97 GTX has gremlins in the starter

[Tx_shane]

The ski runs like it should.....when I get it started.....:ack:

I will try and explain the gremlin situation. I have had both ski's out 5 times this year. One of them has issues. When I first get ready to take my ski's out, I start both of them before I even leave the house. One of them refuses to turnover unless I kick and scream and make a fool of myself by saying a few choice cuss words. I get the normal 2 beeps. But nothing when I hit the start button. No clicks no nothing. Even with the seats off I hear nothing. So I have to go through this song and dance by pulling the solenoid out and jumping it directly. Turns over just fine. But when I hit the button....I still get nothing. I jump the solenoid several more times then FINALLY...I get a click out of the solenoid by pushing the button. After a few more times of resetting the lanyard back on, she roles over and fires off by the start button. For the rest of the day I have no issues. I can even go out the following day and it fires right off. If I let it sit for more than a day I have to go through the same EXACT song and dance and then she is fine all day. I don't mind doing this but....it is a very clear "early warning" that something is about to go out for good.

Sorry for rambling....I did a search and did not find anything similar to my situation.

One more thing. I can check the red and yellow wire going into the solenoid while pressing the start button. I get NO power. But after I go through that song and dance and it starts clicking when the button is pressed, I obviously have power then. Which leads me to believe that it is not the solenoid causing my problem.

 

[kustomkarl]

It sounds like the start switch may be bad. use a multi meter and check for continuity through the switch.......maybe if you repeat the same cuss words it will work better...:rofl: might be a pattern here.

Karl

 

[Tx_shane]

I thought the same thing. And it definitely acts that way. But that does not explain why it only acts up after a few days of sitting. This past Saturday I was in the garage looking for something to break just so I could fix it and went over the the gremlin infested ski....and sure enough it would not do anything. Jumped the solenoid a couple of times, and away she went. I took the garbage out this morning and thought I would give it a try....nothing!! Although I am getting quite good at my little song and dance, I can't very well sound intelligent if someone asks me how I intend to fix it. My normal story (when I really have no idea how I fixed it) is, I had to rebuild the muffler bearings. My not so mechanical friends are starting to catch on and realizing that muffler bearings really don't exist.

One more thing I would like to add. Before I had the carbs rebuilt a couple of weeks ago, I was in the driveway with the same above mentioned ski running it after I changed out the fuel filter. It started to idle up very high. I know 2 strokes will rev a little high in a lean situation but this ski was bouncing off of the rev limiter. I quickly hit the start/stop button but that did not shut it down. I pulled the DESS key and it kept on screaming. I was pretty much in panic mode at this point. So I pulled the choke and that shut her down. I can not imagine this would be a good thing just as I am about to dock the ski on the trailer or pulling up to the shore. Somebody would catch it on video and then I would be all over the internet as the dipsh_t that can't drive a jetski.

 

[kustomkarl]

If the seadoo is at a hot temperature it will keep running because it has no resistance at the impeller in the jet pump like in the water. Do you know any thing about Nitro RC cars and trucks. They work on the same principle as a glow plug. You connect a battery to it, to get it hot and it fires the nitromethane and runs the truck. The same things happened with the seadoo. The plugs were hot and even with out the plugs getting electric from the magneto it will run because of the temperature firing the fuel in the cylinders under combustion. You did good by pulling the choke and keeping it from getting out of control.

Check the start switch with the multimeter. Keep us posted on the problem.

Karl

 

[Tx_shane]

That's funny you mentioned the RC cars. I was thinking the same exact thing because I bought my son a T-maxx that runs this way. Just checking. Thanks for the info. I will start with the button first. Memorial day weekend is coming up so it will be fixed afterwards.

 

[kustomkarl]

My son and I have a RC Dirt track behind our house I built. We have Tmaxx's and Revo's...lots of fun and teaches my 17 year old son the basics of engines.

Karl

 

[Tx_shane]

Those little things are a blast. I bought a 2 wheel drive and a 4 wheel drive. You can keep the front wheels on the ground when driving the 2 wheel drive. Totally off subject, but fun never the less. :auto:

 

[kustomkarl]

yup...toys are toys the difference between men and boys...