Johnson 140hp starting issues

vandy21 · Jul 24, 2009

Ok, so I'm quite stumped here. I've just finished wiring up my boat and I'm guessing I did something wrong. When my red battery cable is hooked up to my engine and my battery, the small gear on my starter motor spins, even when the ignition is off. Also, it appears to be spinning the wrong way because it spins opposite of the way it spins manually. Right now I have my trim harness grounded and I believe that is what is grounding the engine and allowing it to spin even when the black battery cable is not hooked up. Any ideas on what I did wrong/ what I need to do to get the motor to start? Thanks a lot, I know this is kind of confusing so if I can try to provide you with more specific information if you ask.

tashasdaddy · Jul 24, 2009

Re: Johnson 140hp starting issues

what year? model #? where do you have cables connected, starter spins counter clockwise so it will turn flywheel clockwise. do you have a factory service manual?

vandy21 · Jul 24, 2009

Re: Johnson 140hp starting issues

It's a 1988, model # J140CXCC. I believe it is spinning counter clockwise, although when I manually turn and lift it, it spins clockwise. Also, I don't have a service manual for it. I tried researching this issue and stumbled across an older thread on a similar issue, but I'm not sure if I'm having the same problem of not.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=139410

vandy21 · Jul 24, 2009

Re: Johnson 140hp starting issues

Also, I forgot to mention where I have the battery cables hooked up. I have the red cable hooked up to the terminal connecting to the solenoid running to the starter motor (the left side) and I have the black running to the other (right) side

ezeke · Jul 24, 2009

Re: Johnson 140hp starting issues

The battery positive voltage cable should be connected to the large post on the starter solenoid furthest away from the starter.

The battery negative cable should be grounded to the engine block. The starter is wired to the other side of the starter solenoid directly and gets grounded by being bolted to the engine block.

Please click the thumbnail.

vandy21 · Jul 24, 2009

Re: Johnson 140hp starting issues

sorry to be hogging my own thread here, but I just thought of another potentially important piece of info. My engine is a counter rotating engine because the previous owner was running dual engines. Does this mean that my flywheel should be spinning clockwise and that my starter motor is indeed spinning the wrong direction? I haven't started the engine since putting it on my boat, so I have no proof that the starter motor was ever installed correctly.

ezeke · Jul 24, 2009

Re: Johnson 140hp starting issues

The model number tells us that it is 25" counter rotating, but that's the gearcase, not the engine. Everything about your motor is the same as standard 25" except the gearcase and the counter-rotating prop.

vandy21 · Jul 24, 2009

Re: Johnson 140hp starting issues

Ok, so the flywheel spins the same direction regardless? And after reading your first post ezeke, it sounds like I may have my battery cables switched?

vandy21 · Jul 24, 2009

Re: Johnson 140hp starting issues

I tried switching the battery cables, but they were right the first time, so I'm out of ideas.

ezeke · Jul 25, 2009

Re: Johnson 140hp starting issues

Study the diagram; it is correct.

oldrudedude · Jul 25, 2009

Re: Johnson 140hp starting issues

The power from the red battery cable should go through the solenoid to get to the starter motor. The solenoid acts as a switch. The red battery cable connects to one solenoid terminal. The red cable from the starter connects to the other solenoid terminal. The black battery cable does not connect to either the solenoid or the starter. It grounds onto the engine block. The solenoid terminal with the red battery cable has another red wire which goes into the wire harness.

Your description of the problem leads me to believe you have the red battery cable and the red starter cable connected to the same solenoid terminal. This bypasses the solenoid and causes the starter to spin as soon as the battery is connected.

vandy21 · Jul 25, 2009

Re: Johnson 140hp starting issues

Thanks guys, it was a battery cable issue. Sorry for being such a novice. I've learned alot about fiberglassing and rebuilding boats, now I need to learn about outboards!

Johnson 140hp starting issues

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