1994 Seadoo SPX Dies but Restarts

Luke000

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Aug 19, 2013
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I pulled my 1994 SPX out of the garage over the weekend to get it fired up running on the spigot. I put new gas in it, hooked up a good battery, etc. The jet ski will start up and run for about 10-30 seconds and then dies, it does not seem like a fuel problem and more of an electrical issue somewhere. I was having a problem with it dyng at high speed last year, so i rebuilt the carbs and replaced all the fuel lines as well as cleaned up the ground cable that attaches to the engine to no help. The symptoms are the same this year only much more prolific. When the jet ski dies, the oil light turns off (always on, I premix) it will restart and run right away after dying. I am stumped of where to start looking, any advice is much appreciated! I will answer any questions the best i can.
 

alldodge

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I pulled my 1994 SPX out of the garage over the weekend to get it fired up running on the spigot. I put new gas in it, hooked up a good battery, etc. The jet ski will start up and run for about 10-30 seconds and then dies, it does not seem like a fuel problem and more of an electrical issue somewhere. I was having a problem with it dyng at high speed last year, so i rebuilt the carbs and replaced all the fuel lines as well as cleaned up the ground cable that attaches to the engine to no help. The symptoms are the same this year only much more prolific. When the jet ski dies, the oil light turns off (always on, I premix) it will restart and run right away after dying. I am stumped of where to start looking, any advice is much appreciated! I will answer any questions the best i can.

Kind of hard to find this one, how is the start/stop switch, any issues with it?
 

Jeff Walkowiak

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Jun 23, 2004
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Those older sea doos have a little cap that attaches to your lanyard it holds down a button in your kill switch, I recall those getting weak where the little inner lip holds it to the post, this allows the switch to ground out the ignition just like you pulled it off, I remember using a cable tie around the outside of the cup to tighten it,s grip and prevent it from allowing the switch to kill the engine when you don't want it to. next time it is running wiggle the cap and see if it kills the engine.
It really sounds more like it is actually fuel related though as soon as it runs out of fuel in the intake it quits, try putting in a bit more when it begins to stall if it picks back up as soon as you put more fuel in the carbs I would think that would answer your question
 

Luke000

Restoration Forum Splash of the Year 2016
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Aug 19, 2013
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346
Alldodge, I am going to try the ignition switch, i happen to have a spare somewhere from a jet ski i parted out, just need to find it.
Jeff, that was one of the first things i tried was the lanyard switch, so for my trials in the driveway i bypassed it to no help. Ill give the shooting fuel in the carbs a shot, but it does not start to chug or give any symptoms before it dies, it just suddenly dies like you turned it off with a switch.
 
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