Am I hooking up this starter solenoid correctly?

[Smgbad]

Hi all. Strange issue going on with an 86 Evinrude 150HP. Just bought this boat to fix up, and noticed that sometimes when you turn the key it would start, and sometimes it wouldnt after several attempts. I went ahead and got a starter solenoid coming, as I didnt suspect the ignition wire quite yet at that point.

Anyways, Went out there yesterday and put on the new starter solenoid. With the exception of removing a nut that was between 2 of the wires on the positive, I hooked it up exactly as it came off... Go to turn the key, and... nothing. Checked my voltage and have 12V+ at the fat positive pole of the solenoid. I then jumped a 16 gauge wire from there to the tiny ignition switch wire 12V pole and got nothing but some really pathetic tiny sparks. Assumed I was sent a faulty solenoid.

Put the old one back on and same thing... I do know that jumping those two terminals (12v pole and the key wire pole) bad the starter spin before I did this.

So here's how it's wired... Maybe I hooked it back up wrong?

One of the fat poles has the Main battery positive, an eylet that has two red wires coming out if it and going into the pigtail (one of those wires has a glass fuse in it), and a red wire that goes to what appears to be some sort of solenoid in between the heads. (If anyone can tell me the proper names of these cables and what they go to it would be much appreciated, btw.. lol).

Tiny pole beside that fat pole has the igntion switch 12V wire.

Tiny pole beside that has a black wire coming from the pigtail and a ground that grounds to the motor.

The other fat pole has the starter positive hooked to it.

And again, it's still showing 12V+ constant on the fat pole with all the wires, so I'm perplexed... My next step is probably to see how to gain access to the ignition switch wires in the OMC remote throttle to test voltage while turning the key, but even if it were that wire, touching the 12V to the little ignition switch wire pole should still make the starter spin.

Here's pics if anyone can think of anything I've missed and what my next step should be...
Also including pics of that red wire with the fuse holder and the solenoid (im guessing) that the other red wire is going to to see if someone can tell me what they are...

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give. SOOO close to finally getting this in the water for the first time and now this.

 

[Smgbad]

Can someone who is familiar check my starter solenoid wiring? Having a weird issue...

Also posted in Evinrude/Johnson Outboard Motors section, but no replies yet, so trying here...

Hi all. Strange issue going on with an 86 Evinrude 150HP. Just bought this boat to fix up, and noticed that sometimes when you turn the key it would start, and sometimes it wouldnt after several attempts. I went ahead and got a starter solenoid coming, as I didnt suspect the ignition wire quite yet at that point.

Anyways, Went out there yesterday and put on the new starter solenoid. With the exception of removing a nut that was between 2 of the wires on the positive, I hooked it up exactly as it came off... Go to turn the key, and... nothing. Checked my voltage and have 12V+ at the fat positive pole of the solenoid. I then jumped a 16 gauge wire from there to the tiny ignition switch wire 12V pole and got nothing but some really pathetic tiny sparks. Assumed I was sent a faulty solenoid.

Put the old one back on and same thing... I do know that jumping those two terminals (12v pole and the key wire pole) bad the starter spin before I did this.

So here's how it's wired... Maybe I hooked it back up wrong?

One of the fat poles has the Main battery positive, an eylet that has two red wires coming out if it and going into the pigtail (one of those wires has a glass fuse in it), and a red wire that goes to what appears to be some sort of solenoid in between the heads. (If anyone can tell me the proper names of these cables and what they go to it would be much appreciated, btw.. lol).

Tiny pole beside that fat pole has the igntion switch 12V wire.

Tiny pole beside that has a black wire coming from the pigtail and a ground that grounds to the motor.

The other fat pole has the starter positive hooked to it.

And again, it's still showing 12V+ constant on the fat pole with all the wires, so I'm perplexed... My next step is probably to see how to gain access to the ignition switch wires in the OMC remote throttle to test voltage while turning the key, but even if it were that wire, touching the 12V to the little ignition switch wire pole should still make the starter spin.

Here's pics if anyone can think of anything I've missed and what my next step should be...
Also including pics of that red wire with the fuse holder and the solenoid (im guessing) that the other red wire is going to to see if someone can tell me what they are...

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give. SOOO close to finally getting this in the water for the first time and now this.

 

[Vic.S]

You appear to have wired it correctly
A 6 ga. red wire from one of the large terminals to the starter motor

On the other a 4 ga red wire from the battery, two smaller red wires ( 12 ga and 14 ga) , a red 14 ga wire with a fuse and a 16 ga red/purple wire which goes to the ignition switch via the main wiring harness.

One of the small terminals should have a back ground wire connecting to the mounting bracket and to battery negative

The other small terminal should have a red/ yellow 16 ga wire on it coming from the ignition switch.

Item between the heads is probably the water-cooled rectifier/regulator

Jumping across the two large terminals should spin the starter and if the ignition switch is in the run position may start the engine ( but you will probably also have to operate the primer or set it to the manual position.

