96 SPX Electrical Issue

[Adskie]

This is first post here, will try to be as thorough as I can.
I have a 96 spx with a rebuilt rotax. It's super clean, but having some electrical issues. I had it out on the lake yesterday, and first time it started great. Each time after i had to run the starter a bit longer to get it running... theLast time I went out to start it, I had to run the starter too much and the it just stopped turning over. Nothing when you push the start button. So I parked it. When I checked the battery voltage, I was down to 11.65v, so I pulled it out and put the battery on a 2a charge for a couple hours. Went back to check a couple hours later and voltage was still at 11.65v. My battery is smoked! The battery an AGM and is brand new, just picked it up a month ago. And I replaced the rectifier this spring as well. What would cause my ski to smoke the battery? Any help on what to do next would be great!

 

[Grim]

Could be a case of a bad battery, they don't make them like they use too! Before you toss it, take it to auto store and have them load test it. Could your charger be bad?

 

[Adskie]

Thanks for the reply Grim! It could be a bad battery, though it's worked fine up to this point, then running it on the lake a while, I wonder if som we thing grounded out the battery and caused a cell to go bad.
I've used the charger on many other batteries so I don't think the charger is bad. But I'll be heading home from the lake tomorrow, and so I'll put it on my known good charger to confirm.
Could it be my rectifier? And what test would confirm the rectifier to be bad?
I will also take and test the battery as well.

 

[Grim]

To test rectifier you can start ski, put a meter on the battery and see voltage:
idle = 12v range
at 4500 RPM = 13v range, no higher than 14.5v ish

if it stays in the 12v range at 4500rpm bad, if it goes above 14.5v ish than bad

let us know the numbers if it is close.
Also don't let the ski run too long out of water.

 

[Stevie96xp]

New battery and check the charging go from there

 

[Adskie]

Awesome, thank you both, I will be home tomorrow afternoon, will get a new battery, will test voltage readings and report back.
Also I have the garden hose attachment to run out of water so I'm not concerned about running on land.
Thanks!

 

[Grim]

Awesome, thank you both, I will be home tomorrow afternoon, will get a new battery, will test voltage readings and report back.
Also I have the garden hose attachment to run out of water so I'm not concerned about running on land.
Thanks!

The hose doesn't cool the drive line, which is cooled while in the lake. So be careful. It is not recommended to run it more than 20 to 40 secs out of the water

 

[Stevie96xp]

Yep good luck

 

[POPPS]

Load test the battrery.

 

[Adskie]

I load tested the battery this afternoon, confirmed it's bad.
Load: ~11.5v, 131cca
This battery was brand new in June.
Purchased a new Battery today at fleet farm (road runner AGM ETX16L)
Hooked it up, and tested the started, met with only a click. I replaced both the starter solenoid and the rectifier this winter.
Also to note there was still some water sitting in the bottom of the hull, I drained it out, but it's been sitting there for a couple days. May need to air it out. The ski died on the lake, and wasn't a lot of water, so I'm not too worried, new wear ring last year with not many hours.
Not sure what to do next?

 

[Stevie96xp]

I load tested the battery this afternoon, confirmed it's bad.
Load: ~11.5v, 131cca
This battery was brand new in June.
Purchased a new Battery today at fleet farm (road runner AGM ETX16L)
Hooked it up, and tested the started, met with only a click. I replaced both the starter solenoid and the rectifier this winter.
Also to note there was still some water sitting in the bottom of the hull, I drained it out, but it's been sitting there for a couple days. May need to air it out. The ski died on the lake, and wasn't a lot of water, so I'm not too worried, new wear ring last year with not many hours.
Not sure what to do next?

Jump the solenoid with a screw driver if it turns over your solenoid went bad. Probably because your battery was weak and caused the solenoid to crap out

 

[Adskie]

I had a few minutes over lunch today and jumped the solenoid, all I got was sparks...does that mean starter?

 

[Grim]

I would check your starter and bendix, might of got stuck. If it is bad try to get an OEM unit or a rebuild kit, aftermarket starters are not high quality.

 

[Adskie]

Great, thanks for the suggestion. I have a 96 SPX, so doesn't have the bendix. I will look for a rebuild kit or OEM starter and work on next steps!

 

[Stevie96xp]

Sounds like your starter in bad oem is best but the aftermarket ones I’ve found caltrek is best

 

[Adskie]

What about SBT? I've usually had good luck with SBT parts...

 

[mikidymac]

No, just no. Please steer clear of SBT. Stop Buying Trash
Best starter is going to be OEM or rebuild your OEM. 98% of the time it is just the brushes that need to be changed.

The reason I am so against SBT is because I have been working on these for over 30 years and am tired of people coming here and getting burned by SBT and inferior parts. I want you to keep these skis running.

 

[Adskie]

Thanks for the reply mikidymac, I will steer clear of SBT. I will find a kit to rebuild my starter and hopelly smooth sailing from there...

Update, just purchased a Caltric rebuild kit, should be here by the weekend, so I'll rebuild and report back after the rebuild and install. Thanks for all the great feedback!

 

[Adskie]

coming back to this thread -I've appreciated all the feedback so far! I was working on the starter this past weekend and had a really difficult time getting the c-clip off of the starter to fully disasemble the shaft/gear. i did finally get it pulled off. and now I'm having an even more difficult time getting it back on the shaft. that is the last piece I need to reassemble the starter. Any suggestions? I've seen a clip on a guy who used a long socket thats close to size to get the c-clip back on. but not having much luck with that...

 

[mikidymac]

It's not easy and sucks for sure.

 

[Adskie]

Finally coming back to this thread. Got the starter rebuilt a couple months ago and installed then had to set the project aside for Many other things (kids sports and such). Winter in MN has allowed me to slow down a bit.

So the starter is in, and was working on it today and all I get is clicks when running the started. Battery is good, so I'm guessing now at this point that the starter issues fried my solenoid. Yes?

Meanwhile, I pulled the intake cover off and realized the other issue with my hard start i. The water, my rotary valve cover was out of spec, so I purchased one from SBT and am sending my old core in. Have it installed, but need to get the engine turning over to test.

Should have this one hopefully wrapped up soon. Thanks again for all the help on this one!

 

[Adskie]

I got the machine back together two weekends ago, and alas no starting again. I ordered a new starter solenoid and that did the trick. I installed the new rotary valve cover and it fired right away, but now I'm dealing with some hard starting issues. Going to start a new thread for new issues I'm seeing now. I appreciate all the help to date!!!

 

[Stevie96xp]

I got the machine back together two weekends ago, and alas no starting again. I ordered a new starter solenoid and that did the trick. I installed the new rotary valve cover and it fired right away, but now I'm dealing with some hard starting issues. Going to start a new thread for new issues I'm seeing now. I appreciate all the help to date!!!

I would check your rotory valve clearance it is very important for starting

 

[mikidymac]

I got the machine back together two weekends ago, and alas no starting again. I ordered a new starter solenoid and that did the trick. I installed the new rotary valve cover and it fired right away, but now I'm dealing with some hard starting issues. Going to start a new thread for new issues I'm seeing now. I appreciate all the help to date!!!

Keep it in this thread or you are going to go through all the same questions and answers again.

 

[Adskie]

I would check your rotory valve clearance it is very important for starting

I just installed a new (refurbished) rotary valve cover from SBT, I checked the clearance before I installed it and looked really good - maybe I installed it wrong or the gasket is out of place so I'm getting an air leak. I'll probably have to pull the carb again tomorrow and check. its like it wants to fire, but its only firing part of the time.