Did he fry the electronic ignition/timing?

[powermixx]

This is my first step into watercraft. I'm very green, so please bear with me. I'm considering buying a 1995 SP from a friend. My brother has 2 waverunners and is helping me.

This SP (http://powermixx.com/a_temp_dir/seadoo/Pages/1.html) has been sitting for a little over a year. The battery is dead. The seller told me (to check to see if it starts) that he hooked it up to his Chevy Avalanche and started it up. I think he did that twice before I came over to get it. I told my brother that and he said OMG!! My bro said that's a huge no-no. My bro stated many docs say not to hookup to a car/truck battery. And an Avalanche is huge - lots of amps I'm sure. Was hooking it up to a truck battery certain doom?

Well...

I picked up the SP and my brother came over to take a look at it. My brother put one of his waverunner batteries in it - so we could test it. His battery is spec for the SP and fully charged. We did a compression test and both holes tested at 150 pounds - pretty good I think. We checked the spark plugs, general status - looked good. So off to the water...

We got to the ramp, dropped it in. It started up and I tied it off so I could park the truck. When I got back to the SP, the bleepin thing wouldn't start. I only heard a clicking sound in a box under the seat. This box is located under the seat, off to the front-left. It looks like an electronic box of some sorts.

Any clues why it started out of the water, then only clicked in the water? I checked afterwards and I did not see any water under the seat. I'm puzzled.

Should I consider buying this SP or steer clear? Please advise.

Thank you,
Bobby

 

[seadoosnipe]

Solenoid!

Bobby, welcome to the forum. Glad to have you here.
What your hearing is the starter solenoid. This is a simple fix. The box your talking about is the electrical box. It's designed to keep your mpem (multipurpose electronic module) and other electronics dry. Including the solenoid.
The reason it's clicking is probably cause the battery is shot. You can charge it up and maybe get a start or two but there isn't enough capacity left for the battery to hold it's charge. Before replacing the solenoid, have your battery checked. You can do that at your local auto parts store. Here, our Advanced Auto Parts and Autozone both test batteries for free.
The compression is tight!....sounds like a good engine still. I wouldn't attempt to take it out though until you really go over it. If you can get the battery to hold enough charge, hook it up to water if possible then start it up. When it starts, use a multimeter and check the battery charge. While running, you should be getting at least 14 VDC to the battery. If your not getting anything over 12, your charging system on the PWC may be bad. That's the magneto and rectifier/regulator.
It's old. Don't expect it to be turn key. You don't mention the cost so I can't tell you if it's worth it or not. But with 150 psi on both cylinders, it seems like a good engine!...........Good luck

 

[powermixx]

Thanks for the reply. I borrowed a battery from my brother to start this SP. And that battery is practically brand-spankin' *new* and was fully charged. I confirmed this since we placed that battery BACK into his runner and I ran all day with it, starting it 12x+, no probs at all. So I'm 99.9% confident it's NOT the battery. How much is a solenoid? Is it possible it was cooked while jumping from a truck battery?

 

[seadoosnipe]

Solenoid!

You didn't blow the solenoid by jumping. Jumping your Doo off may cause damage to your electrical systems MPEM, CDI/DC-CDI (which ever type you have), and rectifier/regulator. That doesn't mean it will happen.
The solenoid for your PWC is part number 43 on the exploded view (SKU 278000513) in the parts manual and refers to it's name as "Relay-Starter". It's fairly inexpensive at about $40 bucks. You'll probably be able to get this from a local Seadoo repair shop. If they have the part for $80 bucks, then it may be worth it to come back to the forum and use one of the OEM parts distributers on our home page, just to the left. I've used them for my parts and are a good supplier of inexpensive OEM replacements.
In the future, if your Doo is dead, disconnect the negative side of your battery, then connect jumper cables to the battery. Allow it to charge from a running vehicle for about 5 or 10 minutes. Then remove the cables, attach your negative battery cable and if the battery was good before it died, you should be able to get a start.
Replacing your solenoid is easy. You should be able to open that electrical box and see it. To test it, remove the electrical box cover, trace the battery wire coming from your battey. It will end at an electrical component. That's your solenoid. On the other side, the wire leaves the solenoid and goes to your starter. With a screwdriver, you can bridge that connection post. If the engine rolls over, then you'll know it was your solenoid. Which I'm 99% sure it is.
If you need some help in replacing it, there are several members here who can assist you. Good luck!