Jumping from the battery connection to the small terminal with the wire from the igntion switch should operate the solenoid and crank the engine

Check all the connections including the battery negative and ground connections.

Looking at the parts diagrams on this site is a good way of identifying the various parts

 

[tblshur]

Clean the black wire where it connects to the motor or run a test wire from battery- negative to black small wire on solenoid

 

[racerone]

Item between the heads appears to be the trim / tilt solenoids.---They never mounted rectifier / regulator there.------It likely has an older 3 wire trim / tilt motor installed.----Does the one small terminal have 2 wires on it ?-----And if so why is that ?

 

[Smgbad]

You appear to have wired it correctly
A 6 ga. red wire from one of the large terminals to the starter motor

On the other a 4 ga red wire from the battery, two smaller red wires ( 12 ga and 14 ga) , a red 14 ga wire with a fuse and a 16 ga red/purple wire which goes to the ignition switch via the main wiring harness.

One of the small terminals should have a back ground wire connecting to the mounting bracket and to battery negative

The other small terminal should have a red/ yellow 16 ga wire on it coming from the ignition switch.

Item between the heads is probably the water-cooled rectifier/regulator

Jumping across the two large terminals should spin the starter and if the ignition switch is in the run position may start the engine ( but you will probably also have to operate the primer or set it to the manual position.

Jumping from the battery connection to the small terminal with the wire from the igntion switch should operate the solenoid and crank the engine

Check all the connections including the battery negative and ground connections.

Looking at the parts diagrams on this site is a good way of identifying the various parts

Thanks to you both for all the help. The ground wire that goes to the bracket and to the small ground pole is very green and corroded. Going to try replacing the wire and seeing if that helps. All your descriptions of those wires checked out except that there is no purple and red. It's just the main power, the 2 wires that are 14 and 16 guage, and that possible rectifier wire. At this point, all I can think of is it's not getting a good ground at that connection.

Side note... Anyone know how much of a hassle it is to get into the OMC remote to check wiring of the ignition switch?

 

[Smgbad]

Item between the heads appears to be the trim / tilt solenoids.---They never mounted rectifier / regulator there.------It likely has an older 3 wire trim / tilt motor installed.----Does the one small terminal have 2 wires on it ?-----And if so why is that ?

Hey, man! Glad to see you saw this post. I think you are correct that those are the tilt and trim solenoids. Makes sense that they get constant 12V, which just happens to come from the most convenient point (the fat power pole on the starter solenoid) for all the constants to come together for their power. Thinking its a bad ground to the mounting bracket. I'll check it out tomorrow night.

To answer your question there is a black wire coming from the pigtail that goes to the "non-ignition wire" pole as well as the ground strap that grounds it to the solenoid mounting bracket.

 

[Vic.S]

Item between the heads appears to be the trim / tilt solenoids.---They never mounted rectifier / regulator there.------It likely has an older 3 wire trim / tilt motor installed.----Does the one small terminal have 2 wires on it ?-----And if so why is that ?

That makes sense. I looked at the wiring diagram and noticed a red wire going to the water cooled rectifier regulator and assumed that was what he meant by " between the heads"

Green and corroded wires are not good!

 

[racerone]

.---But 12 volts and wires can be all over the place on a 25 year old motor.---Trim / tilt wires and solenoids are not factory original for 1986 model 150 HP

 

[iggyw1]

Smgbad, To answer your question about how difficult it is to get into the OMC controls to check the ign. switch wiring: I've done it before myself on one of my old boats & if I can do it, anyone can. If I remember correctly, after you dismount the controller from the sidewall of the boat, there are three long screws on the back side of the controller. Remove all of these screws & the controller opens up in half. (two pieces). Immediately, take a picture or two once you get it open in case things start coming out of place by your hands getting into the wires while checking them out so you can tell where the pieces go. If you are careful, nothing will be knocked out of place.

 

[Smgbad]

Smgbad, To answer your question about how difficult it is to get into the OMC controls to check the ign. switch wiring: I've done it before myself on one of my old boats & if I can do it, anyone can. If I remember correctly, after you dismount the controller from the sidewall of the boat, there are three long screws on the back side of the controller. Remove all of these screws & the controller opens up in half. (two pieces). Immediately, take a picture or two once you get it open in case things start coming out of place by your hands getting into the wires while checking them out so you can tell where the pieces go. If you are careful, nothing will be knocked out of place.

Thanks for that! I'm going to wait for the new NEW starter solenoid to get here and put it in with a new (non green with corrosion) ground strap and see if I can get this puppy ready for the water finally. SOOO much left do.

 

[Vic.S]

Thanks to you both for all the help. The ground wire that goes to the bracket and to the small ground pole is very green and corroded. Going to try replacing the wire and seeing if that helps. All your descriptions of those wires checked out except that there is no purple and red. It's just the main power, the 2 wires that are 14 and 16 guage, and that possible rectifier wire. At this point, all I can think of is it's not getting a good ground at that connection.

