Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

[wakehunter]

This is a "reprint" of a post on PWCracer that's gotten just a little traction - hopefully some members here can add some pearls of wisdom:

I've got a gently used '98 WaveRunner XL1200 with one strange issue - the display doesn't show any reading while running. The watercraft runs perfectly fine otherwise.

I've passed two inspections as found in chapter 7 (Indication System) of the service manual for this machine...

This "Multi Function Meter" screen(s) indeed work themselves- all functions are displayed during the 1 minute test sequence. The screen shows *no indication* whatsoever when the engine is started, however!!

The manual states that when the engine is started, there should be two beeps with "welcome to waverunners", followed by regular operation. I get nothing on the screen. No MPH, Fuel, Oil, Battery, etc. etc. etc....

There's also no appropriate response to the "lock code" - in other words it seems indifferent as to
if the display reads "locked" or "startup", and starts regardless (thankfully this craft can be used in spite of the screen's condition). I can "reset" the lock code with the blue one-pin connector disconnected and by following the instructions accordingly, but this security feature is also apparently non-functional during "normal" operation...

Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Technical Support]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

Check all your wiring connections, then get a new gauge cluster.

[torquenut]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

SBT dude is on the money. Your gauge is not hooked up right. Check the connectors, they should be the same color. In other words if the connector coming from the engine is black than the other end coming from the gauge should also be black. From what you discribe some one has by passed the gauge. Dont forget to re code the gauge once you hook it up as it will not let you start. if you dont know disconnect the small blue connector, the center top light should come on. Press and hold the mode botton till you get the security display, put your new four code and reconnect the blue connector.

[wakehunter]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

I will look into this ASAP and reply again...

THANKS for the posts (and the hospitality)! :D

[wakehunter]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

Well I checked the junctions "under the hood" and all connectors were indeed both keyed logically and color coordinated... While I'd love for this to be the simple solution, the only possible mixup I could conceive is that two black colored "dual-lead" connectors could've been swapped at some point, but I don't want to risk shorting something out!! The marking on the wiring looks like they match on either side of the connectors at this point, however.... hmmm

To check the wiring connections, am I to assume I'm looking for good grounds to start? I've tried following a wiring diagram in the service manual, but everything immediately disappears underneath all the guts! Any suggestions on how to check wiring without a great deal of dissassembly??

Thanks again!!

p.s. Is the gauge cluster considered to be this array of connectors, or is it something else (inside the display housing, for example)??

[torquenut]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

OK you lost me. The yamas with your style of guage have a pass key feture to prevent theft. If the gauge is bypass it will not light up, can also be a bad gauge. I'll walk you thru the correct sequence. Find the two wire harnesses coming from the handle bar section. One set will have a brown wire and red wire the other white wire and black wire. They should go to the harness that then goes bact to the gauge, them from the gauge it goes ito the engine harness. Is it this way? if you need email me and I will give you my number and call me. I made the mistake once of posting my number and got calls very late, hope you understand.

[wakehunter]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

I see it important to "bump" this thread for a few reasons:

1) With torquenut's help we determined I indeed did *not* have all wiring connected as normal - in particular a "clear" 2-lead connector and a "black" 2-lead connector on this '98 model were swapped by the previous owner thus bypassing the display! (this is why I was able to start the craft and is certainly how the previous owner skirted the underlying problem!!). For this I stand corrected.

2) Other people on this forum have likely encountered my circumstance, so given the above discovery I want to keep this thread "fresh" as the wagons are circled...

3) I plan to try a couple of more things (in the following order) very soon as to determine if:

a = I've got a bad connection (wiring etc.) between the rectifier and the display
b = I've got a bad rectifier (power to all things while the engine is running)
c = I've got a bad display (seemingly unlikely)

4) Most importantly, I want to say a big public THANK YOU to torquenut for "his efforts above and beyond the call of duty"!!! :D

more to come later....

[wakehunter]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

The latest testing has produced the following:

I put a volt meter on the harness coming from the fuse box that has 4 wires:

Red, Pink, Green, Black

Torquenut's suggestion was to measure the green wire (from rectifier) while the engine was running to see if the gauge was getting power from the rectifier. I did so and there was NO MEASURABLE VOLTAGE!

