[Andrew Zimbabwe]

Can any one help. My 85 Yamaha has the trim working and all the gauges light up when the key is turned on. The started does not engage at all but the electronic choke works when i push the key in. I have checked all the fuses and connections, could it be a safety switch that is stopping power from getting to the starter motor

[JB]

That could be, Andrew. If your solenoid does not click when you ask for the starter to run it is a good suspect.

The most common cause of your symptoms, though, is resistance troubles in the high current circuit for the starter motor itself. Those big wires from the battery to the engine block (-) and to the solenoid (+) have to carry hundreds of amps of current to operate the starter. Even a few thousandths of one ohm of resistance prevent that much current for the starter, yet don't interfere with the comparatively low current draw of many other loads.

So the first thing I recommend in cases like this is to remove and carefully clean all connections of those big wires, at the battery and at the engine.

If that fails to solve your problem, go to the Engine FAQs Forum and do the troubleshooting in "Outboard won't start".

Let us know what you find, and good luck.

[Andrew Zimbabwe]

Hi JB

Have done everything you suggested and still no start. If i short out the relay the motor starts and runs like a dream. Does this mean that my relay is buggered ? Many thanks for the reply. Will keep trying to get it going and let you know what i come up with

Cheers

Andrew

[CrappieLimit]

Originally Posted by Andrew Zimbabwe

Can any one help. My 85 Yamaha has the trim working and all the gauges light up when the key is turned on. The started does not engage at all but the electronic choke works when i push the key in. I have checked all the fuses and connections, could it be a safety switch that is stopping power from getting to the starter motor

Did you check the kill switch? There should be a lanyard with a disk that goes under a pullout button. When you get too far from the controls the disk pops out killing the motor.