[Oday Sailor]

Hi all, hope you can help me out:

I have a 9.9 Evinrude Electric Start motor. I believe it is either 2000 or 2001.

The motor only starts manually, with the pull start. I cannot start the motor using the key - I turn the key, but nothing happens. I've checked the battery and the cables, spark plugs, all that stuff is fine. If I manually start the motor and then turn the key on the electric start to OFF, the motor does shut down.

I connect the positive and the negative lead cables from the motor to the battery. I am attaching a picture of the electric start module - with the main question. Should I connect something else to the battery? There is one silver prong that is left unused on the electric starter. Is that supposed to be unused, or should I be connecting something to it? I tried to connect it to ground, but still nothing happens.

Would be happy to provide any other details if they might help. Thank you!!!!

[skyking.5]

Check the Neutral Safety Switch

[Oday Sailor]

I'm sorry - I'm a bit new to this: do you mean that extra prong gets connected to the Negative on the battery? I did try that, however, same result....

[CATransplant]

Uh...no, that isn't what he meant. Don't start connecting things willy-nilly. You could easily destroy some expensive parts. Instead, start looking for a service manual for your outboard. I believe you can order a service manual for that late model outboard from any Evinrude dealer. It will have a wiring diagram showing the proper connnections, all color-coded.

The basics are that there should be a positive and negative battery cable coming out of your outboard. I'm assuming this is a tiller model. When those are connected to the battery, the starter should operate when the outboard is in neutral, but only then, when you operate the starter switch.

You have the switch out of the outboard. Did you remove it? If so, have you disconnected any wires at all?

[CATransplant]

OK, we're going to have to have the model number on your outboard. There are several variations. Also, is your ignition switch mounted remotely?

[CATransplant]

OK, on the remote control versions, there is a 20-amp fuse in the wiring harness. It's a plug-in fuse. I don't know where it's located on your outboard, but it's under the hood. That's probably the source of your problem.

[Oday Sailor]

Thank you guys for the quick replies...

Don't worry - I haven't connected anything randomly quite yet And yes, it is in neutral...

So - the model number is: E10TEX4SID - Electric Start 9.9 Evinrude, 2001

The electric starter part (the one in my pic) is connected to the motor via a cable.

I have tried starting the motor by turning the key, (after connecting the +/- from the motor to the +/- on the starting battery), but got nothing. No sound, no start, no clicking noise. The battery is brand new, and I even tried another battery.

The motor does start easily by pulling on the rope starter. I've checked the fuses, they were fine, I even replaced them just in case...

Went to Waste Marine today and bought me a nice $37 Johnson/Evinrude Outboard Repair Manual... Looking through it is like looking at Japanese characters to me.... Thanks for the help guys!