97' Mercury Force 120hp Outboard issue "Neutral Start Switch"?

[donnie1313]

So last year I was having troubles with getting the boat started at times. When I turned the key it made the sound like the boat was still in gear. I would wiggle the gear shifter and then the boat would start right up. This happened about every other time I had turned the boat off and back on again. Well, it finally will not start again. I wiggle the shifter but it still sounds like it's in gear. I have replaced the batttery and the starter but still the same issue. I was reading it could be the Neutral Start Switch. I have no idea where this is or what it looks like. How hard is it to replace and what am I looking for. Can anybody help please?

 

[donnie1313]

Re: 1997 force 120... Please help

Could have sworn I saw this post earlier today, with a few replies.<br />??<br /><br />First off, don't over do it with your starter, you will burn it up.<br /><br />When it won't start, check for spark. Could be a bad neutral safety switch, or more likely, the kill switch, or any of the wiring to and from these switches.<br /><br />After trying to start it for 30 seconds, pull the plugs and see if fuel is reaching the cylinders.<br /><br />Once running, what is the idle rpm?

Where is the Neutral Safety Switch? Is it easy to replace? I have a similar issue with my 1997 Force 120 Hp boat, It takes it a couple minutes to get started but once it starts, it runs fine. If I shut the motor off and then Try to start it again it sounds like its still in gear. I wiggle the shifter and then it starts right up. Now even wiggling the shifter doesnt work. I'm thinking the Neutral Safety Switch but I'm not sure. Any help is appreciated.

 

[flyingscott]

If you have the mercury remote should be in the controller. If you move this to the force forum you might get better answers.

 

[Jiggz]

Start with the easy ones first. Check the spark plugs to make sure they are the correct ones and not fouled. The correct plugs should be NGK's BUHW or Champion's L76V. For personal reasons I prefer the NGK's over the Champions.

Since the engine cranks over, then that is an indication the neutral switch is working accordingly. Now the same cannot be said with the "Kill Switch". These are two different switches with different functions. Neutral switch is just that. It ensures the motor or engine will not even crank over when it is not in neutral. This prevents accidentally starting the motor in gear which can hurt a person if he happens to be around the prop.

The "Kill Switch" kills the engine (like placing the ignition switch in Off position) if the driver accidentally gets thrown out of his position or location. This will stop the motor hence preventing "Ghost boats" running on their own without a driver. This switch is equipped with a lanyard to be attached to the driver when operating the boat.

If you find the plugs heavily fouled, you might want to consider de-carboning the engine either with Powertune or Seafoam fuel treatment.

 

[GA_Boater]

Welcome aboard.

Post #2 was moved from a 12 year old thread, Roscoe's quote is from that old thread. Please do not post in old threads.

I'm thinking you have a remote control problem. Is the starter cranking the motor over or does the throttle need wiggling to crank? What does "sounds like it's still in gear" mean?


This will be moved if needed when we figure out where the problem is.

 

[donnie1313]

I had the same plugs on it last year and seem to run just fine at times. Here is a little more descriptive I guess. So when I turn the key the starter makes a noise but doesnt spin or the move up. If I (physically) manually move the starter "gear" (it seems like its locked down) to a free spinning position, then turn the key, the starter spins, the gear comes up and it starts just fine. This is a brand new starter that was put on last week.
As far as the noise is concerned. When I first bought the boat 2 years ago, if we were out on the water, and I would turn the motor off, then turn the key to start it again it would make a whinning noise like I still had it in gear (it was not in gear) I would then wiggle the throttle, then turn the key and it would fire right up. Wasnt too concerned about it at the time because it worked every time. This year, I had to wiggle the throttle(shifter) more and more before it would work. Eventually that method quit working. Hope that helps.

 

[rjcamel2355]

If the starter isn't throwing the "gear" up then it's not a neutral safety switch, or a kill switch issue... that sounds like a starter issue, or possibly a solenoid issue *correct me if I am wrong. Wiggling the shifter....? If it was a neutral safety switch issue then it wouldn't start, turn over, make any noise *if it were in gear, or the switch were telling the motor it was in gear. Possibly look inside your box for a broken/coroded wire? The only thing I can assume from your description is that when you're "wiggling" the shifter it's moving a wire around inside the box...

 

[rjcamel2355]

When you installed the new starter did you make sure all of your connections went back to the same spot, and are tight? If not, you may want to check that. If you're hearing a "click" then it's probably a loose connection, or a bad solenoid causing that. If you're getting a "click" and no movement from the starter (spinning, or throwing the bendix *gear up). Then to me it sounds like a loose wire/voltage issue, or a bad starter, OR a bad solenoid.

 

[donnie1313]

that's what I was thinking also, but I have never been inside that before. I wasnt sure what to look for. Thank you for your help. I might have to take it to a mechanic because I dont know how to get in that box.

 

[donnie1313]

We have double and tripled and tripled checked the connections. New battery, new starter, and I can get the start to work if I move it out of a locked position. I dont hear a click when I turn the key, just kind of a buzz in the motor, like if I had it in forward with the motor off and tried to start it.

 

[rjcamel2355]

I removed my Neutral safety switch.. so I don't know what it sounds like in forward if you try to start it... mine would just throw the bendix up and start in gear... (I'm not condoning that, but I ran a hotfoot, so it didn't really matter). The box itself is simple to take apart, a few screws and you can have it apart with ease.

 

[donnie1313]

Crazy thing happened yesterday. I took the throttle box apart but couldn't find any loose wires or anything that would look like a Neutral Safety Switch. I put it back together, through the muffs and garden hose on the motor, and it started right up. I turned if off and back on 4 different times without out a single problem. Now I just hope it acts the same when were are out on the water. Not sure what else to do besides take it to a Mechanic and pay.