Engine does nothing

I mistakenly left the key on overnight on my early 70s Johnson 65 HP. The battery was dead, charged that up and hooked up everything again. Now, I turn the key on and nothing happens. Anyone have any ideas on what might have happened?

Thanks

Re: Engine does nothing

One of the smaller RED wires leading from the starter solenoid has a 20 ampere fuse in it (power fuse) that leads to the "B" battery terminal of the ignition switch. Check it... possibly it blew.

Re: Engine does nothing

Joe is right, it is probably that fuse blown because the semi-automatic choke on that motor draws current to give a 1/2-choke position until the motor warms up. If the key is left on, the choke solenoid windings overheat over time and short out, blowing the fuse. You may even find melted insulation, sticky plunger operation, and even deformed housing due to the excessive heat produced.

Re: Engine does nothing

The reply of Seahorse5 brings to mind the folowing which eliminates the OMC dual wiring electric choke goof.... it had slipped my mind.

(Temperature Actuated Choke Solenoid Conversion)
(J. Reeves)

Various OMC engines that were manufactured in the later 1960s thru the early 1970s, for example the 1969 55hp Evinrude/Johnson incorporated a dual stage choke solenoid...... easy to identify as they have two wires leading to the solenoid, one purple/white, one purple/yellow.

The purple/yellow is attached at the engine wiring terminal strip to another purple/yellow wire that led to a heat sensor. The initial stage, with the key ON, (purple/yellow), when cold, would keep the choke pulled in half way until the engine warmed up, at which time it would release and open the choke butterfly.

The second stage (purple/white) is attached to another purple/white wire at the engine terminal strip which leads to the choke switch. When the switch was engaged, the choke closed etc.

The problem with this setup is that as the engine got older, the thermostat acted up, water pump became weak, whatever, the heat sensor failed to operate properly and the choke would not release from that half closed position. This would cause the engine to run in a rich fuel mixture condition (flooding, loading up).

The cure to this problem, via a service bulletin from OMC was to remove the solenoid purple/yellow wire from its original location and connect both of the solenoid wires (purple/yellow & purple/white) to the engine wiring harness purple/white wire at the engine terminal strip.

The above change would allow both solenoid wires to be energized when the choke switch is engaged, pulling the choke butterfly in firmly..... and only when the choke switch is engaged.