seadoo@19072
Member
I have a 1994 Seadoo GTX with a sudden shut off problem. I was cruising along at or near full throttle when the engine suddenly stopped like the kill switch was hit or the safety lanyard was pulled. I hit the start button and it started right up but about ½ mile later it suddenly shut off again. It ran fine at ½ throttle or at "no wake" speed back to the launch.
I took it to my local Seadoo dealer for repair. They checked the compression and some other things. Ran it on the hose, said it was fine and only charged me $67.00. The tech said that the grey Tempo fuel lines were probably deteriorating and have fouled the carburetors and that I should bring it back to get the carbs looked at.
I took it home, replaced all the fuel lines, pulled the carbs and did a total rebuild on both carbs, cleaned the fuel selector switch, replaced the complete fuel filter assembly and replaced the battery. When I pulled the carbs I found the both small oil lines on the rotary valve cover were broken. I replaced them and as per the Sea Doo Shop Manual, made sure that the oil flowed through them by holding the oil injection pump lever wide open while idling the engine. I replaced the spark plugs with new ones. Then I took it to the lake.
There is about a mile of no wake from the launch to the main body or water. It ran at no wake speed fine. I hit the throttle and it ran like a rocket for ½ mile and suddenly shut off. I immediately hit the start switch and it acted like the battery was low and couldn’t turn it over. After a few seconds I hit the switch again and it stated right up and it ran like rocket for ½ mile then shut off. I hit the switch again and it wouldn’t turn over enough to start. I waited a few seconds, hit the switch and it started right up and ran like a rocket for ½ mile then shut off again. I ran back to the launch at ½ and no wake throttle.
I got on the computer and joined a couple jetski forums and looked for an answer to my problem. I found that there are a lot of guys out there with the same problem with their assorted and different makes and models of jetskis. I have not found a definitive answer to this sudden shut down problem. One of the most popular answers for this was a bad rectifier. The test for a bad rectifier was to disconnect the RED wire from the rectifier. The battery would not charge with the red wire disconnected but if it ran without shutting down you know that rectifier was bad. The OME for a rectifier is $52.00. I am not going to throw any more money at this problem until I have a good idea as to what is causing it and it burns me that the dealer tech has no idea what is causing it. I am not sure if the red wire test is a plausible way to test for a bad rectifier. Some folks say to test with a volt meter. If the voltage goes up when the engine is started, the rectifier is good, if the voltage does not go up, the rectifier is bad.
I disconnected the red wire on the rectifier, took it to the lake. It ran on full throttle for ½ mile and shut down.
I am pretty sure that this not a fuel problem, since it runs so well when it is running. It does not sputter, chug or bog down as if in need of fuel. I am somewhat sure that it is electrical. I tried hitting the stop switch as well as pulling the safety switch lanyard while at full throttle and the response was the exact same as when it suddenly shuts off. It always happens only at full throttle and after approx. ½ mile. It is very consistent as if a timer or heat has something to do with it. The 1994 does not have a DESS. It has a push button held in with a cap. The cap seems to hold the button in correctly.
There is a suggestion that one or both pistons are seizing and causing this sudden stop. As mentioned above, when I pulled the carbs the oil lines on the rotary valve cover were damaged. This may have a cause and effect on this problem. I am going to pull the red stop switch and examine it for a problem. I do notice the switch housing is loose and that there is an Allen screw to tighten it up with. I am going to examine the battery ground wire for proper connection. My observation is that this sudden stop only happens at or near full throttle and only after 1/2 mile, consistently. I would really like some advice on this issue but not guesses or gut feelings and try this or that. Does anyone out actually know what is going on here?
I took it to my local Seadoo dealer for repair. They checked the compression and some other things. Ran it on the hose, said it was fine and only charged me $67.00. The tech said that the grey Tempo fuel lines were probably deteriorating and have fouled the carburetors and that I should bring it back to get the carbs looked at.
I took it home, replaced all the fuel lines, pulled the carbs and did a total rebuild on both carbs, cleaned the fuel selector switch, replaced the complete fuel filter assembly and replaced the battery. When I pulled the carbs I found the both small oil lines on the rotary valve cover were broken. I replaced them and as per the Sea Doo Shop Manual, made sure that the oil flowed through them by holding the oil injection pump lever wide open while idling the engine. I replaced the spark plugs with new ones. Then I took it to the lake.
There is about a mile of no wake from the launch to the main body or water. It ran at no wake speed fine. I hit the throttle and it ran like a rocket for ½ mile and suddenly shut off. I immediately hit the start switch and it acted like the battery was low and couldn’t turn it over. After a few seconds I hit the switch again and it stated right up and it ran like rocket for ½ mile then shut off. I hit the switch again and it wouldn’t turn over enough to start. I waited a few seconds, hit the switch and it started right up and ran like a rocket for ½ mile then shut off again. I ran back to the launch at ½ and no wake throttle.
I got on the computer and joined a couple jetski forums and looked for an answer to my problem. I found that there are a lot of guys out there with the same problem with their assorted and different makes and models of jetskis. I have not found a definitive answer to this sudden shut down problem. One of the most popular answers for this was a bad rectifier. The test for a bad rectifier was to disconnect the RED wire from the rectifier. The battery would not charge with the red wire disconnected but if it ran without shutting down you know that rectifier was bad. The OME for a rectifier is $52.00. I am not going to throw any more money at this problem until I have a good idea as to what is causing it and it burns me that the dealer tech has no idea what is causing it. I am not sure if the red wire test is a plausible way to test for a bad rectifier. Some folks say to test with a volt meter. If the voltage goes up when the engine is started, the rectifier is good, if the voltage does not go up, the rectifier is bad.
I disconnected the red wire on the rectifier, took it to the lake. It ran on full throttle for ½ mile and shut down.
I am pretty sure that this not a fuel problem, since it runs so well when it is running. It does not sputter, chug or bog down as if in need of fuel. I am somewhat sure that it is electrical. I tried hitting the stop switch as well as pulling the safety switch lanyard while at full throttle and the response was the exact same as when it suddenly shuts off. It always happens only at full throttle and after approx. ½ mile. It is very consistent as if a timer or heat has something to do with it. The 1994 does not have a DESS. It has a push button held in with a cap. The cap seems to hold the button in correctly.
There is a suggestion that one or both pistons are seizing and causing this sudden stop. As mentioned above, when I pulled the carbs the oil lines on the rotary valve cover were damaged. This may have a cause and effect on this problem. I am going to pull the red stop switch and examine it for a problem. I do notice the switch housing is loose and that there is an Allen screw to tighten it up with. I am going to examine the battery ground wire for proper connection. My observation is that this sudden stop only happens at or near full throttle and only after 1/2 mile, consistently. I would really like some advice on this issue but not guesses or gut feelings and try this or that. Does anyone out actually know what is going on here?