There is a red/purple but its not connected directly to the solenoid terminal. It's connected to the red wire with a fuse in it
It's the wire that takes a power supply to the ignition switch ... you should find the other end if you open up the remote

 

[Smgbad]

There is a red/purple but its not connected directly to the solenoid terminal. It's connected to the red wire with a fuse in it
It's the wire that takes a power supply to the ignition switch ... you should find the other end if you open up the remote

Ok. That makes sense... Didn't realize the remote gets power from that starter solenoid pole connection. So then what is the other red wire (not the trim/tilt solenoid wire) going to? Both the red wire with the fuse and the mystery wire are on the same eylet on that pole connection and both disappear into the pigtail. From the battery array (2 12Vs wired together) theres two thick cables (1 pos, 1 neg) and 2 thinner wires (1 pos, 1 neg). Its all run in the hull. I had assumed the power for the console accessories and the remote were coming from the thinner gague wires, but maybe it's just the console, or neither... Is that pretty standard?

 

[Smgbad]

Also, I'm planning on trying to go out there after work today and check out the starter again. If that ground strap wire from the second tiny pole on the starter solenoid isnt making solid ground contact (due to corrosion) with the bracket/engine would that stop the solenoid from working entirely? I'm just curious because when I jump power to the ignition switch pole on either of these starter solenoids, nothing at all happens except a teeny tiny little spark on the pole I'm touching it to. It just doesnt make sense for the same issue to happen with both solenoids (old and new), when it at least would jump the starter most of the time before I took them off and put it all back on.

 

[Vic.S]

Ok. That makes sense... Didn't realize the remote gets power from that starter solenoid pole connection. So then what is the other red wire (not the trim/tilt solenoid wire) going to? Both the red wire with the fuse and the mystery wire are on the same eylet on that pole connection and both disappear into the pigtail. From the battery array (2 12Vs wired together) theres two thick cables (1 pos, 1 neg) and 2 thinner wires (1 pos, 1 neg). Its all run in the hull. I had assumed the power for the console accessories and the remote were coming from the thinner gague wires, but maybe it's just the console, or neither... Is that pretty standard?

Best to look at a wiring diagram. Trying to explain wiring in words is hopeless. You will find a wiring diagram here:
https://maxrules.com/JOwireindex.php

Also, I'm planning on trying to go out there after work today and check out the starter again. If that ground strap wire from the second tiny pole on the starter solenoid isnt making solid ground contact (due to corrosion) with the bracket/engine would that stop the solenoid from working entirely? I'm just curious because when I jump power to the ignition switch pole on either of these starter solenoids, nothing at all happens except a teeny tiny little spark on the pole I'm touching it to. It just doesnt make sense for the same issue to happen with both solenoids (old and new), when it at least would jump the starter most of the time before I took them off and put it all back on.

If the black ground wire is not making good contact the solenoid will not work

 

[Smgbad]

Thanks for that! I gotta say... I really appreciate the helpfulness and kindness of the people I've encountered on this forum.

 

[Smgbad]

So it looks like the mystery red wire must be going to the rectifier. Only other difference in wiring was that in the diagram it has a red wire AND a purple/red (coming off the fuse) going to the tilt/trim. Mine has a single wire going there and the only thing on the fuse is the ignition switch. That diagram is worth its weight in gold helping me figure out what's what. THe only part I have yet to find on the boat is the Accesories Connector. Where is that generally? COming off the Remote Throttle Assy or free floating wire/plug?

 

[Smgbad]

So I installed the new starter solenoid and found that the black ground strap that connects to the body and the small ground pole had corroded to where it wasn't making contact with the eyelet anymore. Fixed that, so good call on the ground wire being one of the culprits!

Now she will turn over if jumping the power to the ignition switch pole, but not when the key is being turned... I had my wife turn the key while I checked the voltage on the ignition switch wire, and there was zero voltage. I also noticed that when I used to turn the key to the ON position, the gagues would move slightly, whereas now they do nothing. Upon inspection of the big red plug that connects the remote pigtail to the engine, I see that a few of the wires are corroded where they come out of the plug... The purple and red wire is eaten nearly all the way through by corrosion. What's the best fix here? Do the sell a replacement big red plug you can wire into? Or should I just cut and hardwire the affected wires together and not worry about it till the motor has to come off?

I don't think anything is wrong with the ignition switch (hopefully)... It think it just isn't getting power due to that red/purple being nearly destroyed.
.

 

[He rik]

So it looks like the mystery red wire must be going to the rectifier. Only other difference in wiring was that in the diagram it has a red wire AND a purple/red (coming off the fuse) going to the tilt/trim. Mine has a single wire going there and the only thing on the fuse is the ignition switch. That diagram is worth its weight in gold helping me figure out what's what. THe only part I have yet to find on the boat is the Accesories Connector. Where is that generally? COming off the Remote Throttle Assy or free floating wire/plug?

Do you got this remote?
If so, beside the ingoing wires under the keyswich is the connector.