96gti Intermittent no start, key not reading problem.

[Workinonjunk]

My 96gti will sometimes not read the key and wont start. I have sanded the key contacts, put a ziptie around the key to insure it fits tight on the dess post and have changed out the dess post for a different one that i know works. The biggest problem is every time i think i fixed it with one of those things i listed above, it would suddenly not work anymore after walking away for a few minutes. I dont believe its the key or post because no matter how many times i plug and unplug the key it makes no difference or what way irs orientated on the post, when its working, it works no matter what way i put the key on the post and then it wont work it just wont work.. when the no start condition is occuring the display blinks once and turns off confirming it knows a key had been placed on the post but wont start, and when it does work and will start the display turns on and stays on showing fuel and battery light on. Any ideas on what to test and look for are greatly appreciated, ive been through pretty much every part of this ski inside and out new motor new everything, replaced or fixed yet always seem to have another issue every time i want to ride it… Pwc problems

 

[etemplet]

I had a problem with a start switch and it ended up being the three large flat blades on the plug for the MPEM. I'd unplug the MPEM and make sure there is no corrosion on the male and female plugs. Pay special attention to the grounds.

 

[Workinonjunk]

What flat blades? I dont see any plugs that have flat blades, sorry i must be missing something here..

 

[Workinonjunk]

Something bad happened . I stupidly had the battery connected for some testing i was doing and should have unplugged it once i was done testing those things, i unhooked the 2 black wire connectors to do an ohm test on the dess post, and one wire fell onto the hot positive solenoid post and fried the jacket off thedess ground post on the mpem side and melted to another ground wire coming out of the mpem and travled to the ground stator wire.. what are the chances the mpem will still work and or that the stator is now fried? I have done a bunch of liquid electrical taping on the wires i can get to already but thiswont make my diagnostic to the original problem much easier I imagine..

 

[Workinonjunk]

@mikidymac

 

[Workinonjunk]

Ok so i plugged everything back in after a bunch of liquid tape, and i am getting power at the gauge, same symptoms as before, dont know if this means the mpem is fried or not not sure how i can really test if its ok or not especially with the issue that brought me to this point in the way still. Also really hoping the stator isnt fried since its brand new coz i just put this motor and everything else in it before the winter and it was running great

 

[Workinonjunk]

I had a problem with a start switch and it ended up being the three large flat blades on the plug for the MPEM. I'd unplug the MPEM and make sure there is no corrosion on the male and female plugs. Pay special attention to the grounds.

I checked nearly all the bullet connectors in the box and all the grounds in the box looked good too. Not sure if you are talking about something else or not. Main engine ground is also good. Im just trying to diagnose the original problem and hope for the best for what else has happened..

 

[Workinonjunk]

I seem to have found the issue, i got this mpem out of a parts ski that was basically in new condition but i guess the box decided to go haywire, i had a old mpem module aftermarket one sitting around and i stopped using it because sometimes it would stop working until i disconnected and reconnected the battery. But anyways i hooked it up and the thing fires up no problem.. i guess the oem box took a crap. Now im unsure what to do I figured oem is the best way to go but since you can only get them used for a pile of money and they clearly can just conk out at anytime just like the aftermarket ones its hard to say which way to go at this point. I guess I’ll run this one since it seems to be working fine for now. So i think that about sums it up and I’ll update this if the problem somehow reoccurs…

 

[Workinonjunk]

Ok another update, i doubt anybody will know what to do with this info but figured id throw it out there. The problem with this aftermarket mpem module seems to still occur sometimes, i hit the start button one too many times and suddenly the gauge stays on and nothing will respond when i put the key on or off and nothing happens when i hit the start button. In the past this has caused the battery to go dead. Anyways the only way to get it to work again is to unplug the battery or the stator connector and back in and it works flawlessly until it does it again… unsure how this happens or why other than aftermarket junk. Once again im left with deciding to which way to shell out money (old oem mpem that might go crap after 8 more hours of run time, or another aftermarket junk one for a little bit less money which may be good or bad). I guess for now if it craps out ill just unplug and replug the stator in lol..

 

[etemplet]

Just because it is an old OEM Mpem doesn't mean it is going to fail anytime soon and reasonably priced parts can be found. You might have a problem in your electrical system. Patience and persistence. You'll get it.