VTS problems

[KSUBrian]

my VTS motor works and moves the nozzle up and down like it should but the indicator in the info center always reads it is in the down position. When you trim the VTS up, the indicator moves up a few spots then goes back down to the bottom. Is the a way to fix this?

 

[fixitjs]

vts module

i have a 96 gsx and the indicator always indicates clear up. i have a spare vts module and was thinking of installing it to see if it changes. the manual doesnt talk much about the system but in reading the wiring diagram i figure there must be position sensor in the vts module that sends a signal forward to the display via the brown/white & brown/black wires.

anyone ever cut open one of these vts modules?

 

[KSUBrian]

I agree there must be some kind of sensor that sends a signal to the info center. I can't see anything in the housing where the worm screw and sliding block is located. Parts diagram doesn't give any clues. In the electrical section of the shop manual it states a pentiometer can be attached to the info center to test resistance values. There is a chart that shows the resistance values at the various levels of the LCD Graphic. Since different resistances result in different LCD graphic levels, ther must be something in the VTS unit that provides the different levels of resistance. Does anybody know how this works?

 

[harleycop]

I just replaced the VTS on my 1996 spx. The sliding shaft has a small magnet on the top and the module has tiny magnetic pick-ups on the circuit board that is encased inside the black goo on top of it. As the sliding shaft moves, the pickups read which one the magnet is closest to and sends the signal to the gauge.

 

[KSUBrian]

Thanks Harley!! I'll check to make sure my magnet is on the shaft and the pick-ups aren't covered in grime.

 

[chairman]

You can buy that small magnet at Claire's, get the cheapest pair of
magnetic earrings. They come with two rare earth magnets.
You can get them for a buck. You never know what you will
learn with girls in the family. PS you don;t have to glue them to the
VTO arm unless the steel or old magnet is gone.

Have fun.

 

[gutterboy2ca]

VTS worm gear

I just replaced the non working seized VTS motor in my 96 XP, before putting it all back together i pulled the worm gear and shaft to inspect and clean it.My magnet was completely corroded and rotted off,didn,t bother replacing it,never thought of my ear rings,lol..heres a crappy pic of the magnet position,and what salt does to it and the vts motor.

 

[chairman]

Wow That is bad looking. Have you tried making the motor with the pictured
green wires? It is hard to see the magnet, but remove all of the rust and see
if there is room for your new ear rings lol, hay it works. I'm going to fix
my secound one this way.

The look on the clerk face is great when you ask for them, they will ask
who is this for and after they know it is for a project they will find the cheap
cheap ones.

Paul

 

[gutterboy2ca]

VTS motor,

Funny enough paul,i pulled that motor,assuming it was toast,ordered a new one from ebay(used)come to find out all that was wrong with the old one was corroded wire terminal.Replaced the terminal on motor pigtail,plugged it in,works just fine,now i have 2,lol..
Think i'll send wife after the ear rings though,lol..

 

[chairman]

LOL about sending the wife.

Great to hear that a closer look solved the problem

 

[chairman]

The first pic will show the size of the magnet
The second shows the before installing the magnet
The last is ...
Ask to see the cheapest pair and told the Lady at the store I only need one
magnet. She had a damaged pair and gave me a couple extra magnets.
Cool. Cheap fix...

 

[seadoobutch787]

That vts system is expensive. If you don't use it alot i would take the vts worm motor out and set the worm gear by hand so that it places the nozzle in the sweet spot and leave it. Those things are worthless, if you need a nozzle system then a manual drop system will be the best bet.

Those older vts housings had a cheap potting compound on the top and over the years they will crack and allow water to seep into it. This will cause a short circuit and fry it. I was lucky i had a 97xp and when i was done for the day i opened the back up to find the vts housing smoking real bad and popping. I unplugged it right away and it stopped. I think the newer models are better in design but be careful if you have an old one.

Also make sure that the rubber accordian boot in the back that goes over the worm gear has updated plastic hose clamps. The stock clamps were ss clamps and over time with the worm gear going in and out it would tear into the boot and allow water into the worm gear motor.

 

[pyro]

The magnetic earrings is a great idea. My boot was dry rotted and completly broken off, so defiantly make sure to check the boot. I ordered a new one and waiting for it to come in. My VTS motor is pretty rusted as well due to this, but suprisingly seems to operate ok.

I had a damaged VTS circuit board and I'm working on re-making the circuit from scratch. Just ordered the electronic parts for $37. Hopefully will post the details by next week if all is sucessful.

 

[chairman]

Yea, post your electronic results.
I got my ski back together over the weekend and have lots of problems, two out of three gauges don't work, bummer. I still have more electric problems besides the the trim gauge not working.

Found a bad gas leak, NOT GOOD, Could be the tank filler neck, ran out of time.

Best part is it runs. Just dont have the guts to ride it with a fuel leak..

 

[chairman]

VTS warning

The earing trick did not fix my current VTS, major bummer..

The motor still works, but when set in the down position, it
takes on water via the suction pickups.

Solution, Bypass the suctions pickup at pump. Just disconnect both
pickups at the pump and loop back to itself. 1ft 5/16 hose works great.

