Mpem keeps frying

[js453]

My Aunt has a 2004 gti le (she is not good with computers so I am doing this for her). The main computer which I believe is called an mpem was fried, so he local dealership replaced it for quite a bit of money. On the ride back from the dealership (on the water) it fried again. The dealership seems to have no clue :stupid:what is causing this as it has been in the shop for close to a month with no soultion offered thus far. She is at wits end and wants to know if anyone might know of something that could cause a computer to fry about 15 minutes after being installed.:rant:

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

P.S. It ran fine before it fried the first time, died on the water and key would not produce a beep, at first we thought the battery was dead.

 

[kustomkarl]

Did it just blow the fuse? The Mpem is protected from any "Frying" by it's fuse. If the mpem was bad what did the dealer determine was the problem...?


Karl

 

[js453]

I am fairly certain it was not a fuse, they replaced a relay which was buzzing and the computer which they claimed was shot, it was close to $1000 for the repair. The dealership can't figure the problem out, now that they are footing the bill for further repairs (since all they were will to do was replace parts without proper diagnosis) they don't seem to have been able to figure anything out.

Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[kustomkarl]

You should post your model and year in you avatar so it will be easy to help in the future. Look at mine for an example. There aren't any relays that would buzz, that I have seen. It 's a good thing to have a warranty. If they hook it up the the mpem programmer it should help diagnose it. The MPEM is protected from all power that is generated by the magneto for charging and the battery. Even if it was jumped started, and power surged, it has a good chance of surviving that. It must have a short in the main harness or something.

Karl

 

[js453]

Thanks for the harness suggestion, I'll let my Aunt know.

 

[kustomkarl]

I'm just guessing at this point. It really needs to be looked at. I haven't seen that kind of problem...unless it got power surged or something. What lead up to the problem?


Karl

 

[js453]

Nothing lead up to the problem that I know of, It died on one of the first trips of the season, just cut out and had no power, had to get towed back to the dock. My Aunt who owns it has been boating for decades so I am certain she winterized and dewinterized it properly. The only difference lately has been the ethanol in the gas, but I can't see that causing a presumably electrical problem.

 

[kustomkarl]

No, the ethanol % is a big hype thing. That wouldn't do anything to the Mpem. I have seen dealers just replace Mpem's... well, because you would pay for it. Some Mpem problems can be repaired too, for a fraction of the price of replacement. Did it blow any fuses or anything? Sometimes a bad rectifier will send more than 14.4 volts to the battery and blow the 15 amp fuse and it won't run, (The fuses protects the Mpem).

Karl

 

[js453]

I'll have to call my aunt and get back to you about if it blew any fuses. And she did have an ethanol problem on her Grady White, it ate away the insides of the fuel lines, clogging the fuel pump filters and destroying one of the pumps. Good thing she had Boat U.S. towing insurance.

 

[kustomkarl]

This is seadoo's stance on ethanol;
Never use fuel containing more than 10 % alcohol,( Methanol or Ethanol) as severe damage will occur. The minimum of 87 octane is recommended for most engines.

I don't think fuel stations have any more than 10%, to my knowledge.

Karl

 

[seadoosnipe]

Mpem....

:agree: Karl is right. The mpem is protected by fuses. Seems mighty strange that it would fry.......Makes me wonder if something else is going on.

Were you sure the new MPEM was "new"? Did you see it?

Also, if they have the ski, don't expect if before the end of the season. If this shop is backed up with "paying" customers, then they'll get their boats done first. You are now considered a "warranty" customer. NO more money to be made on you. So, it gets second billing.

That will be the extreme case. I am very pessimistic toward marine repair facilities. They aren't like other shops. There are only a handful of marine repair shops in a town, but a million that can repair a car. Because of this "monopoly" type environment, they charge outrageous labor rates and trouble shoot by dropping in new parts at your expense till they get it right.:rant:

O.K.......I'll get off my soap box now........:cheers:

 

[js453]

My Aunt said that there were no blown fuses, only the mpem. She never actually checked if the mpem they put in was new, they charged for a new one and she opted for express delivery on it (the "new" unit was not in stock) to get the waverunner fixed the next day, lol, one would hope a seadoo dealership wouldn't defraud its costumers by giving out used parts, but there are scumbags everywhere. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[kustomkarl]

We can only go forward now...lets's hope they figure it out before the seadson ends. I would keep on them so it doesn't get stuck on the back burner. Keep us posted on it's progress. 2 Fried MPEM's are new to me...

Karl

 

[js453]

They appear to be new to the dealer (and seadoo whom they claim to have contacted) as well. My Aunt has gone over their heads to seadoo and they have no record of it, but will start keeping a record. My aunt is going to the shop tomorrow to break some skulls (they are closed today). Sad thing is she has the seadoo for an annual family vacation where all of my family 20+ people go to the shore for 2 weeks. She rarely uses it any other time. It broke on the first day of the vacation, so it is a matter of principal now, not necessity.

 

[kustomkarl]

Yeks, sounds like heads will roll! I bet she'll get some action after her visit...keep us on top of it.

Karl