Beginner looking for some electrical help...johnson with no spark

[chunkymonkey]

Hey all,

My name is Mike, I just joined the forums after a massive amount of Googling led me to this place. Good to be here! I recently purchased a 15ft Rinker with a 1977 Johnson 85HP on the back. Appears to be in good shape, but it doesn't run at the moment. The motor turns over fine when I turn the key. The toggle switch for the choke and the throttle cables seem good too. Fuel is getting in although I should probably clean the carb. So I took out the spark plugs, held them against ground and turned the motor over....no spark on any of the 4 cylinders.

Before I start asking what's wrong, I do see two potential problems. There is a black wire coming out of a small rectangular plastic box (I believe this is the power pack???) along with another black wire that comes from somewhere else (will trace it to source) that are not connected. Are these ground? Do they just connect where all the other ground wires go?

Please let me know where to connect those two wires. Can try to get a picture?

If that fails, what should be next on my list to check? Do I follow the directions in the top secret thread to jump my solenoid? Should I disconnect the black and yellow wires? (there is no kill switch though that I see..only the key). What should I start off doing?

I'd rather not pay $115/hr for a mechanic and tons in parts if I can fix this myself, so any help is appreciated.

Thanks!
Mike

 

[Sixmark]

Re: Beginner looking for some electrical help...johnson with no spark

Verify the colors of the wires to be sure they are not just filthy to the point they look black, is one possibly brown, or black w/yellow.

A picture would be good to be sure we know exactly which wires you are referring to, as you described it, it could be a ground wire or it could be a wire from the stator. It's best to be sure before moving on to other items.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Beginner looking for some electrical help...johnson with no spark

Hey all,

My name is Mike, I just joined the forums after a massive amount of Googling led me to this place. Good to be here! I recently purchased a 15ft Rinker with a 1977 Johnson 85HP on the back. Appears to be in good shape, but it doesn't run at the moment. The motor turns over fine when I turn the key. The toggle switch for the choke and the throttle cables seem good too. Fuel is getting in although I should probably clean the carb. So I took out the spark plugs, held them against ground and turned the motor over....no spark on any of the 4 cylinders.

Before I start asking what's wrong, I do see two potential problems. There is a black wire coming out of a small rectangular plastic box (I believe this is the power pack???) along with another black wire that comes from somewhere else (will trace it to source) that are not connected. Are these ground? Do they just connect where all the other ground wires go?

Please let me know where to connect those two wires. Can try to get a picture?

If that fails, what should be next on my list to check? Do I follow the directions in the top secret thread to jump my solenoid? Should I disconnect the black and yellow wires? (there is no kill switch though that I see..only the key). What should I start off doing?

I'd rather not pay $115/hr for a mechanic and tons in parts if I can fix this myself, so any help is appreciated.

Thanks!
Mike

Lanyard switch ????? or lanyard missing ???? It will delete all spark if there is an issue. Check my post out from yesterday.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=474985

Simple and free things should be checked first.
Welcome to iboats

 

[chunkymonkey]

Re: Beginner looking for some electrical help...johnson with no spark

Thanks guys for the help. I will go out and get a picture of the two wires in question. I'm not going to have the chance for at least several day's but I'll post back here when I can and hopefully this will get bumped up.

Hopefully you guys can fix me up!
Mike

 

[chunkymonkey]

Re: Beginner looking for some electrical help...johnson with no spark

Turns out it's a 1971 Johnson 85HP, my bad on the OP

Here are some pictures of what we've got. Notice in the first pic the two disconnected wires. One is black and white and comes from the amplifier box. The other one is just to the top right of the box (looks close) and it is just black, and not attached. Some from somewhere under the flywheel. I would think it is a ground wire.

The second pic is just a different look at the engine. There is no yellow and black wire in the wiring harness so I can't know which is the kill wire.

We tried crossing the red positive lead to the positive on the starter in hopes of jumping it, but the gear on the motor would not rise up and engage the flywheel. That wasn't a problem before. Maybe our battery is dead and/or the gear shaft needs lube.

Any ideas on the disconnected wires?

Mike

 

[flintcam]

Re: Beginner looking for some electrical help...johnson with no spark

I don't think I can be of any particular help except to describe the wires on a similar setup on a 1971 100 hp Evinrude. On mine the black and white is spliced to a wire the goes up under the flywheel and from that same place a black wire comes back down and is grounded. It would seem that if you have a ground wire coming from under the flywheel the two wires you have would fit nicely together, but what do I know?

I have read much about the famous black and yellow cut off wire as well, but unfortunately, I have been deprived of that luxury as you have been. Let me know if you ever figure out what the substitute is and I'll do the same.

 

[larryg]

Re: Beginner looking for some electrical help...johnson with no spark

on the top pic,that is the ground,the bottom pic needs to be plugged together.clean them with alcohol then stick together.see if you have spark then.

 

[chunkymonkey]

Re: Beginner looking for some electrical help...johnson with no spark

I did end up putting the two wires together but still no spark. Brought it to a mechanic finally. Turns out that the rectifier shorted out against the engine block due to frayed wiring. That might have fried the power pack too, but hopefully not. He should have gotton the new rectifier yesterday, and will test it today to see if that remedies the problem.

Chicago weather so far this summer has been total crap so it's not like I'm missing too much right now anyway

Thanks for the help..
mike