2000 SLX will not run HELP

[Sinister SLX]

I have about had it with this problem on my SLX. Here is everything from the top...see if you can help.

Bought new 6/01, rode rest of sumer fine winterized, stored 9 months. Got it out; put in battery and she started right up. A few days later go to the lake...turns over but nothing. Come home; recharge now dead (from cranking) battery and put it in...starts....go to lake and ride. About a week later....go to lake...cranks but nothing. Go home recharge battery put in and it starts...go to lake a few hours later...same...turns but no start. I say enough of this and get new battery and new spark plugs. Starts fine after that no matter how long it sits BUT every now and again I would ride, and either beach it or just cut the engine to talk to a riding buddy for a few minutes and it would be EXTREMELY difficult to start on occasions but always did eventually start. This continues until last week. Last week... go riding but I turn off the engine for about one minute. It will not start!! I had to be towed in (and it was done slowly). Tried to start once towed in ...nothing (engine turns over though). Being busy the machine sat until yesterday. I go out to "fix" it but try to start it first...starts right up and runs fine. Thinking things resolved themselves I quit for the day and go to ride today....try to start it....turns over but no starting. After a long time of trying to start it I pull the battery and replace with the one from my 97 Wave Raider known to be good as I had just ran it hours ago. I also cleaned the plugs and tried to start...turns over but no start....WHAT IS UP?

Fuel : The stuff stored in it over winter was gone MANY tank fulls ago.

Plugs : Are correct and show very nice tan color on all three

I tried the electrical reset, opened the black box to see if any wires were disconnected or fuse blew---all looked good.

Took out rear most plug, hooked to cap and turned over---could not see any spark.

The thing runs great every time it is able to start...only thing is it tends to load up in long no wake zones but I feel this has nothing to do with the problem---a small turn of the low speed screw should fix this anyway.

Other gripes that came about from this problem:

Polaris has the worst electrical box/battery placement out there. Get the battery so you can remove it and put the electrics up and out of the way--as an engineering student I am flabbergasted this hodge-podge arrangement was allowed.

A drain plug on BOTH sides of the rear of the hull would be nice so I could actually drain all the water out.

Those reinforcing ribs (I take it) on the bottom of the hull trap all kinds of water.

[Bryan Glynn]

You are right - the inner hull surface ribs, the battery/electrical box placement and lack of plugs are some REALLY STUPID design quirks of Polaris, and I was amazed some idiot ever put the design to paper (or screen) in the first place, let alone that it's remained for the last decade!

Check and make sure you don't have a current draw with the ski off, and check your voltage at the battery with the ski running.

[ August 28, 2002, 04:18 PM: Message edited by: Bryan Glynn ]

[polaridoo]

The fact that the problem is intermitent and has 'corrected itself' with no intervention tells me its probably not the battery. Definitely electrical I would say. Probably a short or a bad connection somewhere.

Next time it does not start, pull a spark plug and see if the spark plug is sparking at all. If not, then you know to trouble shoot back from that. If it (and the other spark plugs are firing.. then throw some gas in the spark plug hole and see if that helps)

And as a Polaris owner, I agree that the placement of the battery stinks. But, I can also say this. Just about every other ski I have worked on or looked at have a ton of faults in getting to stuff. Like the starter on my SPX, or try to adjust the carbs on a GP800... not nearly as easy as an SLH.

[SeaLion]

I'm sure Tim will elaborate but there is a TSB for a diode or jumper to the electrical system for this hard starting when hot problem. It is for the 2000 and some 2001 model 1200s. Take it to your dealer and have them do the TSB. Hopefully they know what you are telling them. Tim does have the TSB number which should clear up any doubt on your dealer's part.

[SeaLion]

Here it is below. Credit to Tim for posting it on another board. It looks like the SLX is not included though. All the other 2000 models are. I bet it still applies.

