Personal Water Craft Forum banner

'06 STX 15F Won't Start - Short? Start button resets Display

6K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  rossfree 
#1 ·
Hi All,

I just finished installing a SBP re-built engine. Mechanically it all looks good and ready to start.

When I first turned the key, I got a flashing "Kawasaki" in the upper left corner of the display. It just blinked "Kawasaki" like it would try to boot the display and then immediately reset and blink again.

The next morning, I pulled the 20 amp fuse and found quite a bit of corrosion. This ski has been in salt water. I decided to cut off the fuse connector and just connected the wires together (to eliminate that as being the problem).

I then turned on the switch again and this time the display booted up.

I inserted the wrist strap clip under the stop button and gave the green start button a push. Immediately, the display turned off and stayed off until I released the green start button. Then the display booted up as normal. Each time I pressed the start button, the display would turn off, then reboot when the start switch was released. Over and over.

This leads me to believe pressing the start switch is shorting something out, enough to drop the voltage to the display temporarily. I have not found any components that exhibit heating... none of the wires feel hot. And I can't figure where this short could be coming from (if it is in fact a short).

I disconnected the starter solenoid and tried again. Same thing happened. Following the schematic, the only other place that wire went to was the control box.

I pulled the control box out. It's "potted" with black rubber to protect the circuitry. But, weird, it looks like when they potted it, they dropped a tablespoon of rock salt into the goo before it dried. That's what it looks like! Crystals the size of rock salt stuck in the potting compound! It left me wondering, is that a sign of overheating, or is it just trash that got into the potting compound before it was completely set up?

So... with or without the starter solenoid connected, and with the fuse bypassed, the display goes blank when the start button is depressed. The solenoid does not pull in to start the engine. New battery nicely charged at 13.1 volts.

If you have any ideas I'm putty in your hands! Thank you!

Ross
 
See less See more
#3 ·
I did correct the problem but can't remember now exactly what it was. It was definitely a corrosion related connection on one of the wires coming from the battery. The corrosion acted like a large resistor. It allowed enough current through to operate the display but as soon as you tried to start the engine it sucked what little current was available away from the display and as soon as you released the start button the display would reset.

Start your search at the battery terminals and follow the wires through the connectors closely examining each as you do. I know the connection I found bad was one of the first or second connections leading away from the battery (negative terminal I think).

I am fairly certain this is where you will solve your problem!

Best of luck!

Ross
(603) 617-6464
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top