Spark Plug Question...Im A Noobie

[WaveRaiderBoy]

As u prob seen my other posts can my jetskii not be starting cause a bad spark plug? I hit start it shows the lights flashing the oil and ect but no sound....

[wmsky]

Re: Spark Plug Question...Im A Noobie

If you press the starter button and the engine doesn't make any noise at all, then your starter isn't turning the engine. You might need a new battery. How old is the battery. Give us more info about the ski, how old it is, what model, if it's been running fine and just now stopped working, etc.

[WaveRaiderBoy]

Re: Spark Plug Question...Im A Noobie

to tell u the truth i dun kno hwo old teh battery is it isnt very old....and it is a waveraider600

[K6jet]

Re: Spark Plug Question...Im A Noobie

no sound at all means either:

1. Dead Battery (most likely, charge it up at 1 amp overnight, or get a new battery if its broke)

2. Starters dead (cost you around 200 for the starter motor)

3. Locked engine (you'll have to replace the engine)

4. Locked pump impellar (check around back, and see if the impellar has rusted to the wear ring, or if its hitting in any places, if so, you may need to replace the wear ring, impellar, or both.)

A bad spark plug wouldnt cause it not to make any sound. Note that these engines will run on one cylinder, and a bad plug will not affect starting, although if you cant remember how old they are, you SHOULD replace them, they greatly effect performance on 2 strokes, should be changed once a year, or every two years.

[lee_leses]

Re: Spark Plug Question...Im A Noobie

Everything said above is totally true, and all stuff that happens.

A few things I learned, some of them almost the hard way:

1) Never jump a jet-ski with a car! They're both 12 volts, but the car runs on about 100amps. Your battery in the car could be something like 400 cold cranking amps, the jet-ski battery is about 18 amps. You can destroy various electrical components in the ski by jumping it off a car. I know cause I damaged a factory gauge by doing it.

2) If you ever capsize and water gets in the carbs, you MUST get the ski running as soon as possible. Even sitting a day or two can be too long and ruin the carbs and/or the engine.

3) Try to always stay in at least 1-2 feet of water! You can easily destroy a jet pump or suck something into the cooling lines. Once your cooling lines are impaired, you can cause severe damage to the engine.

4) If your battery is not 100%, the ski may start on land, but when its in the water there may not be enough juice to turn the engine and also run the ignition system. So the ski might start on land, but not in the water.

5) Personally, during the first start of the season, I change the plugs, make sure the battery is perfect, and I also prime the carbs with gas. Anything less may not be enough to get that baby to turn over! And, many running or starting issues can be traced back to plugs. Always try checking for spark and checking the plugs and/or changing them if you're having a problem. The best primer of all is a gas/oil premix (the best for the engine), the worst is starter fluid with ether.

Things i've learned...

Lee B.

[WaveRaiderBoy]

Re: Spark Plug Question...Im A Noobie

well i hit the button i hear a very small hizzing noise and thne it dies

[skraggy]

Re: Spark Plug Question...Im A Noobie

Your answer most likely lies above in the others' replies.You need to either buy some test equiptment,start replacing parts,or take it to a shop that can diagnos it for you.It could be a number of things,things that we cannot hear or see to give you an exact diagnosis.

I have read some of your other posts at PWCtoday also...seems like you ask the same questions there,and get about the same answers.

[WaveRaiderBoy]

Re: Spark Plug Question...Im A Noobie

hey guys thanks for all the info...im goin up 2day and am goin to check it out...i thinks its probably the battery, so anyway thanks for the info ill be checkin everything u guys say..

[lee_leses]

Re: Spark Plug Question...Im A Noobie

Based on all the reading I did on the starting system while dealing with my current ski crisis, what I would do is:

1) Check the other things people said to check, especially check to see if the jet pump is locked up and keeping the engine from turning.

2) Make SURE the battery is in no less than perfect condition. They like to die with the slightest provication. I've given up trying to get two years out of them and replaced the battery yearly.

Always charge the battery with a battery tender to make sure it's fully charged before you're going to go for a ride. That saves a ton of problems.

3) If all else fails, and you want to try to do something with it yourself, I see no harm in taking the fat positive wire that comes from the starter and jumping it direct to your battery. If the starter turns, then its something with your start-stop switch or the starter relay/solenoid thats hidden in the electrical box of the ski.

4) I've heard that a lot of the time if it's the starter motor that all you have to do is replace the brushes in the starter motor and the motor will work for another couple of years.

Let me know if you need some more ideas!

Lee B.

[K6jet]

Re: Spark Plug Question...Im A Noobie

If it was the starter motor engagement gear, you should be able to hear the motor spinning, sounding a bit like a electric toothbrush without the head on, or just an electric engine spinning up.


I think its your battery, try charging it up overnight, then go from there.