'96 GSX - Just shuts off

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TheChad

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Hey all,

Last year I only took my ski out once :-/ Well it was for a week camping trip.

The year before it ran with out any problems...

This time it idled threw the huge no wake zone, I hammered the throttle and went 1/2 way across the lake, out of the blue it just shuts off. Acted exactly as if I had pulled the key or pressed the on/off button.. It wouldn't restart, I ran the battery completely dead trying to restart the ski, I dragged it over to the shore and changed the plugs as that's always the first thing I do because it's easy to eliminate, still wouldn't start (before I ran the battery dead).

I had my wife tow me back to the dock, put the ski back on the trailer, tried to charge the battery, but it wouldn't charge, so I bought a new battery.

It had been on the trailer for a couple days, I cranked and cranked it and finally it started right up. Once it started, I shut it off and restarted it several times and it fired first crank every time!

So I thought it was fixed and put it back on the water, idled threw the no wake zone, went out to the main lake and ran for about 1/2 hour, then I just shut off again. This time after cranking for several minutes and removing/reinstalling the key several times it restarted, a few minutes later died again. Same routine, anyway after about the 3rd time it wouldn't restart and I ran the new battery out cranking.

We towed it back to the dock and put it on the trailer. I got it home and checked the rectifier, which tests good.

When I started it to test the rectifier it started right up. A couple months later I winterized it and it started right up.

Now it's in the garage, but I want to try to figure out what the problem is so I can fix it and not have to deal with this next season!

Someone on another forum suggested the motor could be seizing... It didn't seem siezed, but I don't know that much about it..

Another person suggested the DESS post could be bad, which I could see, with the way it was acting like I pulled the key, but if that was the case, it wouldn't/shouldn't crank right? If the post was bad, it wouldn't beep and crank?

I just dont want to go part swaping and spending a bunch of money for nothing...

Any ideas? Anything I can test?

Thanks!

-TheChad
 
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A faulty start/stop switch can do this to you. Sometimes it's just the wires rubbing together where they go through the steering stem. I would wire wheel and grease all connections that you can get to. How is the little black wire doing on the NEG terminal? Don't forget all the ground loops on the base of the coil in the rear black box.
 
test the start switch, test the dess post. The instructions for that are in the shop manual. I don't think its seizing, that sounds like a different issue. It does sound like it could be running a bit rich, and fouling plugs. I would unplug the rectifier anyway, and ride it.
 
Unfortunately you are dealing with an issue that isnt going to be a simple try this or try that.

Since its a 96 Im going to go with the pickup in the front mag housing is just about to crack off its mount. They are notorious for cracking off. When it quit, was there a wave slap involved? Meaning a slight jarring of some sort. That would go with my theory.

Thats my best guess. Outside of that you might have a CDI going bad maybe? long shot.

The mag cover isnt easy to get off w/o taking the pipe off but its doable. Pull the front mount out and lift that motor up as high as you can and put a block of wood under it.

The big problem here is unless its an obvious problem like the pickup you have no way to trial and error test till spring.
 
The black wire to the negative terminal was solid and not corroded, but I replaced the terminal anyway because it had bare wire showing where it went into the terminal.

I will look up the service manual to test the start/stop button and DESS port.... *I* have a feeling that's where the problem is, but that's just my gut, not based off anything.

The pipe isn't that hard to take off... Right? A few bolts..

-TheChad
 
If you were able to run the battery down trying to restart the ski, then the dess post and start stop button are fine. When the pickup breaks off inside the stator housing, everything (pickup, coil, stator) checks out but you have no spark. It's a very common issue on the 96 models.
 
If it broke off, it wouldn't restart though, right?

I have spark, I checked that...

What getting me is that it's intermittent, which makes it much harder to diagnose...


-TheChad
 
If you have spark and fuel, assuming timing is correct, you should be running. Have you done a compression test? Have you done a recent compression test? How long ago were the carbs gone through? Air in the fuel lines? Bad fuel pump diaphragm/check valve?
 
What Im thinking is its ALMOST broke off and it is intermittently working. Not that its entirely broke off.

If it was the DESS post it would fire right back up when you pulled the key off and put it back on...so that isnt it. It doesnt sound like needles and seats b/c they usually dont just die like that....they either bog or run till you turn them off then they are hard to start.

Id say no to the start stop switch, but I had an old 92 that somehow was screwing with the spark. Replaced that and it ran fine again.

Typically light seizes will start back up on the water...but def worth checking compression.
 
could also be the chip in the dess key faulting out. doesn't happen often but this is exactly what it does when they do go out. only way to test this tho is with a buds programer or take to the dealer.
 
Strizzo said:
If you have spark and fuel, assuming timing is correct, you should be running. Have you done a compression test? Have you done a recent compression test? How long ago were the carbs gone through? Air in the fuel lines? Bad fuel pump diaphragm/check valve?
Click to expand...

The carbs were rebuilt including the fuel pump a couple of years ago, I haven't ridden it much since.. (I had Cancer/chemo)... I only run marine gas.

I haven't checked compression since I rebuilt the carbs, as I haven't run it much, but I can check again. I believe they were 155psi in each cylinder..
 
Thachad I know how that is, I'm also a survivor. Stage IV Hodgkin Lymphoma. Chemo and bone marrow transplant



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!
 
AdamA96XP said:
Thachad I know how that is, I'm also a survivor. Stage IV Hodgkin Lymphoma. Chemo and bone marrow transplant



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!
Click to expand...

God bless you! I had Stage IV Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. 75% of my bone marrow was infected.

All my internal organs shut down after my 4th treatment, I coded in the hospital and was in a coma for 3 weeks.. I shouldn't be alive, but I guess gods not done with me!

-TheChad
 
I shouldn't be here either. God bless you man, not many people know the feeling or can understand. I relapsed after 6 months after my first treatment regimen, I then went with the bone marrow transplant. I'm 10 years out now and cancer free. Faith and prayer, that's why I'm still here I know it. Please pm me, I'll send you my number.



96 XP800!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!
 
eddie708 said:
then i would start with a compression test first, then look into the pick up
Click to expand...

I did take the fuel baffle out last year to replace the float. I replaced the black float with the updated white float. My fuel gauge wasn't showing a level, that's why I changed the float..

-TheChad
 
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