85 Johnson 140- No ignition... Not even a click

epps408

Cadet
Joined
Feb 11, 2013
Messages
8
I was on the water all day yesterday with no problems at all until the very end. I went to start my motor and got nothing. Not even a click from the solenoid. I've checked everything I can think of. I know it's not the starter, because I was able to start my motor by bypassing the solenoid and ignition switch. I checked the solenoid post with the yellow/red striped wire and I'm getting power to it when I turn the key... Would that rule out any possible ignition switch problems? Any help would be great!
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: 85 Johnson 140- No ignition... Not even a click

Have your battery load tested and check all your battery cable connections for being good, clean and tight on both the battery and the mtr.
 

Will Bark

Lieutenant
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Messages
1,470
Re: 85 Johnson 140- No ignition... Not even a click

How about the fuse next to the solenoid or the nuetral start switch in the shifter?
 

epps408

Cadet
Joined
Feb 11, 2013
Messages
8
Re: 85 Johnson 140- No ignition... Not even a click

The fuse is good and the neutral start switch is pressed in. I don't think it's a battery connection problem because everything including the instrumentals work.
 

Crosbyman

Rear Admiral
Joined
Nov 5, 2006
Messages
4,915
Re: 85 Johnson 140- No ignition... Not even a click

no click on the selenoid. ?? should be an easy one ...


(have u tried jumping a 12v to the selenoid post to see if the selenoid kicks in ad gets the starter spinning ??) if nothing happens then the selenoid internal coil is open ... test with VOM... if open... replace bad selenoid

if strater works = selenoid is OK

work backwards from the seleniod's small 12 volts post . it should go 12v when you "start" the engine.

no 12 volts ?? work back to the key on the same wire going to the selenoid. no juice ?? work back via the key on the to the battery
side. Keep work backwards to the battery supply

if you do see 12volts "out" of the key on the selenoid lead then your selenoid wire is broken between the key and the selenoid post.

(I once had a +12 v feed to the key broken right in the side plug harness of a merc 50.. every time I turned to the left the engine would die)
 

daselbee

Commander
Joined
Jan 20, 2009
Messages
2,765
Re: 85 Johnson 140- No ignition... Not even a click

If you have +12v on the yellow/red wire when you turn the key to start, (that's what I read you posted), then you have a bad ground to the solenoid, or you have a bad solenoid.
Manually jump the solenoid ground terminal with a spare piece of wire to a known GOOD engine ground. Retry. If nothing, new solenoid.
 
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