85hp Johnson Hydro electric won't start

[firefighter5406]

I have a Johnson 85hp motor model# 85ESL70D Serial# J3330675. I don't have any spark on it until I let off of the key and then the voltmeter jumps up to about 19.93 volts. Can anyone help me out and explain why I don't have spark until I let off the key? It's only during that split second when I let off the key from start to run. It'll sometimes cough and sputter for a split second when I let off the key. It wants to run, but it can't. I was told vaguely by a boat mechanic to look for the kill wire and disconnect it to see if it starts then. Any help would be very much appreciated! Thanks in advance, Doug

 

[F_R]

Re: 85hp Johnson Hydro electric won't start

Where are you connecting the voltmeter to get that reading?

 

[firefighter5406]

Re: 85hp Johnson Hydro electric won't start

I disconnected a couple of the spark plug wires from the spark plugs and tested it there. That's the only place I've tested. I found out its a 1970 model if that helps

 

[F_R]

Re: 85hp Johnson Hydro electric won't start

That is meaningless. I'm suprprised you haven't fried your voltmeter. The voltage there is many thousands of volts, but way too brief for a voltmeter to get a reading on it.

Somebody suggested the key switch. That sounds like a reasonable guess to me.

 

[aguitarestv]

Re: 85hp Johnson Hydro electric won't start

also make sure that your battery is fully charged, if not, than it could have just enough juice to crank the motor, but not send spark, and also make sure all conections are clean and conections to the battery are tight.

 

[firefighter5406]

Re: 85hp Johnson Hydro electric won't start

I just charged the battery and tried it again, but nothing. That was after I swapped out the solenoid just in case that was it. It has an after market OMC power pack on it. I'm kinda lost. It has one ignition coil, unlike my 1974 evinrude that has 4, and I'm trying to go through my 1974 manual, but there's a lot of things different in it like the 4 coils on the 1974 and only one on this 1970 I'm working on. I couldn't get anything to read on my voltmeter when I hooked it up to the output of the coil where it hooks into the terminal board. Is there a way to test the coil with like an ohm meter? If it's bad, how do I unhook it from the stator under the flywheel? I tried to just unplug it, but it doesn't seem to want to budge. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Doug

 

[F_R]

Re: 85hp Johnson Hydro electric won't start

You need a service manual specific to your motor. Otherwise you are stumbling around in the dark and can damage expensive components. Your motor has breaker points and a distributor cap. That needs to be one of the first checks. The service manual specifies a neon test instrument for checking amplifier output. But you can also do it with a peak reading voltmeter or a DVM adapter. you can't do it with a regular voltmeter. There is also a way to do it with a small bulb.

Get a manual and start with the points and distributor cap.

 

[firefighter5406]

Re: 85hp Johnson Hydro electric won't start

Will a manual for a 1970 115hp Johnson work? Since mine is an 85hp and I can't find a manual for an 85hp model. Thanks for the help. If that'll work, I'll buy it on ebay in a while. Thanks, Doug

 

[vonitha]

Re: 85hp Johnson Hydro electric won't start

hello out there
does anyone know what yr motor i have

the S# is 23434 evinrude lark 35hp

and what ratio do we use for gas

thank you