Need Electrical guros expertise

[biggjimm]

After reading through your other thread on this problem I'd say there's a good possibility that you have a loose connection somewhere & it's probably a ground loose. Check & clean every connection from the battery on out on both the positive & negative sides. It can be a pain to do sometimes but it's really the first step in electrical system diagnosis. Good luck. Jim.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

You need a meter. Either a test light or digital multi meter. For this, I'd prefer a meter.

You can get a cheap one like from Harbor Freight for about 5 bucks, although it is limited. I have a UEI DM383B. about 60$.

With the meter in place, you can turn the key and see if power is at various places it needs to be. If power is there then the wiring is not the issue. If power is not there, then you move the meter closer to the key until you find power.

With a good meter you can test for resistance, and check grounds and shorts.

 

[gm280]

A few things are interesting. The fact that you can turn the key to start and nothing happens is really not unusual. And that fact that you can jumper the starter solenoid and it does turn over verifies you have a ground at the engine. And that eliminates the starter as a problem also. So with a helper, use a meter and see what, if any, voltage is at the small terminal at the starter solenoid when the key is turn to the start position. If you do read 12 volts there, then you have a bad starter solenoid and need to replace it. If you don't have voltage there, then you either have a bad wire from the key switch or the key switch itself is bad...

 

[biggjimm]

If I'm reading his other thread correctly, he has power every place it's supposed to be & the starter engaged when jumpering the slave solenoid but won't with the key. But he's has power to the input on the slave terminal with the key in the start position. Only thing I can figure is his new slave solenoid might be bad??? If he's reading his power on the right terminal that is. Key switch replaced, slave replaced, starter pulled & bench tested & it works when shorting the slave terminals?? If the key switch is energizing the slave & it won't turn the starter, but shorting the big posts on the slave does, isn't that an indicator of a faulty slave?? That's what I figured from reading his other thread. Jim.

 

[jorgeoliva]

going to get a meter from harbor freight and see if I have 12 volts on the yellow/red wire on the small terminal on the slave solenoid I do have power on the 2 top wire on the solenoid I put a tester on and it light up

 

[Bondo]

After reading through your other thread on this problem

Ayuh,.... I merged 'em, to keep the info together,....

Now, let's Not start anymore threads 'bout this exact same topic,....

 

[alldodge]

OK. my question is can I by pass the safety and put a wire direct from my ignition switch to the solenoid by the way the picture is a shot of the old solenoid new one is on now

No, don't do that. The slave solenoid is used to keep the current down going thru the ignition switch and wiring. The wiring size going to the key is not large enough to handle it. My guess is you have a bad connection going from the key to the small Yel/Red wire on the bottom of the slave solenoid. Either this or your ground going from the other side lost it's connection

 

[jorgeoliva]

sorry for the double posting can I run a same size wire from the S yel/red wire ignition switch see picture by passing the safety switch and connect to the yel / red on small post on the solenoid. I suspect that my safety switch is bad and I cant get a replacement

 

[alldodge]

sorry for the double posting can I run a same size wire from the S yel/red wire ignition switch see picture by passing the safety switch and connect to the yel / red on small post on the solenoid. I suspect that my safety switch is bad and I cant get a replacement

Yes you can do that but you could also jumper wire the neutral safety switch.

That said DON'T DO IT, You could start the motor with it in gear and could hurt or kill someone. Imagine your in the water and the boat doesn't start, so you push the button in to do throttle only. The issues is you think your in neutral but your not, you give it throttle and the engine starts and takes off, not good.

What control do you have maybe we can find a switch that will work

 

[jorgeoliva]

ok this is what I have I started at the ignition switch (which is brand new) purple wire has power next to it is the yellow/red wire the key on start there is power so we jump back to the solenoid (which is brand new) the 2 top terminal with the switch open there is power 12 volt tested with a meter so I had the wife turn the key like to start the engine I tested the small terminal where the yellow / red wire is connected and I get NO reading so I jump the 2 top terminal again just to test and the engine turn am pulling what's left of my hair out trying to figure this out..... Help

 

[alldodge]

wife turn the key like to start the engine I tested the small terminal where the yellow / red wire is connected and I get NO reading

The power to the small yel/red wire comes direct from the key switch and "thru the neutral safety switch". So no voltage when you turn key to start check the switch

 

[jorgeoliva]

so how do I determine if my new solenoid is bad

 

[alldodge]

so how do I determine if my new solenoid is bad

Make sure you have a ground on the small terminal Yel/Blk wire terminal. Apply 12V to the small Yel/Red terminal, if the solenoid engages, your solenoid works

 

[jorgeoliva]

ok I do have a ground wire running from the yel/blk on the small terminal next to the yel/red so you want me to run a wire from the battery positive and connect it to the yellow/red small terminal and see if that turns the engine with the key. what if the solenoid don't engage is that an indication of a bad new selenoid

 

[alldodge]

ok I do have a ground wire running from the yel/blk on the small terminal next to the yel/red so you want me to run a wire from the battery positive and connect it to the yellow/red small terminal and see if that turns the engine with the key. what if the solenoid don't engage is that an indication of a bad new selenoid

Yes, if the ground is good on the Yel/blk and 12V is applied to the Yel/Red and the solenoid does not engage, the solenoid is bad.


That said, the Top large terminal Red/Pur terminal on top should have 12V on it at all time. Jump from the top Red/Pur to the small Yel/Red and the solenoid should engage

 

[biggjimm]

If putting 12v to the small yel/red post does engage the starter, then the problem is most likely the neutral safety switch that you already alluded to. You can jumper around it just to see if it'll start with the key then. If it's bad let me know what control you have because I've got several "parts" control box's laying around. Perhaps I could drop a neutral/safety switch in the mail to you if I've got the right one.

 

[jorgeoliva]

will do going to jump it and see if it works take a picture of my controller and post it shortly

 

[1960 Starflite]

Wow! I just spent two days fighting this same problem on my 140. Dumb me thought the problem was the Key Switch and $43 latter it Wasn't. After jumping the solenoid on the starter the engine started. Then working backwards towards the Key Switch I found a BAD ground on the slave solenoid (external ground). I pulled the slave solenoid off to clean the mount surface, thinking it was base grounded, NOT. The problem was with the small wire on the slave solenoid to ground. The connections were oxidized and cleaning with emery paper/wire brush SOLVED the problem :joyous:

 

[Scott Danforth]

Wow! I just spent two days fighting this same problem on my 140. Dumb me thought the problem was the Key Switch and $43 latter it Wasn't. After jumping the solenoid on the starter the engine started. Then working backwards towards the Key Switch I found a BAD ground on the slave solenoid (external ground). I pulled the slave solenoid off to clean the mount surface, thinking it was base grounded, NOT. The problem was with the small wire on the slave solenoid to ground. The connections were oxidized and cleaning with emery paper/wire brush SOLVED the problem :joyous:

I suggest starting your own thread and not hijacking

 

[1960 Starflite]

Scott, Did you read Bondo's post at the top of this page?