Help! No Spark on a 1996 40 hp Johnson (1997 SweetWater Pontoon)

[Deividas93]

Hello boating community,

I just joined the "boating club" by buying a lakehouse which came with this pontoon boat. I took it for the first ride with the previous home owner and he noted that it generally has a hard time starting if you don't start it everyday. A few days later, I was able to start it after number of failed tries and went for ~20 boat ride. Now, two weeks since the last ride, I have not been able to start it.

It cranks fine but no spark. I removed the spark plugs and grounded each one with the spark plug wire connected to see if I can see the spark and there was no spark. Then I measured voltage coming into the coil (orange-green wire & ground, orange-blue wire & ground) and it only showed 1.3V and 1.7 volts respectfully when cranking. This tells me there is not voltage going to the coil. Attached are some pictures of the motor and coil. Any suggestions?? I have my first baby shower coming up and my Fiance wants me to take her ladies for boat rides for entertainment and I NEED to get this fixed or I'll be in the dog house (I'll just sleep on the boat).

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[interalian]

What is your starting procedure?

 

[Deividas93]

1) Move motor down completely into the water.
2) Ensure "gear" shift is in neutral position. I confirm this by being able to de-press a rectangular switch just right of the gear shift lever.
3) Insert key and de-press key 3-5 times for "Choke" as the key cylinder has a plunger for choke.
4) Install "safety" key over the key cylinder/choke pump to keep choke plunger de-pressed at all times while the safety key is installed.
5) Turn key over to crank & start.

 

[interalian]

Do you pump the primer bulb on the fuel line until firm first?
Instead of step 3, try pressing and holding the key in while turning key to crank at step 5. Your motor has a primer that works when the engine is cranking - it works a little bit before cranking if you've pressurized the line with the primer bulb, but not really enough to help start the motor. The safety key is a "man overboard" ignition cutout - doesn't hold the choke/primer in.

 

[interalian]

^PS: if you're testing for spark without the safety key installed, you won't get spark.

 

[Deividas93]

Greatly appreciate the help here. I don't first pump the primer bulb on the fuel line. I can start doing this.

What's the best way for me to confirm the "man overboard" ignition cutout is properly connected when the cutout is installed on the key cylinder? I want to make sure the system works as intended. Maybe this is the issue. I really need the wiring schematic for my ignition to test this.

 

[interalian]

Probably when your motor is tilted, the carbs are draining. Pumping the primer bulb will fill the carb bowls and prime the entire fuel line. Hold the bulb with the arrow head slightly upward and squeeze until you fell it firm up - that means the carbs are full and the float valves have stopped letting fuel in. For best results, you should have the fuel line disconnected from the motor when you're not running it.

I'm not 100% familliar with how the key-mounted safety switches work, but if you get it started using the new methods, simply pulling the lanyard will kill the motor. This will confirm you're using the switch properly.

 

[jakedaawg]

The horseshoe looking thing just slips over the throat of the key switch assembly. It appears to choke the switch but it does not. When it pops off the inner cylinder pops up and turns the switch off.

To choke the engine you push in and hold in while turning. This opens a electric valve that aloows a small amount of fuel to get injected in behind the throttle plates.

To check for spark you use an open air gap spark checker set to 7/16". Install the clip on key switch. Crank engine. Do you now have spark? If yes go boating. If no then disconnect five pin amphenol connector at power pack. Jump all wires that are not blk with yel stripe. Leave that one open and recheck spark. Do you now have spark? Report back.

 

[Deividas93]

Thanks for the help, team. I'll try this tonight or tomorrow. Where is the power pack located with the amphenol connector?

 

[jakedaawg]

Starboard side towards the rear I believe. They moved arouns some from year to year

 

[Deividas93]

​
Just tried to start the boat this evening with the "new" method after work and no luck. I took two videos of the starts which can be seen at the below YouTube links. The initial start sounded like the boat's battery was dying (measured only 5.5V), so I jumped it with my car battery => Still starts slow. Then, I removed the boat battery and ran the boat power leads straight from the car better => Still starts slow. Another thing I noticed is that the starter's teeth are touching the flywheel's teeth when the ignition is in the "off" position. I always assumed the starter should only touch the flywheel when starting. What do you guys think? I would think starting and running a 40 HP motor should be no problem using a batter off of a 1993 Mustang V8 regarding starting amps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruAzx6XmDd8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dbnmSMwM60

 

[interalian]

OK, sounds like you have a bad connection somewhere between the battery and starter. After trying like that a few times, feel the cable ends at the solenoid, the starter, the battery terminals where the motor leads connect. Slow cranking even when boosted with a second battery indicates a bad connection, and a bad connection under load makes heat. Hot spots will show your problem. You ought to take all the cables off and make sure the terminals are shiny and clean, and the fasteners are good and tight. Wingnuts on the battery posts are bad as you can't get them tight enough with your fingers. If you have wingnuts, use pliers to put some torque to them.

Oh, and the starter pinion can stay up if the start attempt fails - normal. When the motor starts, it will kick the bendix down to disengage the gears.

 

[Deividas93]

Great point. I'll removal all of the connections and clean them up. The boat's battery connections were showing great oxidation and debris (I cleaned them up) so I'm assuming other connections are not much better. I'll keep you updated. Thanks for the advice!

 

[racerone]

Take the starter apart for inspection-----Do an ohm check from commutator to the shaft.---Should read infinity.

 

[guy48065]

Do you have this remote? (apologies for hot-linking a craigslist ad that may disappear at any moment)

The safety lanyard on that box does not de-activate a kill switch. All it does when you pull the lanyard is rotate the key to "off".
The boat can be started & run normally with no clip installed.

 

[interalian]

^ you can see his control box in the linked videos from post #11

 

[Deividas93]

Happy Wednesday,

1. I jumped the boat's battery with my new 1200 max amp Schneider jump starter and the started engages and cranks the motor no problem now. This is now all good.
2. The shift control system is a OMC (Outboard Marine Corporation) per attached picture.
3. I started dis-assembling the main engine's wiring bracket and it's components to try and find the (5) PIN ampheonol connector which jakedaawg recommend to jump all wires that are not black with yellow stripe. I found a (5) pin connector on the "ignition coil supply module" which has a black and yellow wire. Is this the correct connector that jakedaawg is referring to?

 

[Deividas93]

I'm speculating the issue is the engine control module(s) not receiving "signal" from the key switch that the ignition is ON. Should I jump some of the key switch wires to test this?

Pic 1: Ignition/key switch wiring.



Pic 2: Shifter

 

[Nieboer]

I have the same problem with it will run every day if you use it but then if it sits for days no more spark. I too have around 2volts going into the power pack but I also think that seems low. I'm trying to figure out if I should replace the power pack or dig into something else. Any suggestions????

 

[ct1762@gmail.com]

Did you load test the battery? Those puppies need atleast 360 CCA to get moving. Your motor looks so clean! I'm jealous of you freshwater peoples