SeaDoo just clicking - low battery?

[bamboo]

I have a 97 SeaDoo, last week tried to take it out and wouldn't start it would jsut click and click - like the crankshaft was turning 1 time per second. After reading about the finiky connections - I sanded the battery terminals and battery, and some(most) of the connections on the ignition box. I didn't go any farther in taking things apart because I got it to start after I let the battery charge for a while(so I assumed I fixed the connection and charged/jumped the battery because it was low from trying to start so many times. I charged the battery over night and then used the next day - which worked fine.

I assumed I fixed the bad connection issues. Now, 1 week later - I went to start and it did the same thing.

So, my assumption is now it's the battery. So my question is - is there a decent recomondation or anything to know when buying a new battery? Or basically any generic/walmart brand 12volt will do?

[ October 17, 2003, 03:00 PM: Message edited by: bamboo ]

[Technical Support]

I would recommend a quality AGM battery which will last longer and usually has a decent warranty.

[ October 17, 2003, 03:50 PM: Message edited by: Technical Support ]

[bamboo]

Basically - so any small sized 12volt is in spec? Or is there anything that makes it different?

Where would an AGM battery be found at?

[Technical Support]

it has to be the yb16clb size and it can any dealer, walmart, k-mart and they are around 50-60 dollars and make sure you follow the instructions to properly charge the battery

[bamboo]

Not to rehash this subject - but I replaced the battery and I still have the same problem.

It slows turns (click, click, click) like it doesn't have enough juice to fully turn. Jumping it doesn't help at all.

In the past, once I get it started it works fine - though, that was when I used it every weekend. Now, it's sat for 3 weeks and I can't get it close to turning.

I cleaned all of the connections on the electical box and battery terminals and applied di-electric grease. I did not do anything to the connection of the ground on the motor, nor the connection to the starter because it was difficult to get to. Is it worht doing that to? When I touch the to posts on the electrical box together it doesn't do anything.

Any ideas? 12.10 Volts on the battery, so I'm assuming it's not the battery - though who knows......

I'm stumped...

[bamboo]

With the spark plugs out it turns fine - it just doesn't have enough power to do it while they are in..

[bamboo]

actually i take that - when i take spark plugs out the rear cylinder bellows out tons of brown liquid (like tons!) and the front cylinder is like normal bilowing out air and a slight bit of oil/gas ....

No I'm really clueless - anytime I did that before it was like the front cylinder, mostly air - not heavy brown liquid..

[Bill O'Neal]

You have an internal case seal leaking oil into your cases or a stuck open and leaking needle and seat in that carb, filling the cases with fluid.

Your description of a "brown fliud" is really not what I usually see. It can be a frothy oily substance ( leaking oil seal) or a very liquid blackish dirty fluid that smells heavily of gasoline ( leaking needle and seat).

Typically a brown fluid would indicate rusty water in the cases.

Can you go out to the garage and remove that sparkplug and try and figure out if it's fuel, water or oil that is spewing from the sparkplug hole?

[Bill O'Neal]

Oh, and BTW, cheap batteries will cost you heavily when they start knocking out starter and solenoids and mpem's.

Use only OEM quality or better batteries in any watercraft. There are many 17 amp cheap batteries on the market, but a good 19 amp battery is necessary to protect the electronics on a late model Sea Doo.

Cheap batteries lead to many days of frustration at the lake, and expensive repairs at the shop. Pay an extra $15-20 and get a good battery. You will have a much better experence with your watercraft.

All batteries need attention regularily, a good float type trickle charger is mandatory to insure that your battery stays fully charged between useage of the watercraft.

Walmart is not a place to shop for a really good battery, although they sell a very good float charger there.

[ November 23, 2003, 03:10 PM: Message edited by: Bill O'Neal ]

[bamboo]

The smell of the brown liquid doens't really smell like gas - and honestly the first thing I thought was that it was water ingestiion and rust from crankcrase. This led me to imagine that the last time it was used a friend ingested water in the motor and didnt tell me...

Although, it is very filmy and slick like oil so that makes me feel a bit better in thinking it's oil.

Honesly I couldnt guess. It doesn't smell like gas, but it is definitly thicker than water.

I blew all of the liquid out and it started right up. Would leaving the gas switch on for a 3 week period of time cause the leak? Doesn't make sense - but I figured I'd ask..

Another scenerio I thought was maybe that the water was left on and the motor was shut off when it was being flushed backing water into the motor..

That ski not starting and just cranking slowly has happened ever since I bought the ski a few months ago - I assumed it was a battery, and my second assumption was because the VTS is shorted out and not working that it was keeping an open circuit that was draining the battery slowly.

__ I Just got it out of that cylinder and it starts up and runs - I ran it for a while on a flush kit and it starts up and runs...

For how long though, is what scares me..

I haven't been able to go to the lake, probably friday...

Why would it just be 1 cylinder though?

[ November 23, 2003, 03:53 PM: Message edited by: bamboo ]

[bamboo]

Also, there is a grey pasty substance that has came out of the exhaust and is sitting on the ride plate - what could that be??

[bamboo]

I am completely stupified with this one....

Any ideas?

[Technical Support]

That sounds like water contaminated oil.

[bamboo]

What substance are you refering to? The substance coming out of the cylinder or the stuff that is coming out of the exhaust?

It starts up now, before it cranked slowly.....

[Technical Support]

Oh I see what you mean...you are probably just seeing the oil built up from non-combustion mixing with water inthe exhaust, the grey stuff...nothing to worry about.