1989 Johnson Kill Switch Problems

[reb0707]

Hi All, I have read a lot of posts on your forum to try and fix my problem but I am not quite there yet. Problem is I turn the key off and the motor keeps running. Had to put vice grips on the gas line to kill the motor. With the other posts I think I have 3 possibilities. Bad ignition (not Likely), Bad Black and Yellow wire (most likely) or bad power pack. From what I gather if I connect the 2 m terminals while running I can kill the engine. Haven't done it yet. Next to determin if I have a bad Black and Yellow wire I can splice into the black and yellow wire on the ignition and splice in again near the power pack and turn the key off and see if this is the problem. I recently put a temp. sending unit on the motor and had to run a brown wire through the boats wire tube. I may have comprimised the B/y wire. I have been looking over this motor and I am not sure what this power pack looks like? Also I don't see a distinct black wire w/ a yellow stripe. What I thought to be the Power Pack is on both sides of the v4 and I think they are coil packs? There is a thin long thing with a cover and several wires screwed into it. I don't think thats the coil pack. Sory, a bit lost. Thank You

 

[Daviet]

Re: 1989 Johnson Kill Switch Problems

OK, lots of people to help here, but we must know what we are working on, what's your model number?

 

[reb0707]

Re: 1989 Johnson Kill Switch Problems

Wow, Just went and looked. Recently I painted the engine w/ Evenrude/ Johnson spray paint. I put a piece of tape over the model number when I removed the tape most of the model number went with it. Before I painted the engine I wrote down the model number but I may have disgarded the number. The last 3 letters are ESB. I wrote the numbers down so I could get a temp alarm. The guy @ the store specialized in these engines. He said this was a 1989 20 inch shaft V4. For right now thats all I can tell you.

 

[Daviet]

Re: 1989 Johnson Kill Switch Problems

There should be a core plug on the block, about the size of a quarter, that will have the model number on it.

 

[reb0707]

Re: 1989 Johnson Kill Switch Problems

Found It! Top J115TLCRD Bottom J5960042 Thank You!

 

[Daviet]

Re: 1989 Johnson Kill Switch Problems

1984 115hp.
Disconnect the black/yellow wire at the power pack, ground the wire going to the pack to a good ground on the engine, if the engine shuts off you have an open circut to the ign switch. A bad ign switch, not grounding the 2 M terminals togeather, broken black/yellow wire to the engine or broken ground wire to the engine.

 

[reb0707]

Re: 1989 Johnson Kill Switch Problems

OK, I am guessing there are 2 power packs. One on both sides of the engine. I see I plug on both sides w/ 4 wires one of the wires is black w/ a yellow stripe. I can put a nail or needle in this wire and ground it to the block. I am not sure I have the right wires. I will wait to hear again wether I am doing this correctly. I don't want to screw it up. Thank You

 

[Daviet]

Re: 1989 Johnson Kill Switch Problems

Look at the diagram below, it's not for your exact engine but might be close enough.
http://www.maxrules.com/graphics/omc/wiring/1986_90_115.jpg
You notice how both black/yellow wires run to the ign switch, when you turn off the switch it connects them to a ground that kills the engine.
You need to disconnect the black/yellow wires at the terminal blocks and short the pack side to ground and see if the engine quits. If it does your problem lies further upstream, open connector, broken wires, bad ign switch.
You have to disconnect the wires to tell where the problem is. You notice the ground wire from the ign switch goes to the ground side of one of the power pack, check it out and make sure the ground is tight and clean.

 

[reb0707]

Re: 1989 Johnson Kill Switch Problems

Fixed! Thank You! I disconnected the bug red plug harness and noticed that the plug posts had some corosion on them. I used a trick I learned years ago w/ car wiring systems. I put a little bit of Lithem Grease on all the plug posts. Reconnected and started engine and seems to work perfect. Did it four times. Thank You Daviet. I can't believe that engine is that old. Seems to smoke quite a bit. Running 50:1 No VRO I can save that for another post. I am thrilled!

 

[Daviet]

Re: 1989 Johnson Kill Switch Problems

Electrical problems and corrosion do not mix, especially on outboards.
Glad you found your problem.