1966 40 HP Evinrude Ignition Switch

[spratt]

Am I the only one here with one of these engines? I bought this 1969 Lee Craft 15' runabout last week, and the previous owner had lost the key. Is the only option to buy a new switch? How do I know what the wiring is for the new switch? What is the "Kill Circuit" mentioned in the packaging for a new switch? HELP!!! I am new to boating, and already feel overwhelmed...The engine is a 40673 Model, 40 HP Evinrude, 1966...

[Paul Moir]

Welcome to Iboats, spratt.Yes, you'll need a new keyswitch. It's no big deal - Iboats sells one that'll work for around $17. You need to find one that's made for an outboard (magneto ignition): it has two 'kill' terminals labeled 'M' or 'M' and 'G' where an auto/inboard type switch will have none. Some of the ones you'll see will have a 'Push to Choke' feature. That's unnecessary unless you already have a choke switch on the dash and would like to get rid of it.Then just wire it up the same as your existing switch. I think these wire colours are correct, but check them before you pull them:B - Battery (Orange) - connects to the + battery post)A - Accessories (Purple) - Provides + 12v to devices when the key is in the RUN position.(C - Choke (Red w/ White stripe) - Provides +12v to choke solenoid when the key is pushed in.)M - Kill switch circuit (black)M - Kill switch circuit (Black) - These connect together when the key is in the 'STOP' position.S - Start (White) - Provides +12v to the starter solenoid to crank the engine when the key is in the 'START' position.Hope this explains it!

[Joe Reeves]

Look at the face of the key switch, right where the key goes in. There will be a key number there. What is it as many of us have spare keys.

[spratt]

Sheesh, I never thought of tehre being a number on the switch. I am at work and will look as soon as I get home. However, I already ought a new switch, butit is for 1977-1995 motors, as that is all the shop had, and they told me that it will work if I just wach the wiring. ..colors may be different than the diagram...it does have the following:M+BLK/YELLOW / STOP CIRCUITS / YELLOW / START CIRCUITC / PURPLE/WHITE / PRIMERA / PURPLE / SWITCHED B+M / BLK / GRDB / RED/PURPLE / NON-SWITCHED B+I am not sure exactly what these mean, though...what is the STOP circuit? Is teh Non-switched B+ just a hot wire when the key is off? I assume the "Primer" is the choke?Thank you already for all this assistance!!!

[Paul Moir]

Go with Joe's advice first. Rewiring the switch will be a pain. But that switch you bought will work fine. Just forget about the diagram, as those are the standard wire colours. Your engine came out before that standard did.The stop circuit is the two 'M' terminals that hook together when the key is in the 'STOP' position. On a magneto igntion system, that's how you stop the engine. Since the ignition (spark) system is independent of the battery, you don't 'cut power' to it like you would on a car. Instead you short it out.The two 'M' terminals should connect to the two black wires. Primer is choke. The batt terminal simply supplies the +12v needed by the (A)cessories, (S)tart, and (C)hoke terminals. If you look at the letters on the switch, you'll see they match my post.

[spratt]

OK, Paul, I am going to get off work early today and go install the new switch. The only reason I went this route is because my son is flying in from Florida and I wanted to take him out on the boat, and didn't have time to order a switch and have it delivered God knows when...overnight brought the price up to where the local cost was so I bought local. It was $30 w/taxes, so not too bad...to get the vintage switch to match my original was $36. and order!!!Thank you again, and if all works out, I will let y'all know how the virgin trip went!!!

[Paul Moir]

Good luck with it! And don't forget to disconnect the battery first. If you are simply swapping the switches, your new switch will have the 'C' terminal unused. That's the way it should be, just leave it.Also, it doesn't matter which black wire hooks to which 'M' terminal. Just as long as one goes to one terminal, and the other to the other.

