Re: 1973 85 horse johnson ignition
It appears like you're now saying that the engine is cranking over via the ignition switch.
Note that "cranking" pertains to the engine turning over/rotating, the flywheel is revolving. Fire pertains to the ignition, proper spark at the spark plug area.
For test purposes, you can temporarily use a small jumper wire to ground out the 3/8" nut terminal at the starter solenoid to eliminate the safety switch... the wire that leads to the safety switch.
The engine must crank over at least 300 rpm for the stator to energize the powerpack, needed in order to have proper spark. A slow cranking engine will have weak, erratic, or no ignition/spark.
When a engine cranks over slowly, it is due to one or more of the following....................
Bad battery... Bad starter... Good battery but needs charging... poor connection of a cable or wire in the starter system...
To test the starter... run good known jumper cables directly from a good known fully charged battery to the starter. If the atarter cranks the engine over fast, then obviously the starter is okay... and the reason for the slow cranking is elsewhere.
Best to remove all cables and wires pertaining to the starting system, including the black ground wire at the powerhead and also the actual battery terminals at the battery. Clean thoroughly all of the end terminals of the cables/wires and also the components to which they attach. Then tighten them with a wrench or pliers... not your fingers if wing nuts are being used.