A couple of post rebuild questions?

I haven't started my 115 since rebuilding it (just getting over the flu) but I have some concerns and a couple of questions. 1st I am not getting any power to my keyswitch. This morning I went out and jumped the starter from the battery to see if I had a good engine ground and it cranked OK. This brings me to my second concern/question.

While I had the plugs out and was messing with turning it over with the starter I decided to do a quick compression test. I was not thrilled with the results. 80 psi on 2 cyls and 90 on the other 2. In the past this engine always tested between 115 and 120 psi. My question is should I get that much of an increase in compression once the engine has been ran a little and the rings have seated? I'm also thinking of borrowing another compression gauge just in case mine is out of calibration. It's the same guage I have always used but it has been sitting in the garage for a year without use so there is no guarantee the guage is in the same shape it was in when last used.

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

Oops forgot to ask, anybody have any ideas on where to start troubleshooting the keyswitch problem?

I have power to the motor, the tilt & trim buttons on the side of the motor work fine and jumping the starter shows I have a pretty good engine ground I think.

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

I just retested the cylinders and came up with a little higher numbers, still not what I expected but maybe the cyls were dry the first time I tested. Got 90,90,90 & 110 this time. The 110 was the one that was rebored which concerns me a little. I think before I start worrying too much about the compression I need to get it running and run it a little.

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

Check controls to ensure its in neutral, check that ground is hooked to soleniod and is grounded. When you jumped it over was it positive to yellow wire or you just jumped pos stud to starter stud?

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

Let me see if I can ask my question a little differently? When I turn the key on I get nothing, no guages, no warning buzzer, no tilt/trim from the helm and no start. I am pretty sure I have got a good ground at the outboard because I have no problem with the tilt/trim when operated with the buttons on the side of the motor and I can touch pretty much every bare bolt with a test light and it will light up.

I also replaced the old corroded bus bar for grounding the accessarys, (I realize this has nothing to do with the key switch problem but that needed to be done anyway) and now every accessary on the boat that doesn't need the key on works. Nothing that runs off the key comes on.

I guess what I am trying to ask is, since I don't know anything about the engine wireing except what plugs into what. Is there a ground I may be missing somewhere? I hate to just blindly go in and replace the switch not knowing if it is good or bad.

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

Sorry I keep revisiting this thread but I am just adding information that might be helpful in getting answers.

Anyway my keyswitch has 6 wires going to it. In the center there is a Purple & White wire which when tested with a hot wire from the battery lights a test light. At the top is a Red & Purple wire which does not light the test light. Then going clockwise there is a Yellow & Black wire that lights the test light. A Red & Yellow wire that lights the test light. A Purple wire that lights the test light and a Black & White wire that lights the test light. I guess all that tells me is those wires go to ground when the key is off?

Also there are 2 yellow and white wires that go to the shift lever. I would assume they are the Neutral start switch.

Excuse my ignorance I am just blindly trying to get a feel for what I am dealing with.

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

Best to print out the diagram at this link: http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc281/originalseahorse/keyswitchwiring.jpg

Click the thumbnail for the starter circuit.

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

Well, I am about to give up. The diagrams at that site only go up to 1989 and mine is a 98. The diagrams in my repair manual don't seem to do me any good because I am having such a hard time following them. They have wires going to VROs and oil tanks and the SPL model did not have a VRO.

Maybe if I step away for a while then start fresh I can figure something out. It is a shame to be so close to starting this thing and get stuck like this.

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

OK after a couple hours sleep I looked at the diagrams again and I think I have it figured out.The Red & Purple wire should be hot it should run from the key switch back through the wireing harness to the ignition system fuse then to the starter solenoid. Earlier when I checked that fuse it apeared to be ok but I will bet tomorrow when I test that wire there is a break somewhere.

My gut feeling is this is the problem. I don't know much about wireing but I think I am on to it. I will post back in the morning when I have a chance to check it out.

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

Sounds very similar to an issue I had. Previous O spliced the main wire harness. The "hot" wire with the fuse was almost completely severed such that I could get voltage at the terminal (control box), but when a load was put on it (like trying to put current to the solenoid), it wouldn't carry it. Very difficult to diagnose because I was getting 12 V and 0 ohms resistance... For starters (sorry) you should be getting 12V on the red/purple wire at your control box. I figured out (after much, much confusion) when I tested voltage at the terminal in the control box, then turned on the power and saw it drop to ~0 (under load). Hope this helps.

TJB

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

Back to square one. Now I am really confussed. I have power on the wire to and from the ignition system fuse but no power to the red and purple wire at the key switch. between those two points there is such a mess of jumbled wires I have no idea what I have going on.

Can somebody confirm or dispute that I am on the right track. Should that red & Purple wire be hot at the key switch?

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

Ok an update......I made some major progress this morning. I went with my gut feeling and ran a wire from the 20 amp ignition fuse directly to the red & purple wire on the key switch. Turned on the key and the guages moved. I went ahead and preped the engine to start it since I have been dying to hear it run for a couple of weeks now. I hooked up an external tank with double oil and went ahead and started it. She fired right up once gas hit the carbs, a great sound for an engine that hasn't been running in almost a year. I only ran it for about a minute since I still have some issues to take care of. Right now I just have it jerry rigged now I have to start working on the perminant fix. I also have to figure out why I have no tilt and trim at the helm but these are just minor issues. Once I have my wireing issues straightened out I need to retape some of the wire bundles since I cut some of the old electrical tape away while trying to figure out the wireing problem. Other than that it looks like I am about ready to cruise.

Thanks for the help.

Even though it looks like I pretty much figured this one out on my own LOL.

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

All my motors are pre-1996 (so the wiring is different). If the post 1996 motors are similar to their older brethren, you should find a small fuse holder somewhere on the powerhead. If you trace that wire into the connector, it should be the "hot" wire at your control box.

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I was typing the above when you posted! If it's like mine, you have a severed wire somewhere in your harness (maybe more than one if you pt&t doesn't work). I got a brand new cable from BRP ($140!) which I plan to replace along with control cables, etc (when I finally get some time). I have done what you did and ran a hot wire from a 20 Amp fuse in my console to the control box. Depending on how your cables are routed, you might "pull" them and have a look for breaks/frays/etc. Good to hear you're up and running!

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

I'll throw-in my $0.02 about the compression readings you got earlier.

I would'nt worry too much about "how high they are". Use the gauge to determine the total difference you have between cylinders. One comp gauge to another will only highlight "gauge error".

The cylinder that has the highest compression is the one that was honed extra and; if that cylinder had a new piston installed, and the others didn't (maybe just rings) the compression will be higher on any cylinder w/ a new piston because the skirt of the piston will seal off the intake port more efficeintly. Quickly translated, I think your comp. readings are fine if my assumptions are correct in that the other cylinders did NOT have new pistons.

Re: A couple of post rebuild questions?

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc281/originalseahorse/keyswitchwiring.jpg