[spratt]

Thanks Paul!!! I have swapped out the switch, but it appears I may have a faulty starter solenoid. I have voltage at the key, but none at the starter. I had to call it quits for the night, so I came in and checked out the manual, and found the troubleshooting section for the starter and solenoid, including the cut out switch. Tomorrow morning I will have a friend come over and help test out the system. I did jump the starter directly from the battery and the engine spun great, but no fire. I have new gas and oil mixture in the tank, and hopefulkly will find something simple like the solenoid. I did pull it and wire briush the contacts where the wires connect. Any other advice at this point?Also, the key number on the old switch is: KF68

[Paul Moir]

I don't have any great suggestions. I take it you had the key in the 'run' position when you jumped the starter? If it was left in 'stop', then you won't have any sparks. The only suggestion I do have is to print off JB's handy troubleshooting checklist and take it with you. Click on the link below: Outboard Won't Start.Which manual have you got?EDIT: Also, check what state the choke plate is in. When you look down the carb's throat, the first plate should be closed when you try to start. I've been presuming all along here that your engine has a hot water choke (automatic). There is a manual override on the right side of the carburetor.

[spratt]

I have4 the SELOC manual, which doesn't have a lot of troubleshooting, nor does it even have how to wire up an ignition switch. What is the better choice of manuals?The choke plate was in the closed position. I had it in Automatic setting, and when I toggled the choke switch I could hear it clunk back there.Yes the key was in the ON position.I will print out the checklist and see how it goes in the morning. Thak you!!!

[Paul Moir]

Generally speaking, the OEM one is better. But it won't have much on the ignition switch either. That Seloc manual is really the best there is for what you're doing. Unfortunetly, the wiring diagrams in it aren't the greatest (Appendix A-20 and A-23 way in the back), but they might help a bit too.I'm interested to hear what you find. Post back and let us know!

[spratt]

Alright, here is the current part of this saga:After getting a new starter solenoid and installing it, and beating my brains out because I could not get voltage at the starter side of the solenoid (old OR new), i rewired the ignition switch several time to make sure it was right. It was...Here is what happened:- I checked voltage at the solenoid / battery side=12 volts- Checked voltage at the key, and had 12 voltsChecked starter side of solenoid and didn't have any voltage with key turned on (had friend helping)- Checked cut out switch and it appeared bad, so I removed it and disassembled / cleaned it and tested it agan...it now worked- checked all voltages again and no changes- All this time I had the throttle in the halfway position as the pervious owner told me it would never start unless it was at that spotI accidentally pushed the throttle to the lowest setting while I was turning the key and VOILA!!! The engine spun like it wanted to tear itself off teh transom adn go skiing all alone!!!- Put the throttle back in the middle and hte startedr doesn't do anything. Theonly position the starter will spin is at the lowest RPM setting.I am thinking that with the throttle in that position, the cut out switch is activated and the engine shouldn't spin, right???The engine deosn't run with the cut out switch pushed in does it???Where should I look now to troubleshoot the thing? The Seloc manual showed me how to troubleshoot the cut out switch, so I knopw the switch is operating properly, but I am l;ost now....HELP!!!!!

[spratt]

OK, now that I am about to show just how ignorant I REALLY am about boating, y'all just overlook that point and see how well I have been at reading my Solec manual:-)To quote from page 7-14, "If the starter fails to crank the engine, check to be sure the throttle lever is in the idle position. If the throttle is advanced more than 1/4 forward, the cutout switch attached to the armature plate will open the circuit to the starter solenoid."Needless to say, if that circuit is open, no juice will flow to the starter...This all happened to me because the old fellow who sold me the boat said "If you don't have the throttle straight up and down, it will NEVER start"...I think maybe he is having his sides sewn up where he blew some stitches in laughter at my ignorance...from my previous posts, you all can see I have been at this for two days now. I tried a new solenoid, a new battery, rewiring, recharging, testing, and almost crying:-(Now night has fallen, but I will be back out there Saturday morning to see if I can now get the engine to run...it sure cranks over great!!!If it runs and checks out, I WILL be out on the water Saturday afternoon!!! In the Seattle area, if you don't do it in the rain, it don't get done...