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'96 Sea Doo XP 800 won’t start - no click or crank, new battery

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Staccato

Staccato

New Member
Hi guys. I’m brand new to the jet ski world, so bring on the hazing - but let's wait until I actually get this puppy out on the water. :)

My gifted-to-me '96 Sea Doo XP 800 won’t start - there's no click or anything.

When the lanyard is first attached, all four lights light up then they go out after 1-2s. Fuel gauge lights up and stays on for bit. VTS works (I can hear it move).

But when I press Start, nothing happens. No sound, no movement - nada.

I’ve looked around the forums, but couldn’t find a specific answer. From what I’ve learned this sounds like a fuse or grounding issue. Thoughts on this?

I think I found the fuse location (white box in front?), but removal and disconnection seems a little tricky with my fat fingers. I don’t mind to do it if I need to, but I wanted to check here before digging in.

Grounding appears good (lead from solenoid area to the tow hook?), but how can I be totally sure?

Any chance it's a solenoid issue? I believe that I'd get a click sound without a crank if that was the case, but I'm willing to try the jump/screwdriver thing if you think that will help.

Other info that may be helpful:
- Battery is brand new, and tests good.
- There is (was) a “battery drain issue,” so the previous owner added a battery disconnect switch in-line (negative side) a while ago. He suggested always disconnecting the switch when the machine is not in use. It has apparently run fine since it was added (until now).
- The Start button looks pretty ratty, but it doesn’t look like the ‘seal’ has been penetrated. Is it possible the button is dead? Is there a way to test this?
- VTS physically works, but the gauge doesn’t.

Thanks in advance for the help!
 
Do this first. It will help us help you. Jump the solenoid, what happens? If it doesn't crank, remove the plugs and to the same thing. While the plugs are out, grab the PTO and turn it over by hand. The Power Take Off is where the shaft slides into the rear of the engine.
 
You can do one more test to confirm this is you want, but it is likely the solenoid.

There is a small plug that goes into the solenoid. This is the trigger wire and the ground for the START switch. Use a meter and see if you get 12 volts at this plug when the lanyard is in place and the start button is being pushed. If so, the solenoid is junk. If not, then it is a switch issue or an fuse issue within the MPEN.
 
Did you put the battery in the ski? If so there are 2 grounds. One heavy one and one little one. Is the little one hooked up too. That is the ground for inside the rear E-box. The ground for the solenoid signal needs that ground. The pins on the e-box connector are prone to corrosion too. This is in the rear e-box right in front of the battery.
 
Plus one to everything directly above. So OP understands how it all works:

When you place the lanyard on the post are you actually hearing two beeps to indicate the DESS is unlocking the start side of the module?

After the security unlocks when you press the start/stop button it send's 12vdc in the circuit directly to ground, which activates a transistor in the module to apply voltage to the yellow wire w/red trace that's connected to the solenoid plug in, that's where the power comes from to pull the starter solenoid open and energize the starter.

No beeps, you'll never have power on the starting solenoid circuit no matter what you try. If you're getting two beeps, quick rundown with a meter or test light will show you where it's gone wrong. If you don't get 12VDC at the solenoid when the start button is pressed you can unplug the yellow wire w/red trace on the module that supplies 12vdc to the start switch and use a jumper wire to ground it, you should have power at the solenoid then and there's an issue in the harness or start/stop switch.
 
Hmm. Now what?

Thanks for everyone's help.

I had already ordered a new solenoid before CoastieJoe's response came in, and I just tried it: same issue as with the old one.

(Not that it changes things now, but the "short wire" from the solenoid is now properly grounded where it wasn't before. Now I get the two beeps, and I hadn't had that previously. But it still won't start.)

So, next up, I tried this:

Coastiejoe said:
There is a small plug that goes into the solenoid. This is the trigger wire and the ground for the START switch. Use a meter and see if you get 12 volts at this plug when the lanyard is in place and the start button is being pushed. If so, the solenoid is junk. If not, then it is a switch issue or an fuse issue within the MPEN.
Click to expand...

... and I got a 0 Volt reading whether or not START is being pushed. (Did I do this right? Used the 12V DC Multimeter setting, and I put the red multimeter lead onto the Red/Yellow contact in the module and black lead to black contact. (Photo))

Also, while I was in there I checked the 5/15A fuses - both were good.

So, is the next step to check the fuse in the MPEM? Any photos that you'd recommend for locating this?
 
Then your issue is in front of the start button UNLESS the start button itself is bad. Test the switch next.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Unplug the start stop button. Using ohms on your meter, put the leads in the wires and press the button, if your meter suddenly changes to zeros then the button is good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Coastiejoe said:
Unit the start stop button. Using ohms on your meter, put the leads in the wires and press the button, if your meter suddenly changes to zeros then the button is good.
Click to expand...

