96 gtx starting problem

[H2ODawgs]

Re: 96 gtx starting problem

Finished cleaning up the starter. Noticed some spots on the rear mounting bracket near the hot battery cable that may be from shorting (arcs) at some point. I bent the positive cable as to mount away from motor and added a washer to raise the cable so there is no possible short with mounting bracket. Starter install was pretty easy since I was well familiar with where the screws went. After all said and done, same symptoms. Will order a starter as everything else has been eliminated. My model GTX must be different configuration as I can't tell how removing the pipe would help with the starter. I did remove the air intake but left everything else intact. Once you find the screws (with mirrors), it's not too bad.

[H2ODawgs]

Re: 96 gtx starting problem

Ok, got 2 new starters (from sbt). Installed the sbt starter in the gtx with all terminals clean and tight, new power cables and new solenoid...SAME EXACT SYMPTOMS! Unbelievable. I really didn't think it was the starter from the beginning as it looked really good to me but I decided at $99 and considering the age of the craft that a new starter wouldn't be a bad investment. Now I am really stumped. The only thing I can figure is that there has to be a huge power drain somewhere but I have no idea where. I guess the next step is to disconnect all wiring and wire the starter directly to a car battery just to see if the engine will spin. It turns over fine w/o plugs in but will not turn the motor with them in. Also motor is very easy to turn by hand (plugs out) at PTO. I'm really in despair now since the gsx on the dock is showing the same signs.
ANYBODY????

[H2ODawgs]

Re: 96 gtx starting problem

Finally got it fired up. Pulled every electrical connection on the pwc. Disconnected them all, one at a time. Then straight wired the starter to an auto battery, double grounded just for good measure. At first got pretty much the same symptoms except that the motor did turn over 1 rev. Left connected to battery long enough for wire to get warm. Let cool for several minutes then tried again. This time there was an obvious increase in torque from the starter and motor fired right up. After several minutes of running (with flush kit of course), I hooked everything back up and connected the same doo battery I have been using. This time the lanyard beeped (first time in 3 years I've heard it) and the motor fired right up. I really wish I knew exactly what the problem was but at this point I am glad my 2 week long ordeal is over and I must move on to the other doo that will not start. I am still convinced there is something shorting (grounding) in the circuitry that is causing a current "lock-up" but I know I am treading in fairy-land here so I won't continue. On to the next doo.......
Thanks all for your input and encourgement. This forum has always been an asset for me.

PS...one other thing I noticed is the SBT starter would spin without the bendix engaging. The old OEM starter would ALWAYS engage the bendix but then fail to turn the engine. This really makes me wonder if the sbt starter has equivalent torque to the oem. Then again the bendix spring in the old starter should have been weaker than the new one. I left the new starter on but will keep the old one just in case.

[H2ODawgs]

Re: 96 gtx starting problem

Problems resolved. I feel pretty foolish but thought I'd post my end results in hopes it will save somebody some time, money and frustration. Problems turned out to be batteries. The original (1 year old batt) was weak to the point that even on a full charge (and good load test mind you) that it would turn the engine with high compression. Purchased 2 new (Power Source) maint-free batteries and each battery got the same results as the old battery. Turns out that BOTH of the new batteries were defective. Unfortunately I didn't discover this fact until after I had purchased 2 new solenoids, 2 new starters and replaced both the hot and ground wires. When I went to recharge one of the batteries (after many start attempts) it darned near blew up - plastic casing swelled to the size of a gallon milk jug. I took both batteries back and unbelievably the other new battery did the same exact thing in the shop when they put a test charge on it. Imagine the odds of that happening. I didn't mention the jumper cable attempt - turned out the jumper cable I was using had wire damage half way down the wire. It wasn't bad enough to see originally but further testing showed a break. I'm posting all of this in hopes that everyone having starting problems will make every effort to rule out battery problems or grounding problems before they start pulling the doo apart. I thought I had ruled out all of those issues by buying 2 new batteries. Who would have thought that both could be bad??? Lesson learned for me.