I need some help

[westside oahu]

I bought an old 97 SPX here on island a few days ago. It has been sitting for a while, but owner said it ran when parked. I brought it home power washed it up and wife said " take the battery out of the moped over there and see if it turns over" so because they had a lawnmower battery in it I took it out without looking at the hookup and I put the cables on the moped battery but, I attached the lil black wire that goes into the back box to the positive, I think. At first the key that is brittle and now broken made a few beeps, but I had no start, then the smoke started to come from what looked like the coil. I disconnected the battery and here I am. Yesterday I took both boxes out, cleaned them, checked fuses and put back. My wife tried to make the key work with making a epoxy case, I put in the battery now with the black lil wire on the negative and nothing still. This time the beep didn't happen but when I put the key on the vts gauge goes up to the top but that's it. After a 30 min or so of being pissed the VTS started smoking for no reason. So I disconnected the wires to it.. What Am I doing wrong? Can someone help me to figure out if I cooked the ipem or anything> where do I start?

 

[etemplet]

I'd disconnect the trim and pull the trim fuse and leave it disconnected. You need to have a new key programmed to the MPEM. Download a repair manual. It will have the wiring diagram for your ski. Check your grounds.

 

[rusty nail]

there is a really good forum somewhere here that describes in detail how to isolate electrical failures.

you will need to get the starter working to run all your electrical tests. No start potential issues: Battery, as etemplet said: key or post, mpem, solenoid, grounds, fuses.

once the starter is turning, you will need to pull (i believe, you will need to confirm this) the white wire off the coil and put a test light between the ground and white wire. If the test light strobes as the starter turns, your issues begin with the coil and could go further from there. If the light does not work, you have a bad bulb in your test light or the problem is upstream.

 

[rusty nail]

found this:

No spark 96 xp

 

[etemplet]

These skis can have really weird problems sometimes so be methodical and patient. I had a 1996 XP that wouldn't start till I let go of the start button. Yep I'm serious. Hold that button in and the ski would NOT start. As soon as you released the button it was running. I made several fun day rides with the ski working like that and had no performance issues at all. When you gave up trying to get the ski started, let go of the button and it began running. I decided to find the problem and in the dark of night while fighting off the mosquitos I noticed the spark tester lamp got brighter when I let go of the start button. It was the coil. Not enough spark with the starter engaged and I could only see that at night. Ha ha. Be ready for an adventure but HOPE you won't have one. Good Luck !!

 

[Venturian1]

I would look for another ski, like 93 - 97, that has a bad engine, and either put your engine in it, or swap the electrical system. Just check the wires coming out of the magneto cover, most have 4 wires, some have 5. Like the 93 XP, it has 5 wires, and the 657 engine (not 657x).
You may have to give up a gauge or two or the vts, by swapping the wiring, but most skis that old they don’t work anyway.