Service Bulletin # PWC-00-05
August 8, 2000

Subject
Add Jumper Wire to CDI
Model Affected: Serial Number Range:
2000 Virage (W005197D) ALL
2000 Virage TX (W005199D) ALL
2000 Pro 1200 (W004999D) ALL
2000 Genesis (W005099D) ALL

SCENARIO #1 MODELS WITH DUAL FUNCTION START/STOP BUTTON

Symptom: Engine will not turn over when engine is warm. After stopping the engine and trying
to re-start the engine when warm, the starter motor will not turn over. In this scenario, the CDI
remains powered up after the engine is shut off, causing the CDI to think the engine is still run-ning
even though it is not. After the engine and CDI cool, it will re-start normally. Install jumper
wire PN 2460928 to resolve this issue, following the instructions below.

SCENARIO #2 MODELS WITH SEPARATE START/STOP BUTTON

Symptom: Engine turns over but will not start when engine is warm. After stopping the engine
and trying to re-start the engine when warm, the engine will crank, but not start. Again, in this
scenario, the CDI remains powered up after the engine is shut off, causing the CDI to think the
engine is still running even though it is not. After the engine and CDI cool, it will re-start normally.
Install jumper wire PN 2460928 to resolve this issue, following the instructions below.
Parts Required
Quantity
Part No. Description
1 2460928 Harness, Jumper, PWC

Repair Procedure
Step 1
1. Disconnect the NEGATIVE (-) battery cable from
the battery.
2. Open electrical box.
3. Disconnect RED/PURPLE wire from CDI box.
4. Clean the FEMALE end of the RED/PURPLE wire,
disconnected in the previous step and apply electri-cal
tape to seal the open end. Tuck the FEMALE
end of the RED/PURPLE wire under the CDI box.
RED/PURPLE wire from CDI
PWC-00-05 Page 2 of 2
Step 2
1. Install the RED/PURPLE end of the jumper wire,
PN2460928, on to RED/PURPLE MALEconnector
from the CDI box.
2. Install the open ORANGE connector end to the
open ORANGE spade on the terminal board.
Step 3
1. Once the jumper wire is connected, carefully pack
the wires inside the electrical box cover, making
sure that wires are not kinked or damaged on any
internal component. Install the electrical box on the
mounting plate and lock the latches.
Wrap with electrical tape,
tuck under CDI
Connect RED/PURPLE
jumper wire to RED/
PURPLE male connec-tor
from CDI box.
Connect open ORANGE end to the
ORANGE spade connector on the
terminal board.
2. Reconnect the NEGATIVE (-) battery cable to the
NEGATIVE battery terminal.

Customer Notification

Please perform this Service Bulletin on all affected units in your inventory. Contact owners of delivered
units immediately and make arrangements to perform this warranty repair.
Sincerely,
POLARIS SALES INC.
Craig M. Wilfahrt
Manager, Service/Technical Training

[imported_Tim]

Sea-lion is correct
Service Bulletin # PWC-00-05
Will work on the 2000-2001 SLX
Jumper wire 2460928 is all that is needed Retail cost $8.99 if you can't get your Dealer to do it. :D

[RobK]

I had the same problem, but it turned out it wasn't electrical. The next time it turns over but doesn't start, take out your spark plugs and pore a little gas down each cilinder. If it starts, your problem is the little check valve that keeps pressure in your fuel tank.

[Sinister SLX]

THANK YOU ALL!!! The electrical TSB sounds very much what I am experiencing....I did remove a plug when it would not start once and saw no spark and I also noticed the plugs were wet (clear) so I am inclined to believe this. If the electrical does not work I will try the valve. THANKS ALL

[ August 30, 2002, 12:11 AM: Message edited by: Sinister SLX ]

[geoff vaughn]

I'm no mechanic, but I experinced the same symptoms on my Polaris. Ran great then shut it off then tried to restart several times, would turn over but did not start. I always keep new plugs on my boat, took the old ones out, they seemed fine (in color) but replaced them with the new ones anyway. It fired right up! Just a thought, try it! Could'nt hurt!

[Skexies]

My genesis has a hard start when hot as well... from the factory. Particularlly if I've not been at WOT a lot.

I found that when I switched to BPR8ES plugs [rather than the OEM manual's BR9ES] and gapped them at .024 rather than .028 it helped performance a lot.

