Speed Sensor Repair

[etemplet]

I ordered some parts based on information I found on the forum so I can begin repairing my many speed sensors. I plan to document the process with enough pictures and information that even I could follow along. LOL There are threads on the forum that will likely help the electronically adept but they don't go near far enough to help me figure it out. LOL When I verify that the parts I ordered are correct I'll share the information here. The world seems to be getting more and more proud of old Seadoo parts as judged by the pricing. I'm always about helping one another and saving $$.

Step ONE will be finding the best way to get through the potting.

 

[Ckrawiec]

I ordered some parts based on information I found on the forum so I can begin repairing my many speed sensors. I plan to document the process with enough pictures and information that even I could follow along. LOL There are threads on the forum that will likely help the electronically adept but they don't go near far enough to help me figure it out. LOL When I verify that the parts I ordered are correct I'll share the information here. The world seems to be getting more and more proud of old Seadoo parts as judged by the pricing. I'm always about helping one another and saving $$.

Step ONE will be finding the best way to get through the potting.

Thanks man...I'm always interested in 'fixing" rather than replacing....even if the replacement part is "cheaper and faster".

My '96 GTX speedo doesn't work, my little paddle wheel is still there but no signal from the back to the front. I really don't care that it doesn't work BUT IF it can be fixed, I'll fix it just for the sake of it being fixed.

Edumacate US...... ;-)

 

[andy.262]

I've always wondered if the stock speedometer could be hacked using an Arduino with a GPS module. I've built a GPS speedometer that way before (for under $20 too), but I'd have no idea where to begin trying to get the stock speedo to read from that instead of the paddle wheel. Would be nice to have GPS speedometer accuracy while maintaining all the stock aesthetic parts.

 

[Ckrawiec]

I've always wondered if the stock speedometer could be hacked using an Arduino with a GPS module. I've built a GPS speedometer that way before (for under $20 too), but I'd have no idea where to begin trying to get the stock speedo to read from that instead of the paddle wheel. Would be nice to have GPS speedometer accuracy while maintaining all the stock aesthetic parts.

Interesting....so is your question how get the hack GPS output to the stock ski speedo guage bypassing the MPEM? Couldn't we just cut the hack GPS into the wiring directly into the speedo guage ??? The speedo guage is digital so would it care/know the difference of where it's INPUT came from?

 

[andy.262]

Interesting....so is your question how get the hack GPS output to the stock ski speedo guage bypassing the MPEM? Couldn't we just cut the hack GPS into the wiring directly into the speedo guage ??? The speedo guage is digital so would it care/know the difference of where it's INPUT came from?

On my GTX at least, there are 2 speedometers - the digital one in the multi-function gauge on the left, and the analog one on the right. Since they both read the same source (the paddle wheel) I'd have to figure out what the output of the paddle wheel looks like and then mimic that using the Arduino. Cut the wire to the paddle wheel and splice in the Arduino. Then everything would still think that the paddle wheel is hooked up and functioning properly, since the output of the Arduino would look exactly the same as what the paddle wheel should be producing. Then the last problem would be figuring out how to power the Arduino. Separate battery bank maybe? If I hook it right to the battery in the ski then it wouldn't power off with the ski, so would sit and drain the battery. At least with a seperate bat pack if it gets drained I can still start the ski.

 

[etemplet]

I bought a GPS from CanDoo for $125. It plugs right into the wires at the back of the ski. I see they went UP in price. GPS for RFI

Cheapest route for me, at present, is to learn how to fix the old junk. LOL Gotta keep these skis afforable and funcutional.

 

[andy.262]

Yeah what I'm talking about is basically a DIY version of that for under $50. They talk about electrical interference, that is something I hadn't considered. I'm not sure if that would be a big issue or not. Also I'm sure the cheap Arduino GPS module is not as accurate as this one, but would surely be more accurate than the stock one

 

[etemplet]

I purchased the Candoo GPS and have it installed in my RX. It is 5mph off on the slow side according to the GPS in my phone.

 

[etemplet]

Thanks man...I'm always interested in 'fixing" rather than replacing....even if the replacement part is "cheaper and faster".

My '96 GTX speedo doesn't work, my little paddle wheel is still there but no signal from the back to the front. I really don't care that it doesn't work BUT IF it can be fixed, I'll fix it just for the sake of it being fixed.

Edumacate US...... ;-)

There are some threads on this site with some pretty technical stuff. Ways to fix these instruments for less than $10 from what I understand. Have a look.

Here is a very good Thread

 

[andy.262]

ooh, there's a nice circuit diagram in that thread. Looks like the lake temp sensor is combined with the paddle wheel. I'll have to take a closer look at this at some point. Maybe I ca get my paddle wheel working for long enough to read what the output is supposed to look like (according to the diagram it might just be a 5.8v-10v square wave)

 

[etemplet]

I saved this from the thread I referenced and I ordered both parts but not the thermistor because I am not familiar with exactly what is needed. I don't care about the lake temperature sensor.

"Ordered some new SS41 sensors, some 5.6v Zeners , and also a 10K thermistor.

