1980 Mercury 90hp ignition switch broken. How do I fix?

[BonairII]

I'm considering buying a 1980 6-cyl Mercury 90hp. 135-140psi on all cyls.

Problem is that the ignition switch is bad(according to seller)...and motor has to be started by bypassing the solenoid. It then had to be turned off by using the choke to smother it.

Seller is asking $300 for motor and controls which seems reasonable

Model number is 5777486

Is this likely an ignition switch problem or something more sinister?

 

[Yesterday]

Re: 1980 Mercury 90hp ignition switch broken. How do I fix?

I can't think of anything else that really could cause that combination of issues, off the cuff.

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: 1980 Mercury 90hp ignition switch broken. How do I fix?

Broken/disintegrated wires in the boat side harness or internal harness is also a possibility. If the motor runs OK, I'd jump on it. You can make $$$ parting it if worse comes to worse.

 

[BonairII]

Re: 1980 Mercury 90hp ignition switch broken. How do I fix?

Yeah...I can't stop buying motors lately. I'm buying a lower unit for my Stinger tomorrow to get that motor flipped. Now this motor came up and I can't resist the urge to buy it.

I know nothing about Mercs, so I have no idea how to troubleshoot the ignition problem....and I'm not going to buy service manuals for motors that I don't plan on having for long.

 

[Yesterday]

Re: 1980 Mercury 90hp ignition switch broken. How do I fix?

Yeah...I can't stop buying motors lately. I'm buying a lower unit for my Stinger tomorrow to get that motor flipped. Now this motor came up and I can't resist the urge to buy it.

I know nothing about Mercs, so I have no idea how to troubleshoot the ignition problem....and I'm not going to buy service manuals for motors that I don't plan on having for long.

LOL I once read a thread on here that asked "how many outboards do you have?" and I thought how ridiculous? Who needs more than one?? We'll not discuss how many seem to have cropped up out of nowhere in the garage since:laugh:.