Start trouble with 98 gsx limited seadoo

[dmkolano]

I have a 98 gsx limited seadoo. first thing, I cannot find the rectifier. second, I went to take my seadoo out and it would not start, just some clicking noises from the starter relay. So I thought it was the starter took it out it had some rust on the postive terminal, cleaned it up and hooked it to the battery and work just fine. Put it back in, and with the battery fully charged tried to turn it over and it would turn over once or twice and quit. So I used some jumper cables, hooked it to the negative and positive before the starter soleniod and hooked it to my car battery and it would turn over like a champ. Why is my car battery turning the engine but not my fully charged new pwc battery. It can't be a bad battery I tested it under a load @ a local auto place and they said it was fine. This is the first time it happened to me. could it be the starter relay/soleniod still. Before anyone answers this I checked everthing with a voltage reader, to make sure I was getting enough to the starter with the pwc battery. its a walmart pwc battery. I spent 85 dollars on the stupid thing. I bought there top of the line...it was a resplacement for the yuasa stock battery that was in there. just fustrated

 

[boodoo]

I'm having same problem...minus testing starter. I'm tryin to figure out something before pulling starter. I too have same Walmart battery. I'm gonna try a different battery and see if any difference. By the way...would you mind sending me a pm as to how difficult it was to remove your starter? I have the same engine.

 

[Nate Surveyor]

Something it just might be.

BAD GROUND. Or, bad connection to batt.

This can be for real, and be within the circumstances you both describe..

And, when you hook up the jumper cables, the cables are connected to the metal, RAW METAL TO METAL in a way that the bat in the Doo is NOT.

I have been playing with bats for a long time, and have a little solution. Remove the bat, and using a wire brush, and a small knife, completely clean the terminals. Then, coat it all with a good marine grease, and re-install it, AFTER charging it. Even use silicone spray to remove the scraped away crud on the surface of the metal.

I know fellows around here that have to "Jiggle the batt cables" at all stops. Hardware store, grocery store, etc. They even have their wives trained to do it! It is hilarious!

Do a super duper cleaning job on both ends of both cables, and put a little grease on them, and then proceed. It's cheaper than a starter!

It might help. A marine application is MORE finicky than a farm truck.:boxing_smiley::banghead:

Nate

 

[dmkolano]

my connections to the battery, are in perfect condition so therefore thats rules out any bad connections. The only thing that was rusted and looked like a bad connection was the starter postitive terminal. but I cleaned that up and still had the same problem. As for the starter, its hard as hell. I ended up taking out the pipe and removing the airbreather below. Then I could see the starter. Some say you have to tilt the engine but I did not have to, and some say you don't have to take the pipe out but I did. It is hard to get in there but there are two allen screws holding the starter in. you can barely see them, so I had to use a flash light to get in there and see. The bracket that helps hold the airbreather up is the same bracket that holds the starter in place. Look online at a microfiche and you will understand a little better.. Mine was a little rusted, so I cleaned it up, primed and painted...looks new. I just want to know where the rectifier is. Some say its a part of the MPEM. But I want to know for sure.

 

[timmyboy76]

dmkolano...jump the solenoid w/ heavy gauge wire, see if she kicks, if so, leaning on bad solenoid...

 

[dmkolano]

its not the stator...I already tried that. with this battery I have it has been 2 months since I had it. I believe the battery is not get a charge from the rectifier, I have a 12 low indicator come on when the battery is fully charged. If only i could find the rectifier.

 

[timmyboy76]

not the stater, the solenoid, where the red cable from battery goes into the black/grey box. Theres 2 post tere, jump those post...forgot to mention, I looked at diagram/microfiche of your ski, and believe the rectifier is uilt into the MPEM...

 

[dmkolano]

idk why I said stator, I meant soleniod.. and is there any way to buy a newer rectifier model and override the old one thats built in. i don't want to spend a ton of money for a new mpem. or can I replace the old rectifier in the mpem. I am almost positive its my rectifier not charging my battery. thats the only thing I can think of... I have tried everything else.

 

[2strokejunkies]

I have the same seadoo and i had the same problems with it.I thought it was the mpem and all those other things also.In the end it was the negative cable from the battery..the cable itself was no good.I used a special tester to test the wires for breakage in the casing.....try a new cable....

 

[garyrogalski]

In the 98 GSX Limited with the 951 engine, the rectifier is part of the MPEM. There is not a separate rectifier, so stop looking. The MPEM is about $600 new. Be sure that you do not have a stator problem before you spend the money for the MPEM. The stator is cheaper but is difficult to replace. Ebay is a good source for all of these parts.