I switched to BPR9EVX and gapped them at .028 and experienced more of the problem again. I'm going to try gapping them at .024 to see if the problem goes away, but once the engine is running I think I like the EVX plugs.

I'm curious to also try the BPR8EVX plugs to see if it is easier.

I also found a lot of arcing on the plug caps. I pulled the boots off the wires and used a set of plyers to make the metal clasp fit better and much more snug. That cleaned up a lot too.

Later
-Skexies

[Sirhc7897]

I had a problem for a while with my SLX actually blowing off the front plug wire at WOT. I would flying down the river at about 7000 rpms and all of a sudden felt like a hit a wall. Pulled it over to the bank and the front plug wire was laying on the head. I tightened it up with some pliers and it solved the problem. It also used to die at idle after riding WOT for a while. The RPM's would drop to about 800 and it would miss badly. Tightening the plug wire fixed that also.

[Sinister SLX]

UPDATE***********

Got to the point thing would not run at all. Installed jumper wire--still no go. Took to the Spirit Lake dealer 1.5 hrs away--bad stator to the tune of $600. The ski is not done yet. Apparently this is a common problem to the point Polaris has a "Kit" for this that includes a new stator and CDI. Were several others in shop for same reason..including about (4) 00 SLXs and 1200 Virages combined. Dealer said would contact Polaris and ask for support because

1. Started happening under warrenty

2. Only DAYS out of warrenty when happed

3. Never got ANY satisfaction for the crack in the gel coat from day one of ownership.

I doubt will get any help though.

How Polaris handles this will determine if I ever buy a Polaris anything again. --- Because of a bad stator? No, not at all, any machine can have a part go bad. But when a company knows of a comon prob and refuses to take action then I get mad. Also would not help me out on gel coat crack. I had to do all warrenty work (MFD and speedo tube) myself, and the dealer never put the battery cover on it from day one. Not starting on several occations when arriving at the lake and being towed in takes it toll on my patience too.

Most of my beef with Polaris is with the company or the dealers, not the machine (except I hate the electronics set up). It seems on any other boards Polaris is reguarded as a flop due to mechanical problems. I stuck up for Polaris but it has come back to bite me as now I have mechanical probs and Polaris is not sticking up for me.

The dealerships stink. I do not want a implement and Polaris dealer, or what they have in my town--a flower shop/Polaris dealer and a used car/Polaris dealer. It is time for Polaris to step up and make its dealers have standards. When I buy a Polaris I either want the shop to only concered with Polaris products or have a Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki or Yamaha sign next to it. Not a John Deer or "flood sale specials" or "a dozen roses 10.99" sign next to it.

And finally said shop should contain bonafide certified mechanics, not high school part timers who I would not trust to fill my winshield washer fluid. But since that is not the case I must pass 2 Polaris dealers and drive 1.5 hours to find someone competent enough to deal with my ski. Mind you in the same town as the factory so hopefully if Polaris
inspects dealers that one would be the most inspected.

Rant over...Sorry got long winded.

[polaridoo]

Not that this will make you feel any better, but my local dealer sells ALL the Japanese dirtbikes and street bikes, plus SeaDoo and Polaris jetskis, and THEY suck! Never have any parts in stock and their service department is STOOOOOOPID. The sad part is I know more than their PWC mechanic. So, I guess my point is it does not matter what other products a dealer sells. Maybe by word of mouth someone can direct you to a real dealer or a real jetski mechanic.

[sl]

Sinister, I hope all goes well and you get the ski screaming across the water soon. My 01 SLX has been very reliable. Polaris has as good a track record as any of the companies out there. If you want constant problems, then take a look at Sea Doo. There are few, if any, high performance jet skis and boats that are reliable like a car.

[Sinister SLX]

Well over two weeks later and still no word on the ski let alone being finished. I was told long ago the dealer had the parts in hand too. [img]/graemlins/angryfire.gif[/img] [img]/graemlins/angryfire.gif[/img] [img]/graemlins/angryfire.gif[/img]