Seadoo HX Starting Problems

[Kilexo]

Hey Guys,

Im new to the forum and glad ive stumbled upon it actually as I have lots of Seadoo's so i'm quite excited to now be a member!

I recently got given an old '96 HX. Since then I have cleaned the carbs, replaced the carbon ring, purchased a new battery (21amps), replaced all ground/pos wires from the battery to the starter/solenoid/ground etc... I have just replaced the starter solenoid today, and also taken all electrical connectors apart and sprayed them with Swarfegger Duck Oil and then ALSO put some waterproof grease inside them to keep any moisture out in the future.

My original issue was with the engine turning over REALLY slowly when the spark plugs where in, i read on this forum about replacing the battery and the wires and making sure the grounding points on the starter motor where good (which they are).

Unfortunately now when i press the start/stop button there is NO life at all, the solenoid doesn't even click (although it didn't before so maybe it didn't even need a new one). The battery is fully charged and brand new and is a gel battery. If i cross the solenoid with a pair of pliers it does turn over (without spark plugs in, when they are in its very slow).

Any ideas? Im baffled, not sure how to check resistance or Ohms but using a multimeter on the "Beep" setting, should I see continuity between the Ground on the battery and the positive feed lug on the Starter Motor? That doesn't sound right to me but maybe i'm wrong?

Thank You All!


P.S I must say that this fault was intermittent before i change the battery/wires

UPDATE:
Multimeter negative wire on the battery, positive wire from the multimeter on the positive solenoid lug that goes to the starter motor, press the start/on button and there is NO 12v reading (0v reading). There is a 0.47volt reading on the YELLOW/RED wire which connects to the bottom of the solenoid which stays at this regardless of press the start/on button.

 

[Dr Honda]

Did you try to start it with a charger hooked to the battery? Did you cross the power lines... even for a second? (positive on negative) The MPEM is overly sensitive, and they are known to burn up very quick.


Since you had every plug open... I would go back and pull them apart again. Also... grease is good if you are in salt water. Personally I think it makes things messy, and it can cause issues. SO... verify that you didn't have a glob of grease push a pin out the back of a plug.

 

[Kilexo]

Did you try to start it with a charger hooked to the battery? Did you cross the power lines... even for a second? (positive on negative) The MPEM is overly sensitive, and they are known to burn up very quick.


Since you had every plug open... I would go back and pull them apart again. Also... grease is good if you are in salt water. Personally I think it makes things messy, and it can cause issues. SO... verify that you didn't have a glob of grease push a pin out the back of a plug.

Hi Tony,

I never did have a charger on the ski, I did cross the power lines, only just today though about an hour ago (didn't work before that though, battery was the other way round and I didnt notice, wondered why the starter motor span in reverse when i jumped the solenoid haha).

In regards to the grease, I only ride in the salt water thats the reason, but i will check over all of them again.
After a little playing with my multimeter it seems i have continuity between the start switch and the very point it goes into the MPEM so the wires are okay there. Its just the same coloured wire coming out the MPEM (going to the solenoid) has the 0.47 voltage (and even when you press the button you get nothing) If i run a small wire from the positive battery terminal to this wire the ski turns over.

 

[Kilexo]

Hi Tony,

I never did have a charger on the ski, I did cross the power lines, only just today though about an hour ago (didn't work before that though, battery was the other way round and I didnt notice, wondered why the starter motor span in reverse when i jumped the solenoid haha).

In regards to the grease, I only ride in the salt water thats the reason, but i will check over all of them again.
After a little playing with my multimeter it seems i have continuity between the start switch and the very point it goes into the MPEM so the wires are okay there. Its just the same coloured wire coming out the MPEM (going to the solenoid) has the 0.47 voltage (and even when you press the button you get nothing) If i run a small wire from the positive battery terminal to this wire the ski turns over.

Update: got it working for about 10 minutes, then nothing, wouldn’t start again

 

[95Seadoo530]

Try taking the starter apart and cleaning the inside of it if it needs it mine did that it was covered in magnetic dust on the inside cleaned it out and has worked fine since

 

[R-u-n2it]

If you press the start button and the engine doesn't rotate neither does the starter and you can/will stall burn the commutator, the copper bars the brushes ride on. Did you make your own wires, crimp ends on wire? If so you may not have used large enough diameter wire and not enough current will go through. As far as the starter itself, mark the outside to make sure you put it back together clocked right, if just minor carbon surface burned you can clean it up with emery stips, like a shoe shine for lack of better description. If it's stall burned the best way is resurface on a lathe, or if you're a do it yourself kinda dude chuck it in a big a$$ drill and a file to start with then wrap the file in emery. You will need to de-burr the copper edges that seperate the bars, like a Xacto knive or anything you can "drag" to radius the sharp edge, this is to prevent rapid brush wear till the brushes seat well. I believe the start button goes to a relay that when pressed makes the big amp connection from battery to starter because the start button could never carry the amperage required and it would make the path too long and too much votage drop. Let us know what you find/figure out.

 

[R-u-n2it]

Oh yeah, a long time ago my XP would not start or even click and i gave it a good rap with channelocks and it's been working since, that was about 1998.... seriously. My bud had TNT motorsports and I told him about it, he had one do the same thing and gave the solenoid a good rap and viola (correct spelling for "walla" lol)