 

[kustomkarl]

:agree:...yep...BUMP!!

 

[seadoosnipe]

Advice?

"Bump".........is that some type of signal for advice to the thread starter? I guess I'm not with the in crowd.....what is bump suppose to mean?

 

[powermixx]

Thank you for the replies and feedback. I'll speak with the owner and see what he says. He's asking $1000 for the unit with trailer. This repair expense is still his since I don't own it yet.

How do I proceed? Should he pay for the diagnosis/repair? Or should I offer to get it fixed MINUS the repair off the $1000? Advice?

 

[seadoosnipe]

Ski!

I think $1000 is a real good price for a ski that looks as good as that one does. It’s obvious that the previous owner took real good care of it.
I can’t help you decide on whether or not you want to buy the ski but I can say from the pictures you posted, it looks like the previous owner has taken good care of it.
The clicking is no doubt the solenoid, which can go out in a car 2 days after you buy it. It’s a common relay switch in every vehicle used to engage a starter.
Good luck!.......:cheers:

 

[kustomkarl]

I agree with seadoosnipe ...

"Bump".........is that some type of signal for advice to the thread starter? I guess I'm not with the in crowd.....what is bump suppose to mean?

"BUMP" Means I'm in agreement to everything you said... sometimes it is better to agree and reinforce your opinion than to say it all over again.
Karl

 

[seadoosnipe]

Ohhhh, I got it!

I told you I was old and the new language isn't my forte........but I understand now!...........
I only wish my wife agreed with me as readily as you do.....Think you might talk to her for me?........:rofl:

 

[powermixx]

Engine pics

Here are some pics of the electronics box - sorry I don't know what else to call it.

http://powermixx.com/a_temp_dir/seadoo2/

Is the solenoid the relay box on the bottom right of picture 1? Can I replace it myself?

Also, there's VERY strong gas/oil odor when I remove the seat. You can see the green oil sludge on the bottom (under the battery and even further back). Is that normal? Should I also investigate that? At first glance all the hose clamps look okay.

Thanks! :hurray:

 

[seadoosnipe]

Red wires!

It's the relay almost to the center with the two large gage red wires on it. Like I said before, you can jumper these two wires to test the starter to make sure the solenoid is indeed bad. It's a very simple fix and there shouldn't be any reason you can't do it. Just remember to read the post I first made. Don't over pay for this part.
To make sure the solenoid is bad, take to screwdrivers, put one on each post with the red wires on them, then bring the screwdrivers together. When they touch, you should get a spark but the starter should roll the engine over. If the engine turns over when you do this, then the solenoid is bad. If it doesn't, then the starter may be bad.
Re-read post #4 when your ready to do this. It really isn't hard to do. I'm going to send you a PM, go to the top right of your page and you'll see a link for personal messages.........

 

[seadoosnipe]

Kelly's blue book!

Oh, you also wondered if the Doo was worth the $1000 bucks. I just looked at Kelly's blue book for it and with it being in mint condition, the retail value on it is $1045. So it's entirely possible who ever your buying it from has looked at the book too. With the solenoid being out, I'd offer $900 and go from there, depending on how bad you want it.
With compression above 140, seems like the engine is tight. The pictures and the compression test makes me believe it probably has low operating hours too....

 

[powermixx]

Thanks for all the advice!

there's VERY strong gas/oil odor when I remove the seat. You can see the green oil sludge on the bottom (under the battery and even further back). Is that normal?

 

[seadoosnipe]

Your welcome!

Your more than welcome. If you need anything, let us know. And don't be a stranger, come back often. This is your forum........:cheers: