1998 90HP Johnson SPL - Will not crank

najanwa

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Jul 26, 2016
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I jumped started someone at the lake and they hooked up the battery cables backwards for just a second. Any idea on what could be wrong? I replaced fuses. I can jump it off by bypassing the solenoid. I have a new solenoid and battery.
 

flyingscott

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What fuses were replaced was the main one on your motor one of the ones replaced.
 

najanwa

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Jul 26, 2016
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No, I didn't replace the main fuse on my motor. I can't find it. As you can tell, I don't know much about this motor, and I don't have a repair manual.
 

jakedaawg

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Jun 26, 2012
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Foloow the wires coming from the solenoid. You will find a fuse holder. Pop it open and check the fuse.
 

najanwa

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Well, the main fuse was good. I'm at a loss at what could be wrong.Any idea on what else it could be? I may just by-pass the key start and put a push button start on it. Thanks for your help.
 

jakedaawg

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Well, the main fuse was good. I'm at a loss at what could be wrong.Any idea on what else it could be? I may just by-pass the key start and put a push button start on it. Thanks for your help.

Sometimes boats also have an ignition fuse up under the dash.

A push button is not so easy to do. Requires a kill circuit and primer circuit.

Load test battery. Tighten cables with a wrench, wing nuts don't count. Confirm remote control is in neutral. Confirm 12v to large battery side terminal of solenoid. Confirm 12v to yellow/red stripe small terminal of solenoid when key is turned all the way to the start position. Confirm 12 v at large terminal starter side of solenoid when key is turned all the way to the start position. Report back.
 

najanwa

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Thanks again man. I will try all suggestions when I return to the lake tomorrow evening. I appreciate it.
 

jakedaawg

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Rec / reg has nothing to do with starting. But, get it running and see if you have more volts at battery after 20 minutes than you do with it off
 

najanwa

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Jul 26, 2016
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OK - someone told me that it could be the problem. What does it mean if I do have more volts at battery?
 

oldboat1

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means the reg/rectifier is charging your battery.

When you did your good deed, was your motor running or did the other boater just hook up to your battery (your engine off). And if running, when did you have problems? It sounds like your motor shut down, you replaced a fuse or fuses and motored on -- then had issues later(?) Anything is possible, but doesn't seem like that episode would affect your keyswitch -- which you can test with a continuity tester, btw (engine off and battery disconnected).
 

najanwa

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Jul 26, 2016
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Everything checks out ok, except on the ground of solenoid. It doesn't show that it's grounded. When I ground the switch with a jumper to the motor housing, then turn the key, it will start. I put a toggle switch in the ground line, and now I can flip the switch and turn the key and it will start. Any idea on what is happening?
 

interalian

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Jul 23, 2009
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At least on my motor, the starter solenoid has 4 terminals: 2 large and 2 small. The two small terminals are ground and 12V and there's a short pigtail that connects one to the strap securing the solenoid to the block. Ford car solenoids look the same but one of the small terminals gets 12V from the key when you want to crank, and whilst cranking the other small terminal gets 12V switched by the solenoid, usually to bypass the ignition ballast resistor for a hotter spark when cranking.
 
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