Ignition short? Johnson 90hp

[keyless]

I recently took my boat out and left the key at home and tried to hot wire the ignition switch on my 96 Johnson 90 hp, i had it turned over but it wouldn't start so i removed some wires on the back of the keyed ignition switch and put them back in the wrong ordered and now it does nothing even with the key, Did i short something out? Any clue of what to troubleshoot? any advice is appreciated. The Outboard Motor Shop cant get to it for 3 weeks and the fish are biting!

 

[boobie]

Go to cdielectronics. com for ignition trouble shooting.

 

[Joe Reeves]

In the future....................

1 - Have a duplicate key made and hide it good in the confines of your boat.

2 - Before doing any disassembly... make notes, take pictures.

3 - Wiring a ignition switch incorrectly... yeah, that's usually an expensive boo boo.

If you don't have it all corrected as of yet........................

The terminals on the back of the switch are lettered.... B, A, C, M, M, S.

What color are the wires that attach to the switch?

 

[legalfee]

[No message]

 

[Chris1956]

Keyless, Why are you removing the key from the boat? If the boat is on a trailer, the key protects nothing, as it can be towed away. A thief can easily replace the ign switch or get a key.

If you keep it in the water w/o the key, it can be towed or swam away, or hot wired in a minute. I don't see the protection of removing the key, versus the possibility (probability) of leaving it home....

 

[Joe Reeves]

According to your graphic...............

Red = B
Black = Regular M
Black/Yellow = Raised M
Yellow/Red = S
Yellow/Black = C
Purple = A or I (Whichever your switch has)

As an anticipated continuation...... Exactly what color wires did you attach to what lettered ignition switch terminals?

 

[Joe Reeves]

Keyless, Why are you removing the key from the boat? If the boat is on a trailer, the key protects nothing, as it can be towed away. A thief can easily replace the ign switch or get a key. If you keep it in the water w/o the key, it can be towed or swam away, or hot wired in a minute. I don't see the protection of removing the key, versus the possibility (probability) of leaving it home....

Personally.... A key in the ignition is a invitation! Scenario... your away for a few hours, the neighbor's kids turn that key and run like hell when that engine starts... you come home to a destroyed engine. Yeah that happens! Even the hidden key... it's got to be a really good hiding spot.

 

[keyless]

Joe, thanks for the suggestions, i will make a duplicate key and stash on board. As for the colored wires going into back of switch, red, 2 purple, 3 black, and those wires terminate into a 6 pin plug. i believe i switched the black wires with the red. Is there an inline fuse protection? if i did short something what did i short out? Switch? Coil? Something else?

 

[fireman57]

There is a 20 amp fuse inline at the engine. Check that and make sure your wires are correct before trying to start again.

 

[racerone]

Model # as there are 2 different 90 HP engines in 96.-----I hope you did not apply 12 volts to the magneto kill circuit !------12 volts is not used to make spark on many years / models of outboards.

 

[keyless]

Yes checked fuse, blown! Replaced with good and now checking wires correct.

 

[keyless]

Racerone, model is an oceanrunner with optical ignition

 

[racerone]

So that is a 60 degree looper.-----Wiring / 12 volts causes much confusion .----It is easy to damage big $$ items.

 

[Joe Reeves]

20amp fuse is an inline fuse... in small red wire leading from starter solenoid.

With red 12v wire on "M" terminal.... Black on "B" terminal..... When key is in OFF mode, 12v is thrown directly to ground causing the 20amp fuse to blow.

However... if black/yellow wire is still attached to the other "M" terminal, before that fuse blows, 12v might also get thrown to the powerpack kill circuit and only God knows what else that is attached to the powerpacks circuitry.

Hopefully, you are one of the lucky ones. Keep us updated.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee Joe, Your neighbor's kids sound like delinquents. I guess ignorant delinquents, if they do not know how to hotwire a boat...

 

[havoc_squad]

Personally.... A key in the ignition is a invitation! Scenario... your away for a few hours, the neighbor's kids turn that key and run like hell when that engine starts... you come home to a destroyed engine. Yeah that happens! Even the hidden key... it's got to be a really good hiding spot.

The only time keys are ever left in the ignition is when it's going to a service shop or from a service shop.

I remember enough of being an adventurist 5 to 7 year old bored kid that was stuck at home. Boats, driving machines, and power equipment meant fun.

Here there's plenty of kids around here that can run down batteries and burn up boat motors running them dry. A few are very young kids who don't know better. Many around here however definitely know better and regrettably "just want to watch the world burn" for their own amusement/thrill.

Add to that the liability worries (even with insurance) if they ever get hurt while doing that on private property.

There's probably a good correlation in this area to the number of bad boaters & negligent boat owners to the number of disorderly children in the neighborhood who cause trouble running amok unsupervised.

I treat boat and utility vehicle keys like how people lock up guns in their safes. It should be kept secured.

 

[interalian]

Friend of mine had a boat with a really worn ignition switch. You could almost start it with a fingernail. Almost. So we always used the pop tab off a beer can to turn it.

"Hey! Who's got a boat key? Pop..."

 

[Joe Reeves]

The only time keys are ever left in the ignition is when it's going to a service shop or from a service shop..

Which brings forth a distant bad memory..........

I had been working with a marina by the name of Pioneer Marine some 11 years or so on a commission basis... and each year some character with the name of Cacilatorie or some similar sounding name would bring his old beat up 16' runabout in for his annual check up. HOWEVER he would "always" remove the KEY, BATTERY, GAS TANK & HOSE, which aggravated me to no end as this cut into my commission... I didn't get paid to gather all the stuff needed to run this jerks engine.

Having a bad day, I scribbled on this inconsiderate jerks repair sheet NO BATTERY, NO GAS TANK, NO FUEL HOSE, NO KEY! in large printed letters. When he came to pick up the boat, he made no contact with me but complained bitterly to the service manager (Pete) who in turn wrote a note to be delivered to me which stated that Mr Catchasnorie or whatever this ^$@&!!'s name was... that he was one of the important people who was responsible for paying my wages etc etc, in effect really laying into me so to speak which I took as a threat and a insult.

I made up my mind in an instant that I had spent enough time in this place and decided to take my services elsewhere ASAP... which I did. That marina folded a short time later... I like to think I had something to do with that

God, I hope those two guys are reading this!

 

[fireman57]

Funny how good workers always have a job.