Spark runs 3/4 speed until it "warms up".

[1969iggy]

Brand new 2017 base model spark. Every time it's cold (and sometimes when i think it should be hot) it runs about 1/2 - 3/4 power and speed until it finally will go full bore. If i ride it around WOT it will give spurts of full power for a minute or two after it warms up and then be fine.

I'm bringing it back to where i bought it for them to look at it, but figured i'd start a thread in case anyone else has seen this.

Scot

[1969iggy]

Brought it in, they found nothing wrong. I would have to pay for a test ride IF they didn't have the same effect, so i didn't want to risk that. Will take a video next time i start it up and see what happens.

[BUDDAH@PPG]

How many hours do you have on this machine?

Are you running in SPORT mode or ECO mode?
Sport mode must be selected by holding the red button by the gauge cluster until you hear a beep and the gauge scrolls (ENTERING SPORT MODE), otherwise the unit will be set in ECO mode and the throttle will lag and the unit will feel very weak and sluggish.

The new machines have a 10 hour break-in period programmed into the ECU from the factory. Only after the ECU and cluster click the 11 hour mark and the service hours counter has been reset by the dealer who performs the 10 hour service will the machine give you 100% of the engines power available.

[1969iggy]

How many hours do you have on this machine?

Are you running in SPORT mode or ECO mode?
Sport mode must be selected by holding the red button by the gauge cluster until you hear a beep and the gauge scrolls (ENTERING SPORT MODE), otherwise the unit will be set in ECO mode and the throttle will lag and the unit will feel very weak and sluggish.

The new machines have a 10 hour break-in period programmed into the ECU from the factory. Only after the ECU and cluster click the 11 hour mark and the service hours counter has been reset by the dealer who performs the 10 hour service will the machine give you 100% of the engines power available.

It's a base model... does that even have sport mode? If it does then i didn't know... and for the 10 hour service, i was told 50 hours by the dealer... 50 for the spark and 100 for the GTI SE 130.

But the issue only lasts about 2-4 minutes every time it's sat for a few hours...(or days). Then it will gain full power and run fine until it is shut off and sits for another few hours... Also, when it gets full power back it isn't black/white. It will be going 27 mph (according to cluster) and then will get a fraction of second of full power and then back down to 3/4. Then a few times more like this, then BOOM... full power. 40-42 MPH. I think that's full power/speed for a base model spark with a whale (ME) riding it. I'm 210 lbs so it's earning it's pay when i'm on it.

[BUDDAH@PPG]

I weight more than you do and i haven't had any issue with the power and performance of the base model Spark. (Yes... its does have sport mode)

Douche bags at the dealer just plugged it in to B.U.D.S and saw no codes present and sent you on tour way.

If the ski has warranty then they should have started a case with (BRP Service Dept.) and they would have paid for the sea-trial.
So frustrating that these types of dealers/technicians are EVERYWHERE.

As for the service intervals.... why would you treat 1 engine different from another when it comes to (break-in) procedures??
It is still a new engine is it not?
Its still a 4-stroke no?


How many hours on your ski?
Has it ever run (what you would consider to be) normal/properly?

[1969iggy]

It has about 8 or 9 hours on it. It runs fine after it warms up, although my son said when he took it and idled for a long time in a no wake zone it did it again when he started going again, but only for 30-40 seconds... of course all times are totally subjective. I'm going to put it in this evening and will film it... so if it does it again, they can pay for the water test. They said they took the spark plugs out to inspect and they looked fine, and they replaced them because it was open and it was cheap... Also, once it hits 10 hours maybe it will stop if there is something programmed in to prevent full throttle before warmed up. I don't think it's the case, but i'm only an hour away from being there anyway...

i didn't find a 10 hour service in the 2017 manual that came with the skis... but i'm not opposed to doing it. The spark claims a 5 hour break in, and the GTI SE i have says 10. It only mentions the computer controlling anything during break in in the GTR 230. Of course i'm just reading what they hand me, you know them inside and out.... so not arguing, just saying what i have been told and read.

Maybe they didn't open a case with BRP for some reason so didn't want to do the test unless they could find a reason... who knows. They seem friendly and helpful so far. I'm hopeful they are better than some others i've dealt with... and the best people i dealt with in the area no longer carry sea-doos. (They got out about 10 years ago, and when i asked them why they basically said "Because we need a SPARK..." They didn't use the name, but they described exactly what it is... entry level price point where you can drive away under $15,000 with tax/registration/covers and everything you need...) I remember him telling me that once you put two 4-strokes on a trailer, you could have a really nice boat, and if a wife was with a guy, she wanted a boat...

