Picked up a near mint 1997 XP, couple of questions

[Seadoo2024]

Hey everyone,

I picked up a 1997 Sea-Doo XP with vts onboard, beautiful machine very fast you’ll get real wet! I took it for two rides and noticed two issues, first I can ignore and don’t care about, second is probably crucial to the health of the ski.

1. Speedometer doesn’t work, owner informed me it goes in and out so something is probably loose, I would like to fix it.

2. After my second ride the oil light (in the fuel gauge area) is now lit. When I first take the machine out it’s not lit, but after a few minutes it comes on. Could be a sensor not sure.

I’m new to PWC and I don’t want to blow it up, I have some synthetic two stroke oil (yes it was bought from Walmart but it was expensive) that I use to premix the tiger sharks I own, can I use that to maybe top off the oil, possibly it’s low?

I am extremely mechanically inclined, but watercraft are new to me, here’s a pic of the ski!

 

[Grim]

First , go online and hunt for the maintenance manual and the parts manual, they are free. They will help with troubleshooting your guage.
Now the oil, Walmart isn't bad as long as you got the right stuff. You need API-TC rated, low ash, full synthetic oil. Also need to be careful of mixing different brands of oil, they do sometimes react badly with one another. I'm also assuming that you have plenty of oil in the tank and the light is still going off. Most likely that is the sensor. You can pull the sensor and check it, make sure it isn't gummed up.

 

[Seadoo2024]

First , go online and hunt for the maintenance manual and the parts manual, they are free. They will help with troubleshooting your guage.
Now the oil, Walmart isn't bad as long as you got the right stuff. You need API-TC rated, low ash, full synthetic oil. Also need to be careful of mixing different brands of oil, they do sometimes react badly with one another. I'm also assuming that you have plenty of oil in the tank and the light is still going off. Most likely that is the sensor. You can pull the sensor and check it, make sure it isn't gummed up.

grim,

Very helpful stuff, I’ll hunt for the service manual, all I found was the owners manual! As for the wal mart stuff I’ll look at the bottles and post a pic!

 

[Seadoo2024]

Wow that shop manual is in depth! I’ll start looking at the Speedo issue now. I’ll also get pic of oil

 

[2strokeboy]

The speedo might be the gauge or the actual unit that controls it. I could help with the unit I've rebuilt one before. Just not sure about the gauge.

 

[Seadoo2024]

The speedo might be the gauge or the actual unit that controls it. I could help with the unit I've rebuilt one before. Just not sure about the gauge.

How would you start helping me, would it be here on the forum, over a video link? Let me know , ski is right out my back door

 

[2strokeboy]

I could just do it on here. One way to test the speedo is to put a multi meter into the plug and then click the start button and spin the speedo to see if the voltage fluctuates. Just make sure to not unplug the connector because it will not work. I can get a picture of what it would look like this weekend.

 

[Seadoo2024]

I could just do it on here. One way to test the speedo is to put a multi meter into the plug and then click the start button and spin the speedo to see if the voltage fluctuates. Just make sure to not unplug the connector because it will not work. I can get a picture of what it would look like this weekend.

That would be super helpful, where is the magneto and how do I access it, I’m guessing it’s going to require me to tear down the front cowling?

I also have WhatsApp , messenger as well if that is faster communication, appreciate the help

 

[Seadoo2024]

That would be super helpful, where is the magneto and how do I access it, I’m guessing it’s going to require me to tear down the front cowling?

I also have WhatsApp , messenger as well if that is faster communication, appreciate the help

FYI previous owner said the “speedometer comes and goes” so I have not seen it work, but he has, that makes me suspects loose wires, but I’ve never torn one of these down!

 

[2strokeboy]

I never got down to my shop this weekend but id check the wires and everything. If your speedo unit is bad your going toi need a SS41 hall affect sensor and a DIODE ZENER 5.6V. If you find that you need it heres a diagram of it.

 

[Seadoo2024]

Can someone direct me where this sensor is located, we got rained out today before I got a response so … I’ll have to wait until the sun returns

I never got down to my shop this weekend but id check the wires and everything. If your speedo unit is bad your going toi need a SS41 hall affect sensor and a DIODE ZENER 5.6V. If you find that you need it heres a diagram of it.

