95 Seadoo XP Won't Start, Just Clicks

[nigelg]

1) Riding seadoo for 3 hours, would start and stop just fine, then it would not start at all, just clicking.
2) Took home, recharged battery over night, even though battery was at 12.32 volts.
3) Put battery back in the next morning, same problem just clicks.

Here are the steps I think I should take, but please advise:

1) Replace the negative battery cable from the battery to chassis
2) Check fuses

Questions:
1) I have heard something about taking out the spark plugs and then attempting to spin the propeller by hand?
2) I think I have heard a way to check the starter selenoid by tripping it out with a wrench or screwdriver, if it starts then replace the starter selenoid?

Any help anyone can offer is greatly appreciated, I am not a mechanic, but can do some of the more basic troubleshooting and can take and put things back together. Thought I would try all the simple things before taking it into the shop.

Thanks again and have a superb day!

-Nigel

[stevepaulus]

It's either a bad connection on the battery, starter or electrical box....or it's a faulty starter solenoid(relay).

And yes there are two lugs to the solenoid, just lay a scredriver over them and if it cranks it's the relay.

[ September 28, 2003, 06:38 PM: Message edited by: stevepaulus ]

[nigelg]

Thanks for the feedback, before attempting the solenoid trick I decided to:
1) Take out the spark plugs
2) Attempt to rotate the grey drive shaft(not sure of correct name), this would not budge.
3) The other 95 Seadoo XP does move quite freely, so I am afraid something is mechnically wrong with the engine or the drive shaft, something is definately jammed.

Anyway, does this mean that the engine is totally hosed? I had a friend put in a new engine last year, so hoping it has not gone through another engine with only about 50 hours.

There was plenty of Oil in the tank, and it would always go down slightly after every use, so it was pumping and utilizing oil, no leaks around, evertyhing is pretty solid and in excellent condition within the inards of the seadoo.

So the main question: Is something now mis-aligned, is the engine still good?

Any help is much appreciated.

-Nigel

[Colin GSXL]

First thing to check is that it is the motor that's siezed and not the pump (sucked a rope up???). Do this by pulling the pump off (easy job on a 95XP).
Also it could be something as simple as the starter motor jammed up so try unbolting that before pulling the motor.

[ September 29, 2003, 03:39 AM: Message edited by: Colin GSXL ]

[jaysherman]

pretty easy to pull the head and take a look, you can also push down on piston to move them.

[nigelg]

Thanks for the great feedback. I will look at the impeller tonight and see if something appears jammed in there.

Thank you for all of the help, it is priceless!

-Nigel

[stevepaulus]

pull the plugs and wiggle the driveshaft back and forth.

Mine did the same thing and it ended up being the starter hanging up in the flywheel.

I was freaking thinking it was the engine or pump.

[nigelg]

1) Do you know exactly where the STARTER is located?

2) Should I take the bottom plate off and wiggle it from the underside?

3)Should I be focusing on the part close to the motor, or farther back closer to the impeller?

Thanks for all the help!

[96xper]

First, pull both plugs out of the motor. Then try turning the drive shaft. If it still does not move, put the plugs back in and hook everything back up.
Secondly, go ahead and jump the starter relay, if the starter turns over (you have a bad relay), it will unjam itself. Then take out both plugs and see if you can turn it by hand. If it doesn't turn over when you jump the relay, then your starter is bad and you will need to replace. There are 3 bolts you have to take off, 2 in the front part and one in the back (the back bracket that bolts onto the motor itself).
The relay is a $21 part and easy to change out. The starter is pretty expensive brand new, you can find you a used one but then you are taking a chance.
Also make sure the little black wire coming out of the rear electrical box is grounded good and intact (96xps had them, so thats what I am going by).
Not 100% positive, but on the 720's I believe the starter is under the carbs.
Good luck,
96xper.

[nigelg]

Problem Resolved, thank you everyone for your help, here was the solution.

Rocked the PTO(Power Take Off), you take the grey plastic cover off to be able to grab onto it with both hands. With the spark plugs out, rocked the PTO back and forth, and eventually it broke loos and freed up. Engine starts now and it appears fine.

Thanks everyone for the help, for all I knew the motor was broken.

-Nigel

[Technical Support]

That's a bad starter or flywheel. The drive gear on the end of the starter was sticking and not retracting from the flywheel. You need to first pull off the starter and examine the teeth to make sure they aren't chewed up, and the bendix spring isn't bad. Then pull the flywheel cover off, and inspect the ring gear ont he flywheel. Sometimes the teeth get chewed up ont he backside, and sometimes the whole ring gear slides back on the hub - you may need a new flywheel.

[John Kubiak]

It could also be a weak, dying, or dead battery, as a lower than normal voltage reading (sometimes as high as 12.4 or 12.5) will cause a high amperage draw for the starter, and cause the starter drive, or "bendix" to hang up and seem to lock up the engine. This seems to be the condition you are descibing