This must have been the death of the VTS in the first place, and why
I got this ski cheap...

Hope this new update helps someone else..

 

[jakedog5150]

magnet

I see the magnet in the pic. but where is that rod the magnet sits in and how do you get to it.

 

[chairman]

I see the magnet in the pic. but where is that rod the magnet sits in and how do you get to it.

The rod that your looking for is inside the vts unit.
To take it out do the following:
Looking at the pump from behind the ski, you can see one end of the rod.
Disconnect 10mm bolts on rod then remove the boot.
From the inside:
Just take off vts cover then the three bolts from the motor as you pull
the motor out the rod will come out.
If you wish just leave the main part of the VTS attached to the hull.

Once it is appart you can see how it goes in/out.
Notice the rod has some large threads that match the ones on the motor.

If the only problem is a missing/rusted magnet add one then test without
putting it back together.

You can hear the magnetic switches open and close as you slide the rod
in/out and watch the gauge work. If the magnet is not strong enough you can be fooled into thinking it is working ok when you slide the rod in/out of the vts unit by hand.
This very fact is how I figured out how it worked without the motor but after
putting all back together it would fail.

good luck

 

[jakedog5150]

Thank you for the detailed instructions they were very easy to follow. I did get the rod out and the magnet was rusted. I cleaned it and tested it like you suggested before putting it back together (thanks for that tip) but it did not work, I'm guessing that the magnet is just not strong enough. I will get a new magnet and try again. Should I pry out the old one or just put the new one on top and glue it in ?

 

[chairman]

Thanks for the update.

Read backwards in this post, for where to get the Strong magnets.:redface:
Maybe you can get your girl friend to get them for you..

I have not needed any glue because there so strong...

 

[68ragtop]

I realize this is an aging post, but wanted to add some info to it for future searches.

I was screwing with some things with my 96 GSX & realized my VTS gauge was showing the trim all the way up, regardless of its position. this was working fine just a month back. I pulled the VTS assembly apart & found the position magnet was very rusted, In fact, I'm really not sure where it even went when I cleaned things up. I stopped at my local hardware store this morning & picked up some small neodymium magnets. I stacked two of them in the magnets original location, & tried it out. It worked perfect for the gauge when I tested it, 167ohms up & 24ohms down, so I put everything back together.

To my surprise it would not actually go all the way up or down. This was the moment that I realized there are limit switches in these VTS assemblies. Previously mine would just spin until it would reach its mechanical limits, & stall the motor. I thought that was normal & the gauge was working at this time.

It turned out my problem was the magnets i used were too strong, & it would stop the motor before it would get to full travel. I took it apart again & removed one of the two magnets I had just installed, & it now works just as it should.

I never knew these VTS units had limit switches, & I learned something new today.

 

[smc0922]

Any pictures? I am in process of pulling the VTS on my GSi for its inaccurate resistance measurements.

 

[68ragtop]

Any pictures? I am in process of pulling the VTS on my GSi for its inaccurate resistance measurements.

Sorry, I didn't think to take any & I found this post after I had it back together & working. However, taking it apart is very simple, assuming the GSI is the same, I pulled it apart without removing the outer VTS housing. Seriously took about 15 minutes to take it all apart this way. My magnets looked very similar to post #11 above.

 

[smc0922]

No big deal.. Holiday rushing around has stalled me, I have to make the PVC pipe wrench to get the VTS out. 20 minutes of work is killing my motivation.

 

[68ragtop]

Shawn, Not sure you need to do that. If you take the outside nozzle linkage rod off the VTS, & take the smaller clamp off the shaft boot, you can then remove the inside housing cover, remove the 4 nuts holding the motor in the housing & pull it out. You'll end up taking that apart anyway, so there's no point in removing the VTS housing from the hull. Extra work, thats not needed.

 

[kicker]

I realize this is an aging post, but wanted to add some info to it for future searches.

I was screwing with some things with my 96 GSX & realized my VTS gauge was showing the trim all the way up, regardless of its position. this was working fine just a month back. I pulled the VTS assembly apart & found the position magnet was very rusted, In fact, I'm really not sure where it even went when I cleaned things up. I stopped at my local hardware store this morning & picked up some small neodymium magnets. I stacked two of them in the magnets original location, & tried it out. It worked perfect for the gauge when I tested it, 167ohms up & 24ohms down, so I put everything back together.

To my surprise it would not actually go all the way up or down. This was the moment that I realized there are limit switches in these VTS assemblies. Previously mine would just spin until it would reach its mechanical limits, & stall the motor. I thought that was normal & the gauge was working at this time.

It turned out my problem was the magnets i used were too strong, & it would stop the motor before it would get to full travel. I took it apart again & removed one of the two magnets I had just installed, & it now works just as it should.

I never knew these VTS units had limit switches, & I learned something new today.

So just to be clear, it is the magnet that is the limit switch? In other words if the gauge is not working properly but your VTS is moving chances are that the VTS motor is not hitting a limit and gonna burn itself out if you hold the UP or DOWN button too long.