spring and fuel filters, is this model easy to change the fuel filters on? Are they in the tank?