Evinrude nuetral safety switch

[RayP]

I have a 1996 Evinrude 90HP engine. Several times each time I take the boat out on the water I can turn the ignition key and get nothing. Eventually it will work. Get it back in the driveway and I can't ever get it to show the problem. I think it is the nuetral. Where is it located on this engine? Any other ideas?

[marinemech1]

switch is usually inside control box

[DHPMARINE]

Don't forget those wing nuts on the battery need pliers to tighten them.Fingers are not enough.DHP

[RayP]

DHPMarine, If it is the wing nuts why would the problem only show up on the water and not in the driveway?Marinemech1, Do you mean in the shift handle control instead of somewhere in the engine?

[marinemech1]

yes describe the control box you have is it stock binacle consealed side mount etc?is it even an omc control?p.s. throw away wing nuts and use hex nuts

[RayP]

marinemech1, I just took a quick look at it (it is pooring rain here in CT now) and I will get a better look tomorrow. It is a consealed side mount, has the power tilt switch built into the handle. It is the original shift that came with the 90HP Evinrude. So the switch is in this? What I can't understand is that I can get the problem to troubleshoot at home but it always occurs on the water??

[marinemech1]

switch is mounted inside the box its a very small micro switch adjustment is very fine. before taking control box apart...when problem happens try wiggling shift handle while holding key in the crank position this usually works as true neutral is very hard to find with such a small switchalso check wiring from key switch to control and from control to harness for tight and cleani think wiggling handle may solve your proble good luckp.s. snowing here

[DHPMARINE]

Just trying to help.Something happens on the ramp,that doesn't 'seem' to occur in the yard.DHP

[marinemech1]

usually what ever is going to screw up happens saturday afternoon at 2:30 when friends are up MURPHY'S LAW

[rdgallo]

I have a 1994 Johnson 150 FastStrike that exhibits some of your same problems. I have never had it fail to start on the driveway or in the water when it was cold. After I have run it for awhile and stop to fish, (sometimes- not always) it will fail to engage the starter or even make a clicking sound. The only noise you hear is when you turn the key and the warning horn sounds off to let you know it is working. I had the dealer replace the neutral safety switch and that did nothing. I replaced the ignition switch last fall, but don't believe that will solve the problem. My next move is to replace the starter solenoid. I always can get it to start by turning the key off and on several times, but one of these days, it will leave me stranded unless I find the problem. It has been this way for about 6-7 years. Good luck on finding your problem Hopefully yours will be the neutral start switch.

[RayP]

DHPmarine, marinemech1 I will try to troubleshoot it on the water (i.e. wiggling handle). It that seems to work indicate the problem I will take apart the the hand control and try to find this microswitch and either adjust or replace it. Anything else like the solenoid cause a problem like this? Thanks for your help.

[rdgallo]

I have a 1994 Johnson 150 FastStrike that exhibits some of your same problems. I have never had it fail to start on the driveway or in the water when it was cold. After I have run it for awhile and stop to fish, (sometimes- not always) it will fail to engage the starter or even make a clicking sound. The only noise you hear is when you turn the key and the warning horn sounds off to let you know it is working. I had the dealer replace the neutral safety switch and that did nothing. I replaced the ignition switch last fall, but don't believe that will solve the problem. My next move is to replace the starter solenoid. I always can get it to start by turning the key off and on several times, but one of these days, it will leave me stranded unless I find the problem. It has been this way for about 6-7 years. Good luck on finding your problem Hopefully yours will be the neutral start switch.

[RayP]

Ron, That is exactly the problem that I am experiencing and I have had also had this problem for over 6 years. I can't get it to act up in the driveway so I can troubleshoot it but out on the water it happens frequently. After stopping to fish for awhile I turn the key and nothing happens. I turn the key on and off several times and then it works. I replaced the ignition switch the first year but it had no effect on the problem.

[rdgallo]

Ray, it is good to know someone has the same problem. Maybe between the two of us and the experts on this forum, we can figure it out. After the dealer put in the new neutral safety switch, I took the boat back to him about a year later with the same problem. He told me he found some wires loose on the solenoid and tightened them and that should fix the problem. I took the boat on a fishing vacation and the first couple of times I shut it off to fish, it started right up and I thought "good! the darned thing is fixed", but a little later the problem was back. It has baffled me for a long time. My buddies just stare at me as I turn the key on and off trying to get the starter to do something. I know they are thinking we have a long trolling motor ride back to the dock. Then all of a sudden it starts fine. I have never had it fail while on the driveway (even after I have run it quite a long time and shut it off) or at the boat launch - only after it has run on the water and I am sitting in the middle of nowhere on the lake does it act up. Please let me know how you get yours fixed if you do. You can e-mail me at rdgallo@insightbb.com to discuss this if you want. Like I said, I am probably going to purchase a new starter solenoid and try that before I get stranded somewhere. I can buy the solenoid for about $31 including shipping. Good luck with yours.

[rdgallo]

Ray, if I checked the parts list correctly, your 90 looks like it takes the same solenoid that mine does. I wonder if OMC had a problem with those solenoids at one time. Too bad there isn't some way to find out.

[Walker]

If you put a volt meter on your solenoid when she won't start you can find out if its the solenoid or not.

[RayP]

I plan on changing the solenoid since I can never get the chance to take a measurement. Anyone know of any problems with the solenoids? Any special instructions when I change it?

[RayP]

Ron, I sent you an email. Please let me know if you get it. Yes it feels better if 2 of us are trying to figure this one out. I plan on looking at how difficult it is to change this solenoid on my engine. For $30 it sounds like it is worth a chance. Were did you find the part? My email is:rphillips03@snet.net

[rdgallo]

Ray, I found the part on a link that CATransplant from this post gave me. I e-mailed the link to you. This is the place I ordered my water pump kit from.

[rdgallo]

Just to let everyone know - RayP purchased and installed a new starter solenoid and it fixed this problem I am installing a new solenoid on my motor that has the same problem and will post my results also.

[rdgallo]

New starter solenoid fixed my problem too.

[rdgallo]

Just got back from a week long fishing trip to Lake Pepin Wisconsin and the motor started with no problems every time. It looks like the new starter solenoid was indeed the fix.