Force 50 lost power no spark

rangerin

Recruit
Joined
Jan 29, 2004
Messages
4
Looking to see if anyone has had this issue before I start going through all the possible issues. My 1991 Force 50 started to loose power last year. It had some intermittent issues prior to this issue and will list them. I was lucky to get it started last year to take it out for the winter.

Here's what I have checked:
Compression, good.
Replaced fuel pump diaphragm.
Used one of the electrical testers that light up when near electrical power on the plug wires, get a reading when first starting then nothing when the starter is running. (It indicates power for a second then nothing).

Here's some issues I have seen prior to the current state:
Tach was bouncing and would not stay at one rpm even though the motor was at a constant speed.
The gauge showing the charge would often "peg" at full. Sometimes it would work but most the time it would end up way over 12 volts.

Otherwise the boat has always started and ran well for me.

Where should I start first?

Thanks.
 

jerryjerry05

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 7, 2008
Messages
17,923
Welcome.
What is "good" compression?
Sometimes the tach shorts out and can kill the motor. Unhook it.
Outboard ignition . com has test procedures for your stator.
That where most problems are.
Go to OI and do the tests.
The wire connectors on the stator, trigger, replace them.
They might look good but under the shrink wrap they can be bad.
 

SkiDad

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
1,518
i vote the stator - but as Jerry mentioned that site has good troubleshooting steps. I have used it 2 times to fix my electrical issues and have gotten a stator from them in the past.
 

rangerin

Recruit
Joined
Jan 29, 2004
Messages
4
Stator was bad an there was a broken connector on the trigger. Replaced the stator, the rectifier, and a new connector and still no spark. Checked the ignition switch and it was good. The kill switch is good too. Here is what I found with the kill switch. (I will do my best at explaining) With all wires disconnected from the kill switch it worked correctly. (meter read when activated). I tried a reading again when connected to the ignition switch and the meter had a reading whether the switch was activated or not. I removed the Black/Yellow wire and the switch worked properly again. It did not have spark when trying with the Black/Yellow wire was removed.

Any more suggestions?

Thanks
 

jerryjerry05

Supreme Mariner
Joined
May 7, 2008
Messages
17,923
Replace all the old connectors on the trigger.
Replace the connectors on everything.
Just hook the kill switch wires together.That eliminates the switch.No switch, no problems.
Spray WD-40 in the key switch.
Unhook the Tach?
 

pnwboat

Rear Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2007
Messages
4,251
The Black/Yellow wire is the ignition Kill circuit. The way the circuit works to stop the ignition spark, the Black/Yellow wire gets shorted to ground. This is done either when you turn the ignition key to the Off position, or the Kill Switch closes (depending on what type of Kill Switch you have) when either the lanyard is pulled off, or the switch is moved from the "Run" position to the "Off" position. Under normal running operating conditions, the Kill Switch should read "Open" with your meter. When it is closed and reads a short, it is actually shorting the Black/Yellow lead to ground and killing the ignition spark. If you're reading continuity (short) between the Black/Yellow lead and ground with the key in the On position and the Kill switch has the lanyard attached, there's your problem. What ever is causing that short is killing the ignition.
 

rangerin

Recruit
Joined
Jan 29, 2004
Messages
4
Decided to try something before I throw the towel in. Hooked up the gas a tried to start it. Guess what.......it started. I had been using one of those electric detectors that you use to check an outlet is live. Tried it on my snow blower plug wire to make sure it would work and it did on the blower but not on the outboard. Not sure why. In any case it starts like it had for years. Thank you all for your help.
 
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