SN for the wife maiden voyage...NOT! (help)

[McDog]

I carry the sn I built for my wife to the water today for it's maiden voyage. It won't turn over. I think battery. I put a new Jetworks battery in it fresh off the battery tender. Still nothing but some humming. Then I remember that the plastic impeller housing was binding and how I hoped it would self clearance...not. OK...I pull the pump and dremel the hell out of the wear ring and free it all up. Before I put it back in I try starting the ski to see if it will turn over with no driveshaft resistance at all.

It will turn over. But it is turning over so SLOW that it won't start. The motor has a RIVA head with 35cc domes but it should still turn over at a reasonable speed. I also noticed that the negative battery wire was smoking(literally) hot. What gives?:dunno: I checked all the cable connections and cannot figure out what is wrong.

 

[McDog]

And before anyone asks. I tore this motor down to the case and it is fine. It turns by hand just fine.

 

[Matt_E]

Bad starter, most likely.

Try removing one or both spark plugs and cranking it.

The hot wire is an indication that plenty of current is passing through the starter, but the slow turning indicates it's locked up.

 

[Kennay]

I will go with Matt and say bad starter..... if it's turning at all, it's not likely it's anything but the starter (Could be a connection, but I doubt it)

I recently had a 650sx starter go out on me while I was checking compression numbers on it so I could sell it.

I bet if you pull the starter apart, you will find that it is not so nice looking on the far end where the 4 tiny magnets contact the end of the shaft. Bet it's rusty...

 

[guiness92]

I had that problem and it ended up being bad connections to the battery. I replaced the battery cables, they were corroded on the inside.

 

[Boris]

Bench test the starter and I bey it won't sound healthy at all.

 

[marz831]

I would try replacing the ground cable first

 

[McDog]

Is there anything more to bench testing the starter than taking it out and pushing the start button?

 

[McDog]

Is there a way to check the cables with the voltmeter I got from Sears? I'm a retard when it comes to electrical.

 

[Kennay]

You would need to ohm them to check the resistance

 

[McDog]

Bad starter, most likely.

Try removing one or both spark plugs and cranking it.

The hot wire is an indication that plenty of current is passing through the starter, but the slow turning indicates it's locked up.

What does removing the plugs do?

 

[McDog]

You would need to ohm them to check the resistance

What ohm reading would indicate bad wires?

 

[Kennay]

make it alot easier to spin the engine over....


It's the starter or a connection/ cable, you might as well go ahead and start pulling crap out of the way to get to it...

 

[Kennay]

What ohm reading would indicate bad wires?

No idea... I pretty much pulled that out of my ass. :spam::laugh2:

 

[Kennay]

This might help though

http://www.aa1car.com/library/voltage_drop_testing.htm

 

[Mouthfulloflake]

use some jumper cables from your car.

put the negative ( black ) on the battery Neg, and the other end clamp to a bolt on the head.

try to start. this will tell you if your boats ground cable is OK or not.

do the same with the + ( red) jumper, except, put it on the starter red bolt, make sure it isnt touching anything else, and then touch the other clamp to the battery + red.

if it spins over with either or both of these tests, its your cables.

if it doesnt, its your battery, starter, or engine resistance.

 

[McDog]

use some jumper cables from your car.

put the negative ( black ) on the battery Neg, and the other end clamp to a bolt on the head.

try to start. this will tell you if your boats ground cable is OK or not.

do the same with the + ( red) jumper, except, put it on the starter red bolt, make sure it isnt touching anything else, and then touch the other clamp to the battery + red.

if it spins over with either or both of these tests, its your cables.

if it doesnt, its your battery, starter, or engine resistance.

Thanks man! That's some dang good advice.

I appreciate everyone trying to help me out.

 

[Waternut]

Humming definately sounds like the starter is gone or needs some attention. The brushes actually sound worn or it's binding. I don't know how hard it is to pull an SJ starter apart but the kawi starters are really easy.

Check out the commutator and brushes for burning, heavy gouging, and if you have a shop manual and calipers...check the upper and lower wear limits for both. If they just look burned or gouged, some fine sand paper or coarse steel wool and a drill will clean it right up to a pretty mirror finish. Brushes should be easy and cheap enough to replace if you can find some.

I have to ask though...you took it all the way to the water without starting it up first? okey:

 

[snowxr]

I would put money on the battery cables or starter.

 

[Mike W]

I would try replacing the ground cable first

If the cable is smoking I would put money on it being bad. I had the same thing happen last year. The cable was corroded just after the starter.