No start / dead SJ

[whennotsailing]

I am piecing my ski back together after a build and have no cranking action. I poked around with a test light and I have power up at the handle pole switch and my ebox appears to be grounded (at least the screws and bolts that hold it together at least) Doesn't the solonoid get it's ground from the ebox itself ? I can't hear solenoid even clicking, so I don't suspect starter .... Any thoughts ? Fuse is good btw. Starter worked fine last it was used, so I find it hard to believe it went dead just sitting.

Only thing I can think of, and still seems unlikely, is that I clipped my wire that goes from stator to ebox so I could install a set of quick disconnects there to pull motor without having to remove ebox too. Of those wires, a couple are the same color (as I recall two greens, two browns, a black and a white ?) It wouldn't matter what green is connected to what green would it ?

Thoughts ? How would one best go about finding the problem ?

 

[Harbor]

First pull up on the laynard button while trying to crank it, had that switch malfunction a few weeks back. Next I'd prolly open the Ebox and start at the starter solinoid, jump across the two fat b+ wires on the solinoid with a screw driver and see if it cranks. Next test the signals on the small wires at the solinoid, all it is an electronic switch, the two little wires need power and ground when hitting the start button, I think one is grounded to the Ebox at all times and the start stop button bring b+ in on the other when pressed. You get the idea I'am just quoting from memory

If you get ground and b+ on the little solinoid wires while pressing the start button then check next that the fat b+ wire from soliniod going to starter is getting b+ While you press the start button indicating the starter soliniod switch is closing as it should, if all this checks good and stRter doesn't spin and your Sure the battery is grounded well to the engine and your Ebox is grounded to the stator then you may need a starter

Yes the gound is in the Ebox, ground to engine block is thru stator wire harness, it terminates at the stator

 

[Quinc]

Check the ground cable that goes from the battery to the engine. Could also be water in your in ebox, when you checked your fuse was there any moisture in there?

 

[augustaf]

Your stator connections have nothing to do with the solenoid except for the black stator wire which grounds the box. You've already mentioned that the box has B- . Disconnect the small plug which comes a few inches off the ebox and has a red and a brown wire. corrosion might have gotten to it, if so, scrape the pins and grease them. This red wire is always hot unless the fuse inside the box is blown. The brown wire powers the solenoid which has a ground lead inside the ebox. Take a paper clip and touch the red to the brown- the solenoid should click. Your first post about poking around with a test light is scary. Don't puncture the wiring ! If you did, seal each hole with RTV or similar. Water will get to the wire itself , corrode it and cause it to fail eventually.

 

[whennotsailing]

Didn't poke the wiring, just hitting different terminals and such...

I uncovered a rookie mistake, I had the brown(or is it red? my stuff very discolored) from the stator connected to the brown from the solenoid, as a result the brown from the starter switch was connected to the MSD, changed those around and the solonoid is now clicking... I thought the male/female bullets were reversed in any instance that it would matter? I didn't pay close enough attention when putting the MSD in I guess, that would cause my issue right ? (see comment below about brown being a ground interrupt? Browns have to be in the right place, right ?).

After reversing those I got a few week cranks out of the starter and then nothing more. Next logical thing to do was jump the solenoid with a screwdriver and it cranked strong (ruled out starter). Correct my thought process if wrong, but I am led to believe the solenoid is my issue. I hit the starter cable side of it with the test light grounded to the battery and it isn't lighting up, so no joice flowing through the solenoid even though it is clicking. The small black and brown both grounded out ok.

Also - let me get this straight if I may, the brown and red coming from the switch on the handlepole - the brown functions as a ground interrupt in order to kill the ski, correct ? And then, it appears the entire ebox is grounded via a small black coming in from the stator ? I seem to recall a thread mentioning running an additional ground to the ebox... ?

So time to shop for a solenoid - How much and where can I get the best price ?

 

[whennotsailing]

Looks like they can be had on ebay for $10 - 12 all day long, any reason not to ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-Supe..._Watercraft_Parts&hash=item337c7193c3&vxp=mtr

 

[Harbor]

Looks like they can be had on ebay for $10 - 12 all day long, any reason not to ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-Supe..._Watercraft_Parts&hash=item337c7193c3&vxp=mtr

Your better off getting an OE solenoid, I bought the cheaper ones not knowing better, since I have two skis and one malfunctioning soliniod I bought 3, 2 for spares. Well during the season another went bad, no problem I stock it right? So I replace it, still same symptom, click click now iam chasing my tail scratching my head, test again oh new soliniod no good ok I got another, put that one in and it does nothing! but if I jump it then works twice then nothing again WTF!

Ordered 2 OE's next now no problems for two years

I agree your soliniod has failed, the soliniods high currant contact burns, distorts and shrinks to the point no good contact is made when energized

 

[augustaf]

Quote: Also - let me get this straight if I may, the brown and red coming from the switch on the handlepole - the brown functions as a ground interrupt in order to kill the ski, correct ?

No! As previously mentioned, red from h/pole switch is always hot, push green button with lanyard in place and the red connects to the brown energizing the solenoid.
The killing is done when black connects to white of said harness- it grounds the cdi.