Sorry - which wires am I testing? (And I'm guessing "unit" was a typo...)
 
Coastiejoe said:
Unplug the start stop button. Using ohms on your meter, put the leads in the wires and press the button, if your meter suddenly changes to zeros then the button is good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

My meter went from OL (0?) to 19.8 when I touched the points... So does the change mean the switch is bad?
 
Change is good, but I would expect it to be closer to zero. If you touch the two leads together of the meter, what does the display say?
 
Whoops - duh - I originally forgot to hit the switch. I just retested, and saw a change as I pressed / released. So, I'd say the switch is good. My mistake.
 
Switch is good.

Your issue is from the MPEM. Could be a bad wire, plug, fuse or the MPEM itself (but not likely). I THINK the button competes a ground and then goes back to the MPEM and then the MPEN activates the solenoid. But I'd need to pull the schematics to confirm this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Coastiejoe said:
Switch is good.

Your issue is from the MPEM. Could be a bad wire, plug, fuse or the MPEM itself (but not likely). I THINK the button competes a ground and then goes back to the MPEM and then the MPEN activates the solenoid. But I'd need to pull the schematics to confirm this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

There's a 12vdc yellow wire w/red trace on his module that plugs in the harness to the start/stop button, when the button is pressed it sends voltage directly to ground and that short wakes up a semiconductor in the module transistor that powers the 12 vdc yellow w/red trace wire to the solenoid.

Unhook the yellow wire w/red trace to the start/stop switch, and remove the ground and hot wire plug from the solenoid. After you get two beeps use a jumper wire and short the modules yellow w/red trace wire for the start/stop switch and test the solenoid plug for ground and power you should have voltage there if the module is good.

[MENTION=76757]Staccato[/MENTION] don't know where you're at in IN but feel free to swing by if close to South Bend or Saint Joseph I bench test MPEM's, no charge for forum members. You'll know exactly what is or isn't wrong with it after I'm done.
 
Staccato said:
Hi guys. I’m brand new to the jet ski world, so bring on the hazing - but let's wait until I actually get this puppy out on the water. :)

My gifted-to-me '96 Sea Doo XP 800 won’t start - there's no click or anything.

When the lanyard is first attached, all four lights light up then they go out after 1-2s. Fuel gauge lights up and stays on for bit. VTS works (I can hear it move).

But when I press Start, nothing happens. No sound, no movement - nada.

I’ve looked around the forums, but couldn’t find a specific answer. From what I’ve learned this sounds like a fuse or grounding issue. Thoughts on this?

I think I found the fuse location (white box in front?), but removal and disconnection seems a little tricky with my fat fingers. I don’t mind to do it if I need to, but I wanted to check here before digging in.

Grounding appears good (lead from solenoid area to the tow hook?), but how can I be totally sure?

Any chance it's a solenoid issue? I believe that I'd get a click sound without a crank if that was the case, but I'm willing to try the jump/screwdriver thing if you think that will help.

Other info that may be helpful:
- Battery is brand new, and tests good.
- There is (was) a “battery drain issue,” so the previous owner added a battery disconnect switch in-line (negative side) a while ago. He suggested always disconnecting the switch when the machine is not in use. It has apparently run fine since it was added (until now).
- The Start button looks pretty ratty, but it doesn’t look like the ‘seal’ has been penetrated. Is it possible the button is dead? Is there a way to test this?
- VTS physically works, but the gauge doesn’t.

Thanks in advance for the help!
Click to expand...

Did anyone notice the part where he said the ground wire was attached to the tow hook from the ebox?
 
I missed that.. Anytime I have an electrical issue I run new/extra grounds from the battery to the block just to see what happens. This may be a good thing to do in his case..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I'm going to keep my eye on this thread. I am having a similar issue on my 1995 XP800, though when I jump the solenoid, I still don't get anything. Two beeps when key is on like normal. I think my problem is the starter itself. I've checked and cleaned all the connectors and added dielectric grease. All fuses are good. I think I have it narrowed down to the starter itself. Does that make sense? Worked last fall, not so much this spring.
 
jkur10a said:
I'm going to keep my eye on this thread. I am having a similar issue on my 1995 XP800, though when I jump the solenoid, I still don't get anything. Two beeps when key is on like normal. I think my problem is the starter itself. I've checked and cleaned all the connectors and added dielectric grease. All fuses are good. I think I have it narrowed down to the starter itself. Does that make sense? Worked last fall, not so much this spring.
Click to expand...

Does your module send power to the relay over the yellow w/red trace wire with the bullet connector end when the start button is pressed and do you have a good ground?
 
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