The 3 wire sensor, from the schematic, the 3rd wire is for the thermistor, water temp reading.
I replaced the components in the pickup device, new thermistor, SS41 and Zener.

Connected the unit to a 12 VDC supply through a 1K resistor, and spun the paddle wheel. The voltage reading now fluctuates between 5.5 and 8.5 VDC. The voltage variations seem to match what others have reported for a "good" sensor."

 

[Jtamaro]

I ordered some parts based on information I found on the forum so I can begin repairing my many speed sensors. I plan to document the process with enough pictures and information that even I could follow along. LOL There are threads on the forum that will likely help the electronically adept but they don't go near far enough to help me figure it out. LOL When I verify that the parts I ordered are correct I'll share the information here. The world seems to be getting more and more proud of old Seadoo parts as judged by the pricing. I'm always about helping one another and saving $$.

Step ONE will be finding the best way to get through the potting.

Thats so awesome, I have been wanting to fix mine for years. Be over all the wiring and everything else I could check, but I haven’t been able to find a replacement in Australia at a cost that justified it. Would be terrific if you could later post some pictures and explain what’s involved.
don’t know if anyone is the same as me, but I hate things not working on the ski!!

 

[etemplet]

Yessir, I TOO like to have things working as they should, I recently swapped gauges on a ski with a different type and couldn't stop till everything was working. I was worried that not being satisfied of what WAS Working, I'd connect the wrong wire and burn up the instrument. Oh Me.

The problem for me with electronics is that I am not electronically educated in the least. I know the names of some of this stuff and I can read about what it does but sure can't build circuits to do what. The parts I ordered have begun to arrive. They are very cheap to purchase, if I ordered the right things. I'll post some pictures of this stuff. I got other stuff going on so I'm gonna be slow. Hopefully some eletronic whiz types will take the lead.

 

[etemplet]

DUDE !!!! This sensor is killin me. So weird. When I hold the sensor and move it around it will start working, then it stops so I figure it was the wiring. I replaced the wiring (that was a fiasco) with different wiring but inspection didn't reveal any wires broken. Way crazy. If I remove the sensor and let it hang... wiggle it aroud a bit it starts working. When I install it... it quits working. Talk about wanna open a can whup azz!!! I was using the test method and it proved the speedo's were function properly. I get 9. something volts when it isn't working when I move it around it switches as it should to around5 or 6 volts as the paddlewheel passes the sensor. Frig it... I ordered 2 more sensors off Ebay. I wanna get this ski done.

 

[etemplet]

Back to topic, I didn't know what to expect when removing the potting from the sensor. I was really careful which means I took a long time. Obviously for nothing as I was hoping to see what the wires looked like in there. Total waste of time. I read on this board on a post from 2011 they guy use a dremel tool to remove the potting. It think that would be a great idea after looking at how I dang near destroyed this thing. LOL I used a soldering iron with the cutting tip and ended up with the exacto knife.

THE PLAN - just get a die grinder and tear that potting compound out of there. That should be easier cleaner and quicker. I still don't know how to wire this thing but some of the parts have arrived. They are very small and look really easy to lose.

 

[etemplet]

Found these on Youtube. I sure didn't see any of the first picture when I removed the potting. Of course I lack the finesse' of surgeon when wielding the soldering iron and Exacto knife. I sure wish I understood how to hook this stuff up. NOTE: The poster said the TOP Picture was the finished product before potting.

 

[Jtamaro]

Update!! Do you guys think it could have anything to do with the battery?? I.e if the battery is cactus. I know I have mine constantly on a charger. I managed to get it to work, unplugged the charger for a week and it stops working yet still enough grunt to kick over the ski??

 

[POPPS]

Wow,,,i learned a valuable lesson this summer,,,had a ski,, no beep beep,,well,,,even the beeper will not work if the voltage is low,,,the beeper was good,,,so...I would go to ground zero,,,if the computer is not getting its proper voltage,,,then perhaps it cannot send the proper signal to the gauges?,,,don't know,,,just conjecture.

 

[Jtamaro]

Wow,,,i learned a valuable lesson this summer,,,had a ski,, no beep beep,,well,,,even the beeper will not work if the voltage is low,,,the beeper was good,,,so...I would go to ground zero,,,if the computer is not getting its proper voltage,,,then perhaps it cannot send the proper signal to the gauges?,,,don't know,,,just conjecture.

There is definitely a correlation there!! I’m going to change the battery in a few months (still winter here in Australia). Thanks for the reply, mine does not beep either so we are on to something!!

 

[Jtamaro]

Just an update, changed the battery, no change.
Went over all the wiring including pins into and out of the mpem. (Found nothing)
Swapped out the analogue speedo gauge with an OEM analogue tachometer I bought on eBay because atleast I knew I could get that to work.
Connected it all up, Tachometer works. Digital speedo wasn’t working at the time but for some reason it does now … it’s nuts . Only thing I can think of is that the paddle sensor voltage but be very sensitive and if it’s shared with then analogue tachometer it needs to be a strong signal. Will update again if I find anything more