1996 Challenger engine won't turn over, running out of ideas, please help!

[moyo]

Folks, this a 1996 Sea Doo Challenger that is clean and well maintained with the following dilemma. Took it out of the garage first time this season and charged the disconnected battery over-night. Next morning, battery was tested and showed it was full of charge.

Cranked the engine and it turned over about 3 time and won’t turn over any more. Removed the spark plugs and engine cranks and turns like a champ. Purchased a NEW battery and charged it overnight with same results. Once the pressure builds up in the engine after the plugs are installed, engine would not crank. It seems that there is not enough torque to turn the engine over.
Bypassed the starter solenoid with same results. I get the initial 2-short beeps for system = OK.
Removed the starter and took it to a local guy who rebuilds starters and alternators. According to him, the brushes look good, the armature is clean and there is no rust or corrosion. He stated that there is not much in these starters other than the brushes and coil. The teeth on the gear look ok too. No “load test” or clutch test were performed.

Re-installed the starter again and wired directly to battery with no ignition in the circuit and still “no workee”. The starter is pulling over 320A DC! And loading the battery down to about 10 volts DC and below (around 9.5V). Ran the starter on the floor at 5.5A continuous with NO LOAD.

I checked wires from the battery to the starter and they are not corroded but could not check the whole length of the wires on the inside.

The resistance across the leads on the starter are reading like a dead short circuit (0.3 Ohms). I think this reading is through the coil of the armature of the starter.

Any takers on this one before I invest in another starter? Any recommendations on the SBT High Torque starters? Any other tests I need to perform? I’m kind of running out of ideas here.

Thanks for your help…and looking forward to your thoughts and ideas…

 

[jords]

sounds like you got oil in the case and its hydrolocking, prolly bad seals and oil is filling case.

 

[moyo]

jords, thanks for the quick reply.
When the spark plugs are removed, and engine is cranked, oil and gas mix errupts from the plug holes. Is this not suppose to happen?
What seals are you talking about?
Thanks again,
Steve

 

[jords]

no its not supposed to errupt out. Once you finally get it started it will smoke like crazy.if there oil in the crank case you will need to give it a good run on the water to clear it out , running on the hose will just foul the plugs. Did you have to add oil to your oil tank? and the seals are located in the center of your crankshaft. To replace them the crank has to be removed and pressed apart.

 

[moyo]

No sir, I did not add any oil to the oil tank. The oil tank did not seem low. Do I understand that oil may have leaked during the several months while the boat was in storage?
How do I drain the oil from the flooded engine? Is this a major issue or once drained it may run OK? The TOP end was rebuilt using SBT kits and it was running strong last season before storage.
I like you when you say "Once you finally get it started..." but how?
Thanks man...

 

[jords]

your going to have remove the plugs and crank that oil out and use fresh plugs. Depending on how bad the leak is you can get away with not changing them if your case doesn't fill up that much between runs.After your first run just make a mark on your oil tank when you get home and check it in the morning. They will have to be changed eventually, its not major but it will get there. Couple of options call your local crank shop ask how much to install new seals, or send it to sbt and get a reman one for about 275.....I would go with the new crank cause these things can start to avalanche.


oh an go easy on your starter, don't want to burn it out

 

[jjbyz4x4]

Same problem on a 97 GSX

I am having the exact same problem he is on my 97 GSX but the oil is brown coming out of the cylinders so it's not the two stroke oil because what I am running is blue. Is there another oil case somewhere in that engine that you know about?

 

[Chester]

If it's brown, it's rusty water/oil. Not a good sign.

Chester

 

[jjbyz4x4]

Uh oh

I thought that might be what it was, I winterized it in October and just pulled it out. When I winterized it, I took the spark plugs out and squirted a small amount of WD-40 in each cylinder and blew all the water lines out with air. The question I have i if there is a "gearbox" or any other case that has oil in it that I need to check before I get it started because I know I didn't spray that much oil in there. I've got plenty of gas and two stroke oil in it. Thanks for the help!

 

[jords]

nope no other box of oil, motor is lubricated two ways one through the case and the piston and rings by the mixed fuel and oil.

 

[jjbyz4x4]

Thank you!

Thanks for all your help guys. So I guess my next thing when I go home today is crank that thing over till I get all (most) of the oil out of the cylinder, Throw some new spark plugs in to make sure it runs and then mark the oil reservoir and let it sit over night. If the oil level hasn't dropped much, it might be ok to run for the last couple of months of the season right? then rebuild this winter? Can I spray some carb clean or brakleen in the cylinder to speed things up? And/or blow some compressed air in there?

 

[jords]

dont spray carb cleaner in there it can actually remove oil from parts you don't want too like your bearings. Just crank the oil out and once it starts take it out on the water and burn the rest out. Make sure you bring a few sets of plugs and a wrench, there is a good chance of fouling the plugs depending on how much oil is in there.