switch or kill switch will not shut engine off...

[jus4funn2010]

When I started having problems with my 225 johnson, one of the things I did was replace the switch. Everything was ok until I had a bad trip to the coast and the engine would not idle and I spend 3 days trying to get the engine running good enough to fish a little and I turned way too many adjustments trying to keep the engine running. At some point I tried to turn the engine off and the key switch would not shut the engine down or the kill switch. It would idle down and shut off anyway but now I have rebuilt all the carbs, replaced the VRO pump, fuel lines, bulb, etc. and finally got the engine to run again and now the switch or kill switch would not turn the engine off again. I had to shut the fuel off at the tank and let it idle out of gas. Did I get something out of adjustment that caused this or is this new switch defective? Anyone have any ideas? thanks in advance. It is a 2001 model year if that matters.

[Daviet]

If I am thinking correctly, you should have a black wire with a yellow tracer, going to the power pack. That is the ground circut for the ignition system. Disconnect the wire at the pack and see if the harness end goes to ground with the key in the off position, if it does the problem is most likely in the power pack. You can also try ground.ing the wire from the pack itself, with the engine running, and see if the engine quits. If it does the wiring to the switch is not grounding the pack
Be careful with that wire, it carries a lot of voltage when the engine is runningd

[jus4funn2010]

thanks for the help but Im electrically challenged...lol Can you explain that a little different? What do you mean by "see if the harness end goes to ground"?

[Daviet]

You have two terminals on the ignition switch that ground the power pack. One terminal has a black wire that goes to a ground on the block. The other terminal has a black wire with a yellow tracer that goes to the power pack. When the key is in the off position, the black/yellow wire goes from the power pack up to the ignition switch and connects the black wire that goes to the engine ground to kill the engine.
If you disconnect the black/yellow wire at the pack and use an ohm meter, connect one test leed from the meter to the black/yellow wire that goes to the main harness ( not to the pack) and the other test leed to a ground on the engine. With the key in the off position you should have a complete circut. If you don't have a complete circut, thepack will not be grounded and the engine will not shut down.
Don't know if I helped or confused you with all of this. If you could find a manual for your engine, it will have a wiring schematic that will show all of this.

[jus4funn2010]

that does help, and I do have a service manual. Ill try to check this tomorrow. I appreciate the help.

[jus4funn2010]

ok, when I disconnected the black/yellow tracer wire at the junction beside the power pack, and tried to ground it to the block, I could not get a complete circuit with the switch off. Does that mean my new switch is bad?

[jus4funn2010]

so simple, the black/yellow tracer wire had vibrated loose from the back of the switch. I forgot they had individual connections and go figure, that was the only one loose. thanks for all the help