Won’t start...

[Bsarno]

Thank you friend. That is such good news. I’m on my way back home. I had to pick up my son from football practice. I will then hook the battery back up and try to determine if it’s the DESS post or the MPEM. Then I’ll text you

 

[Bsarno]

Again I want to say thank you. You guys are a real blessing in my life right now

 

[Bsarno]

OK so I followed everyone’s instructions. I put the key in and I hit the start button twice. The display on the dashboard came on. So based on the previous guidelines you have given me… That tells me the DESS Is bad. Does this sound correct?

 

[Bsarno]

Before I buy a new DESS, I just would like to know if it could be something else?

 

[Bsarno]

OK wait a minute. I just did it again. I put the key on and hit the start button twice. The dashboard lights came on but only for a second and then went off

 

[GGuillot]

OK so I followed everyone’s instructions. I put the key in and I hit the start button twice. The display on the dashboard came on. So based on the previous guidelines you have given me… That tells me the DESS Is bad. Does this sound correct?

Did you do the continuity test on the wires from the DESS post through the connector to the MPEM? I had this issue you describe on the GSX and it was the male/female connector where it joins. Did you ohm check your lanyard key? It's a fairly easy test with a meter to rule out if it's definitely the DESS post or not.

 

[Bsarno]

OK it sounds like you’re definitely onto something really good. Can you please walk me through step-by-step exactly what I need to do? Where do I put the black meter wire And where do I put the red meter wire

 

[Bsarno]

If you’re willing to call me and walk me through it it could be much faster. My phone number is 253–820–9979

 

[tmclark4209]

yes def check to make sure its not a wiring issue before forking out the $$$ for a new one !
shopsbt.com for parts

 

[Bsarno]

How would I check to make sure it’s not a wiring issue? What would I be checking

 

[Bsarno]

Did you do the continuity test on the wires from the DESS post through the connector to the MPEM? I had this issue you describe on the GSX and it was the male/female connector where it joins. Did you ohm check your lanyard key? It's a fairly easy test with a meter to rule out if it's definitely the DESS post or not.

This is exactly what I want to test right now. Can you just help me a little bit more? You’ve been incredibly helpful already. How do I check the ohm on the land yard key?

 

[GGuillot]

This is exactly what I want to test right now. Can you just help me a little bit more? You’ve been incredibly helpful already. How do I check the ohm on the land yard key?

Look in the Service Manual for the DESS post test. It's downloadable at SeaDoo Manuals - FREE PDF Download! download for the 97' models, it's in there for specifically on the individual DESS post wires. Set your meter to 'continuity' it'll beep (short) when you have continuity. It'll display 'open' when the circuit is not closed and no beep. When you put the lanyard on the post it'll close the circuit. You should be disconnecting the male/female plug under the steering to connect the meter to the plug wires in the connector which feed back to the DESS post under the steering. Verify which wires you're testing for, run a meter lead on the center pole to the corresponding wire at the plug and the same for the outside ring to the corresponding plug wire, Those two wires complete the circuit. Should be a third wire, a ground, trace the ground to the MPEM, it grounds there. You can go one step further and with it all connected up at the male/female plug, check from the DESS on the steering all the way to the final barrel connector in the MPEM. Just shove a lead in the clear barrel connector and extend the other lead to the DESS post. Set to continuity and listen for the beep from the meter.

For the lanyard key, turn your meter to 'resistance', touch the leads together, it should read near 0. Now take the lanyard key and touch the center and outside tab on the inside, note reading on the meter, under 10 ohms is good, newer ones read lower older ones read higher.

 

[Bsarno]

Ok thank you. This is helpful and kind of you.

 

[Bsarno]

 

[Bsarno]

 

[Bsarno]

So is this what I’m supposed to do? The reading on the voltmeter does not change when I touch the middle and outside of the Key

 

[Ckrawiec]

No, you don't test the lanyard, you need to test the post in the ski itself.

Does the ski have a good battery installed...minimum 12.6/7/8 volts?

1) Nothing connected, no key ...press the SS button once...does the ski wake up and display anything on the infocenter guage
2) Install the key on the DESS post...the ski should beep twice at you. 2 beeps mean the ski/mpem recognizes the key. The MPEM has memory and once a key is programmed into its memory, that is A key that will be able to start the ski. NO OTHER key will work until the MPEM memory is updated with another key...I believe the MPEM can accomodate 8 keys in memory.
3) If the ski sounds one long beep, the MPEM doesn't recognize the key and the ski won't start. This is an anti-theft feature. Could be bad connection between key and post, wrong key, salt water in key, MPEM is bad or wiring harness connection to MPEM is not making good contact.

At this stage....I recommend that you go through all the electrical connections first.....wiggling them, disconnect and re-connect them, clean all electrical connections to bright and tight...check all connections for any corrosion......open up the electric boxes and check all ground connections.

 

[GGuillot]

So is this what I’m supposed to do? The reading on the voltmeter does not change when I touch the middle and outside of the Key

Set it to ohms or resistance, not continuity.

 

[GGuillot]

No, you don't test the lanyard, you need to test the post in the ski itself.

Testing the lanyard is important also, he's getting indications the lanyard key isn't working any longer. Once the resistance gets high enough on them they can be unreliable.

 

[R-u-n2it]

It also has a minimal self diagnostic test, what happens when you press the start button 5 timres, no lanyard on post. should/could be a series of short and long beeps, what do you get?