And thanks for your reply... i'm hoping if others see the same thing, they end up here and maybe we can figure something out.

[GP@PPG]

You ever see anything different, ever change? Or do it again? Sorry but our server was down for a while, now I can get back to it. Like to know what was found, and no, we haven't seen this...yet!

[1969iggy]

Well, after they replaced the spark plugs it ran fine for the next 10 hours or so... then on Saturday it gave a check engine signal and i have to pull it out of the lake and take it in again. It really pisses me off that you can't get an error code without hardware/software. At first it still seemed to run fine as i came back to shore... then the next day i took it out briefly to see if it did it again and it limped... will post what they find, but i'm starting to think the yellow should be LEMON instead of pineapple....

[GP@PPG]

Man, that's odd. I wish you were closer by, interested to see what it is!! Good luck and hope they find it quickly, do you ride salt or fresh water? Just a curiosity. .

[1969iggy]

Man, that's odd. I wish you were closer by, interested to see what it is!! Good luck and hope they find it quickly, do you ride salt or fresh water? Just a curiosity. .

Only fresh water. They never did find the reason for the initial issue, but then i got a check engine for a sensor (temp i think... would have to look). I guess maybe it was related but not sure.

My understanding is that there is a new part number for the sensor they replaced... they were going to take one off another machine to get it back to me sooner, but they couldn't because of BRP rules on only replacing parts with the newest part.... which is funny because i wonder how many people will be a year out of warranty and having issues with a sensor they knew needed to be re-designed... I'll try to check the paperwork for the ski when i get to it...

[GP@PPG]

Hey good deal, sorry just now seeing this. Freshwater really wouldn't make any difference to speak of then I guess!? lol

[TractorTR]

Same thing happening to me (to the letter)
Brand new 2019 TRIXX 2up
during the first 5 hour break-in there are periods where the ski will limit RPM and speed to 30mph
Following break-in recommendations of dealer to not hold prolonged wide open.. (30 sec)
but noticed there are times the ski is sluggish like on hole shot and sometimes on top end
Seems like longer we are out the condition goes away..
Did you find a resolution?

[1969iggy]

Not really... i brought it in and they replaced all the plugs, and then the next time they claimed a sensor, but i never got anything from them as to what it was. If it's the issue where it needs to warm up and then works fine, i'd guess that it has a loose connection. I always felt there was something that was a poor connection until it heated up, or maybe had moisture that heat was getting rid of... but the second condition where it goes to limp mode shouldn't happen any more, since all the new ones would use the new sensor... If you have the ability to open it up and remove and reattach the plug wires i would do that. Or even check the gap on the plugs... because they claim to have only replaced the plugs and it was "fixed" until it died for what i assume was a completely different condition.

[Ah.660]

Hello I am new here,
I have exactly the same problem with my 2015 Spark 70 hours.
I am from Germany and no one knows what the solution for this problem is.
If I start my spark for the first time a day it runs only 3/4 power till it warms up (2-5 minutes).
After this the spark runs without any problems.

I hope you have some new tips for me
And i am sorry for my English skills

Best regards from Germany

[Kklively]

I have a 2015 GTS 130 with the same issue as described above. Has anyone isolated the problem? About a year ago, I added a bottle of fuel injector cleaner and that seemed to help. I just added another bottle, I’ll know in a few weeks if that helps again.

[Switzer20]

I bought the 2015 Spark 2up H.O. brand new in 2015. It's now 6 years old with 48 hours and 13 minutes on it. Last summer this exact thing started happening to me. I figured it had to be a spark problem or a carburetor problem. I change my oil and filter every April but I never changed the spark plugs because I didn't want to take the whole top shell off. So I took the shell off when this started happening last year, watched a YouTube tutorial on how to change the spark plugs, changed all 3 spark plugs and it fires and runs like the first day I bought it. No more 1/2 - 3/4 speed for 20 - 45 minutes til it warms up anymore, just straight up flies again now and has ever since! Had this exact same problem and It was the spark plugs for me! Hope this helps anybody having this problem cause it certainly was annoying at the time! Oh and btw, I've been told, by Seadoo themselves, to make sure you're using the right spark plugs. These Sparks are designed to perform on certain thread/gap plugs, and they highly recommend to change your plugs every 4th or 5th time out or every 25 engine hours!!! 😉