It appears that this might very well be the culprit, but before I go and order one and try a replacement, I've got one more possibility to eliminate:

How does the lighting coil serve the charging system? The service manual uncludes this part in the charging system diagram, and I'm curious about it in particular because (before I purchased this craft) a local shop diagnosed *this* specifically as the problem. Judging by what they charged the previous owner for a battery replacement, I've never felt like their $700 lighting coil replacement (!) was the answer. I'm hopeful I can eliminate this as a possibility with an explanation of it's function and/or an explanation of how to measure/test it without removing it...

Thanks!

[wakehunter]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

Well winter never came to us in the Pacific NW, so after replacing a blown exhaust hose due to a clogged manifold, I've returned to this issue.

Replaced rectifier and........... nothing.

Back to the drawing board.... :(

Hey SBT: by gauge cluster, do you mean the connectors under the handlebars themselves, or the "meter assembly"?

Any other ideas out there?

Thanks!

[David3aces]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

Yamaha uses 2 phase charging systems in their waverunners meaning 2 green wires come off the lighting coil inside electrical box. With engine running, AC voltage can be measured between green wire to green wire to test coil inside engine. A resistance test can also be done across these wires. .9 ohms is the spec for a yamaha twin....not sure about a 3 cyl. Look for a good AC voltage on these wires... Green wire at guage senses engine running and guage runs off red/battery wire when on....to save extra work, see if you have battery power on red wire at guage and good ground at black wire at guage and AC power at green wire at guage before opening up flywheel or electrical box. Hope this helps and doesn't confuse

[David3aces]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

The 2 green wires go to the rectifier which changes the ac current to dc and then only goes to the battery. A tap off one green wire(before the rectifier) goes to the guage to excite the guage. The guage then runs off the battery.
The guage has a significant draw on the battery as the boat sits thanks to the security feature inside the guage. I took them 4 years to discover that this is a problem.
Good luck with that fine SBT engine.

[wakehunter]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

Hey David -

Thanks for your informative posts -much appreciated! :D
I've got 12v or so showing up on the red wire beneath the handlebars, and the green wire has no voltage whether the engine is running or not. Can you clarify how I can measure voltage while the engine is running "across the 2 green wires" as you mentioned?

At the risk of sounding perhaps even more ignorant, how would you recommend a confirmed ground at the black wire?

On another note, I didn't realize the gauge runs off battery power after being "excited" by the lighting coil's green lead... I've been told the *lighting coil* charges the battery, but instead it seems it's the rectifier that is responsible for this... (at the very least, having been recently replaced it should be good :D ).

Thanks for your great posts.Your explanation of the gauge power draw is an interesting "feature"... maybe this is why my battery charge seems to disappear so quickly so often... :(

[David3aces]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

do a resistance test between two green wires inside electrical box...a low resistance should be found...if a infinite restance (open connection) between the two green wires is found, then you have a bad coil. The coil consists of wire wrapped around a piece of steel. If wire is broken, it won't work.

You can measure ac voltage between these wires also with engine running, but I don't know what the output should be.

[David3aces]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

the black ground wire at the guage connector (harness side) should have little or no resistance between it and engine head bolt.disconnect white connector from guage as boat sits to save battery. to start reconnect and then enter code. Hope this helps. sounds like a bad coil to me.

[wakehunter]

Re: Multi-Function Display Gauges not (always) working - Help!

I found two green wires of the same 'cluster' inside the fuse box, unplugged the connectors, and tested for any resistance across the two 'female' plugs that come from outside the fuse box and found no reading whatsoever. One of these two connects inside to the green w/ white stripe wire that comes from the rectifier - Does this sound like the right two? Reading the service manual it seems these are the two leads that go to either side of the lighting coil as you speak of, but another green wire from the other 'cluster' had me wondering. It's connector is keyed in the opposite direction and appears to go on to the meter assembly from what I can tell so I *think* I got the right two - in either case thanks again for helping me finally address this lighting coil! :D If this is correct, is the black ground at the gauge 'out of the picture' with regards to the lighting coil?

Given I've identified a broken coil, I think I'm ready to try to remove the stator assembly, which brings up a few thoughts:

Can I remove the oil pump on the outside of the flywheel cover without removing all the hoses? The service manual outlines this removal with all the hoses coming off, but I'm hoping I can remove it's two bolts and let it gently "dangle" as I carefully remove the 8 flywheel cover bolts. It's my understanding I would then find the stator assy attached to the inside of the cover.... any guidance here would be most appreciated.

Once removed, my plan is to send this assembly to JetSkiSolutions where they rebuild the coils to above factory spec at a price wll below the cost of the replacement Yamaha part... any thoughts here?

Man, I hope I'm close to solving this one! :)

THANKS AGAIN!!