Trying to get a starter for a 550.

Hey everyone. I have a question. I live in so cal. I have a 1988 kawi 550. It is all tricked out but i believe the starter is out now. The battery is charged and still just makes a click. Anyways i was wondering if anyone knows where i can get a new starter around here. I live in riverside california. So if you guys can help that would be great. Also i was wondering if it is hard to pull out the old starter and to put in a new one. Thanks for the help. Talk to everyone later.
Matt

i would first try jumping the starter relay and seeing if you can get the starter to turn, becasue all you may need is a starter relay.

www.jetskimechanic.com
Joe..........

How can i jump the starter relay. Sorry im slowly learning about these things. I have a yamaha gp800 so i never even have to mess with that except routine matinence. thanks

well if you follow the positive battery cable it goes into a electric box, open that up and that wire is connected to the starter relay. and another large red cable will run down to the starter. all you need to do is jump the 2 post on that relay with a plyers and the starter should turn if the relay is bad

Well i did what you said. i put the battery cable to the other post and nothing happened. So i dont know what it means. Anyways when everything is how it is supposed to be the electric box is making a clicking sound. I can even feel it. However the starter is not doing a thing. I have a huge pipe so it will be a pain in the ass to get my starter out. If you guys have any other ideas or information please let me know. I greatly appreciate everything. If worse comes to worse i will take it to a shop. Talk to you guys later.
Matt

Where in SO. Cal are you??? I am in L.A. County myself...

Well i did what you said. i put the battery cable to the other post and nothing happened. So i dont know what it means. Anyways when everything is how it is supposed to be the electric box is making a clicking sound. I can even feel it. However the starter is not doing a thing. I have a huge pipe so it will be a pain in the *** to get my starter out. If you guys have any other ideas or information please let me know. I greatly appreciate everything. If worse comes to worse i will take it to a shop. Talk to you guys later.
Matt
That means your starter or bendix has an issue and your starter relay should be OK. Take a close look at the cables that terminate to your starter. The red cable should go right to the starter and the black cable could go to the block or the starter (I've seen them in all kinds of strange places). You could has a bad connection. Also, clean off the leads that go to your battery as well as the battery posts. Do the easy stuff first. IF none of that works pull the starter. You may want to pull the flywheel cover off and take a look in there. If you get water in there your bendix will freeze up and some other stuff you don't want water on will get rusty. Anyway,, baby steps. Let us know what you find.
Joe...........

I live in riverside california. I dont know if any of you guys know a good place to take my ski if i cant get this thing turning. A lot of places dont like to work on the old skis anymore. Especially with mine because it has a lot of aftermarkets parts and so on. If you guys have any more advice please let me know. Do i have to pull my pip off to get to the starter. I have a really big exhaust in there and i believe the starter is in there. I was looking around trying to figure out what the fastest way it would be to get to the starter. Thanks again for all of your help guys. Talk to ya later.

Give me a call at 661-298-0791 I'm in L.A. area...

well everybody i spent a few more hours on the ski. I got the starter to turn but it is turning very slowly. I called some shops around me and it sounds to me like i just need to replace the starter. They said it will cost me about two hundred. I thought that wasnt bad. But i havent done anything yet. Does that sound right for you guys. THe starter will turn when the plugs are out. But when i put my fingers over the holes the starter doesnt have the power to push it. Do you guys think its the starter. Thanks again guys.

sounds like the starter but the price sounds high.

I gave you my number and you didn't call me??? I have a used starter in great shape... If your interested call for it...

Ok guys well to give you an update all on what has been happening. I took it into the shop and it started to turn a little bit. So he got a brand new battery and put it in. Then the starter was turning good. Stupid me. So the ski is running. It made me feel good to finally hear that thing again. Its like it was reborn. But back to the story. In starting the ski the starter will frequently get stuck and not move. But when i take a wrench or something and i just tap on the starter it will spin again. Im figuring that there is something that is loose in the starter. so i think i am going to just put a new starter in it and then it will begood to go for the summer. Thanks for all the help guys. Matt

There is corrosion in there and the rust locks it up from time to time or the maganets are breaking and then you free them into tiny little pieces...

Ok guys well to give you an update all on what has been happening. I took it into the shop and it started to turn a little bit. So he got a brand new battery and put it in. Then the starter was turning good. Stupid me. So the ski is running. It made me feel good to finally hear that thing again. Its like it was reborn. But back to the story. In starting the ski the starter will frequently get stuck and not move. But when i take a wrench or something and i just tap on the starter it will spin again. Im figuring that there is something that is loose in the starter. so i think i am going to just put a new starter in it and then it will begood to go for the summer. Thanks for all the help guys. Matt


Did you call Jetskimechanic? He's one of the best around for working on the 440-550 Kawi's. You should give him a call and see about that starter he says he has for your ski.