 

[2strokeboy]

Before you start doing that id check to see if it works and also to see if it "comes and goes"

 

[2strokeboy]

Can someone direct me where this sensor is located, we got rained out today before I got a response so … I’ll have to wait until the sun returns

The sensor is inside the little speedo on the rear of the machine under some epoxy. The wires go inside and should be under the rear hatch somewhere.

 

[Seadoo2024]

Before you start doing that id check to see if it works and also to see if it "comes and goes"

It never worked for me on 5 rides, maybe it was “going” when he saw it last , now it’s gone!

 

[Seadoo2024]

Little s

The sensor is inside the little speedo on the rear of the machine under some epoxy. The wires go inside and should be under the rear hatch somewhere.

Little Speedo ?

 

[2strokeboy]

It never worked for me on 5 rides, maybe it was “going” when he saw it last , now it’s gone!

Im not sure how to test the actual gauge but to test the unit stick a multimeter into the connecter of the unit and spin the wheel. Voltage should fluctuate.

 

[Seadoo2024]

The sensor is inside the little speedo on the rear of the machine under some epoxy. The wires go inside and should be under the rear hatch somewhere.

Do you mean the little hatch under the seat, that has the drive to the jet in it?

 

[2strokeboy]

Yes, there should be wires coming into the hull from the back and a connecter on them.

 

[Seadoo2024]

Yes, there should be wires coming into the hull from the back and a connecter on them.

I saw it , the wheel has little wagon nubs on it, it’s to the left of the water exhaust on the back, all of its black back there so it’s hard to see, the wheel spins freely and there is a grommet that heads onto the rear compartment, the compartment is jammed with wires and other stuff, to even get to the sensor we’re looking at a tear down of a ton of stuff, unless I’m missing something, I’ll get photos later

 

[Seadoo2024]

First , go online and hunt for the maintenance manual and the parts manual, they are free. They will help with troubleshooting your guage.
Now the oil, Walmart isn't bad as long as you got the right stuff. You need API-TC rated, low ash, full synthetic oil. Also need to be careful of mixing different brands of oil, they do sometimes react badly with one another. I'm also assuming that you have plenty of oil in the tank and the light is still going off. Most likely that is the sensor. You can pull the sensor and check it, make sure it isn't gummed up.

Hey here is some photos of the oil tank ???, and the oil for the sea doo, I didn’t want to go dumping stuff in until I shared it with you, sorry it took so long. If I hear back today I can just fill the oil tank and ride, the Speedo is going to take a while to fix

Edit: tried to post more photos but the admins of this forum have the size of files set retardedly low

 

[mikidymac]

Totally wrong oil, do not use.

You need full synthetic API-TC rated oil.

Since you don't know the existing oil, you really need to drain the tank, replace the inline oil filter and put in new and correct oil.
Mixing two different brands can gel and clog the oil system and ruin the engine.

 

[Seadoo2024]

First , go online and hunt for the maintenance manual and the parts manual, they are free. They will help with troubleshooting your guage.
Now the oil, Walmart isn't bad as long as you got the right stuff. You need API-TC rated, low ash, full synthetic oil. Also need to be careful of mixing different brands of oil, they do sometimes react badly with one another. I'm also assuming that you have plenty of oil in the tank and the light is still going off. Most likely that is the sensor. You can pull the sensor and check it, make sure it isn't gummed up.

Hey here is some photos of the oil tank ???, and the oil for the sea doo, I didn’t want to go dumping stuff in until I shared it with you, sorry it took so long. If I hear back today I can just fill the oil tank and ride, the Speedo is going to take a while to fix

 

[Seadoo2024]

Totally wrong oil, do not use.

You need full synthetic API-TC rated oil.

Since you don't know the existing oil, you really need to drain the tank, replace the inline oil filter and put in new and correct oil.
Mixing two different brands can gel and clog the oil system and ruin the engine.

Is there enough in there to run them however, it doesn’t look like it’s out of oil?

 

[mikidymac]

I can't see the oil tank level from the picture.

 

[Seadoo2024]

We rode em, oil light on the entire time , ski had full power, I’ll get you a photo of the oil level