Engine won’t cut off

Dewater

Cadet
Joined
Jul 5, 2019
Messages
9
Have 89 Johnson 150 outboard. ( rehab bass bot) got kill switch installed and motor starts. Kill switch. Works but key won’t turn off motor. Any suggestions to what’s wrong? I’ve read the yellow/red wire goes to started and key. But mine appears to go back to harness. I have second black wire that got to ignition that runs started. Any help would be great!!
 

alldodge

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Mar 8, 2009
Messages
42,067
Both the kill switch and the key need there own ground wire. In the pic see that a black wire comes off one of the M terminals to ground, along with the kill switch

Johnson Evinrude wiring.jpg
 

Dewater

Cadet
Joined
Jul 5, 2019
Messages
9
Yes I’ve grounded both. Still no change. Starts run. Kill switch will cut off motor. Key won’t turn it off
 

alldodge

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42,067
Then the key switch must have gone bad. If you look at the bottom left round key connection, it shows the key makes a connection between the 2 M (magneto) terminals. The magneto needs to be grounded to kill the motor and disconnected to run
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
Since the kill switch wire and 7 o'clock M connection on the key switch are common, the key switch is bad and not grounding the M connector when switched to off or the wire between ground and the 3 o'clock M is broken.

Using a meter with the key switch off, the kill switch lanyard in place, check for continuity between the 7 o'clock M and the 3 o'clock M on the switch - No continuity means the key switch is bad.

If you have continuity, meter between 3 o'clock M and the ground stud, it's a wire directly to ground so it should be a short or very low OHMs.
 
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