2001 Sea-Doo GTX RFI 5525 Engine shutting off

[rglenn56]

I have recently purchased a 2001 Sea-Doo GTX RFI 5525. It had been stored in garage or carport for a couple of years. The owner had put new gas in it before the purchase. We have ridden it about an hour and it has started to spit a sputter then goes dead. If it sits for a couple of minutes, it will crank back up and go a little further and then go dead again. We can sit a few minutes and start it again and functions another five minutes and we park it. The motor has been replaced as well as the fuel pump and has approximately five hours on it. Any ideas about what to look for? I had a Hyundai that acted the same way one time and it was the fuel pump getting hot and shutting off and then would crank after it cooled off. So that’s my take on the situation. Any ideas on what to look for?

 

[Grim]

Does your beeper work, do you get 2 beeps when you put the key on the post? It almost sounds like you are overheating, any messages on the gauge? error codes or high temp warnings?

 

[rglenn56]

It gives 2 beeps when starting, I'll look on the gauge. I didn't know it had error codes. How much water should be coming out the hole in the back. My grandson says the temp gauge shows 90 degrees when it's happening. but didn't notice any error codes. Thanks for your help. Can't find anyone in our area that works on this old of a Seedoo, even the dealer. All they will do are oil changes and spark plugs. The engine was replaced by the previous owner 4 years ago (he had receipts) and it sat the past 2 years in garage. He had replaced the fuel pump with an aftermarket lifetime warranty from Advance Auto.

 

[Grim]

2 beeps is good and if you are not getting any beeps for temp that probably isn't the problem, and 90 is not hot at all, I think my ski high temp goes off at around 185.
I am not as familiar with RFIs, they are trickier to diagnose. Maybe look at your fuel system. It seems weird that it is "time" consistent. Do you have the maintenance manual for this ski? They are free online. Get it and review the fuel section or search here on how to test it.
The only other thing I can think of is electrical, something getting hot.
I would take one system at a time and check it completely out and then move to the next.
The systems are not complicated, but RFI is a little bit more complicated then carbs. The forum will help as questions come up. Hopefully someone wit more RFI knowledge will comment.
The manual will also show you err codes and how to see issues on guage.

 

[2strokeboy]

How much water should be coming out the hole in the back. My grandson says the temp gauge shows 90 degrees when it's happening.

the temp gauge is actually exterior not engine and there is a lake temp that is if he is talking about the gauge on the actual ski

 

[Grim]

the temp gauge is actually exterior not engine and there is a lake temp that is if he is talking about the gauge on the actual ski

good catch, but I would think if it was overheating you would get the beep and the message . That's why I don't think it is an overheating issue...unless the temp sensor is bad. Might be something to check out too?

Rglenn56 If you have a temp gun , you could check it when you are running it in the water and it shuts off, worth a try.

 

[rglenn56]

I’ll check the things you mentioned

 

[rglenn56]

Thanks again

 

[2strokeboy]

When it shuts off does anything happen before or is it just cruising and shuts off. Maybe like hit a wave.

 

[rglenn56]

From the time we start up and riding for about 3 to 5 minutes, it will just go dead. it will crank back up and spit and butter for a few minutes then go dead again sometimes it will run just a little longer than others as we’re trying to get back to Dock

 

[Gritzlor]

Might be fuel delivery related. The fuel pump sits in a canister within the tank, if I remember correctly it has a couple of filters and if one of them is clogging up, the canister can empty out. Within a few minutes some more gas will seep in and it runs again until the can is emptied out again.
Some good bunch of swearing and a 7 or 8mm wrench will get the fuel unit out, the fuel line is on a quick connect and electric is one plug too. Order filters ahead of time, they are the same as some Chrysler ones I think.
The canister comes apart by 3 tabs on plastic arms/prongs. There’s a spring in there too, and some rubber ring check valves in the bottom. Make sure to observe all these things while disassembling, as well as how everything aligns. Sharpie marks is a good option.
Good luck with this ski, it can bring a lot of joy while it runs well!

 

[rglenn56]

Ok, update. This weekend, my grandson wanted to ride so we filled the tank with non-ethanol fuel and filled 2 stoke oil tank. He rode for 30 minutes with no issues. I rode 2 days afterward for 20 minutes and didn't add fuel before. It started going dead again in same manner. Odd it was going dead more quickly before we fueled up.

 

[Gritzlor]

Not so odd if my theory is the case, higher fuel level helps force fuel into the canister through the clogged filters.

 

[rglenn56]

Thank you Gritzlor, I'll check that out as well