What is this "black button"?

Question; I have a 1990 Freedom 195 w/ a 4.3 V6 that was working just fine until this weekend I went to launch and the engine wouldn't fire. I went thru every possible troubleshooting. Battery is new and was putting out a full 12.6 volts. Starter was cranking and receiving 11.8 volts. Coil was putting out a very strong spark ( I took a nice shock from it) I pulled the cap and cleaned all the contacts to a nice shiny copper. I pulled each plug wire, they are all received spark.I changed the plugs earlier last week, gapped to spec and test fired in my driveway with an instant rumble. Had half a tank of gas, and sprayed very generous amounts of starter fluid into the carb. Still engine wouldn't fire?? I had never had a problem with it. So got to thinking, there is a black button above my ignition, is this the lanyard engine kill safety switch? I have never used it before and have never had anything attached to it. Did I depress that button by mistake and did it keep the engine from firing? If that is a possibility, what do I do to by pass it or "reset" it? Any info would be so appreciated! It sucked sitting at the marina for 3 hours of troubleshooting in the rain with my brother Labor Day weekend missing the salmon runs!!

Re: What is this "black button"?

A "blackbutton" could be lots of things. Could be for the lanyard, could also be a electronic choke, throttle only, trailer switch, throttle tension. Knob, just to name a few.

Is it marked? Is it actually a button? Or does it look like the clip on the back of a microphone from a CB or Vhf? Can you post a picture.

If it was a safety switch chances are you wouldn't get any spark.

Bill

Re: What is this "black button"?

If you have spark, it isn't a safety lanyard issue since it disconnects power to the ignition. Don't use starter fluid very bad for your engine. Instead, just pur some gasoline down the throat of the carb.

Re: What is this "black button"?

I will get a pic, it does have a symbol next to it, best description is a triangle with a cracked lighbulb in it......make sense? Definitely not a cb or anything this is manufacturer installed part of the dash

Re: What is this "black button"?

My referance to a cb mic was to try to narrow down what this thing looks like. Some lanyards have a magnetic clip that clips on a button that looks like the back of a CB mic, it was the easiest way to describe what it looks like.

Bill

Re: What is this "black button"?

it is indeed the safety kill button as I saw the same symbol on another boats safety switch. I was never given a lanyard, so how do I bypass this? And why was there spark?? Would the coil spark and not the cap?

Re: What is this "black button"?

You need to figure out where to get a "key",( my description) (lanyard button) that will hole the button open/out . Then it will allow it start, that is why they are called a Kill Switch/ safety.