Key Won't Spin Starter 70HP Johnson Need an Expert PLEASE

[harley909]

1975 70HP Johnson 70ESL75B<br />Will not spin starter over with key switch. Checked neutral safety switch and it works fine (ohmed it as well as ensured it was not stuck). Changed starter solenoid. Motor starts fine by jumpering across solenoid and it will keep running. Checked switch with ohm meter and it seems to make and break contact when the key is turned all the way to start. Keyswitch will kill the motor when it is hot wired to start. Choke switch by ignition switch works with the key in the on position.<br />Getting voltage to solenoid when key is turned to start. Ran a complete bypass wire from the keyswitch to the solenoid bypassing the neutral safety switch with no change.<br />What's the chance it is the overheat device on the motor? Does it keep the starter from spinning or just kill the spark??<br />I have ran out of ideas. Need an expert please!!

 

[sparkroost]

Re: Key Won't Spin Starter 70HP Johnson Need an Expert PLEASE

When you turn the key to "start" ensure that you have 12V at the small terminal on the starter solenoid. There are 4 terminals, 2 big ones and 2 small. One of the small terminals may have a wire to ground or might not. An easy way to tell if your starter solenoid works is to take a jumper wire from the 12V side of the BIG lug to the small lug with the wire attached. If this engauges the starter then the solenoid is good. If not you are not getting 12V to the solenoid via the neutral safety switch. Sometimes there are 2 neutral safety switches, 1 in the control box and another on the engine, near the throttle assembly. Also check your fuse in the harness inside the engine compartment.

 

[JB]

Re: Key Won't Spin Starter 70HP Johnson Need an Expert PLEASE

http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=009035

 

[harley909]

Re: Key Won't Spin Starter 70HP Johnson Need an Expert PLEASE

Thanks for the info.<br />I have checked the fuse in the wiring harness at the engine and it was good. I also ran the wire direct from 12V + to the small terminal on the solenoid with no luck. I am definitely getting 12V to the solenoid when I turn the key to start.<br />Is there anything else (like the overheat switch) that will keep the starter from spinning by key?

 

[harley909]

Re: Key Won't Spin Starter 70HP Johnson Need an Expert PLEASE

Got it fixed. Seemed to be a bad ground wire back to the motor (the one between the solenoid and the block)<br />What a pain in the ***

 

[nitsuj]

Re: Key Won't Spin Starter 70HP Johnson Need an Expert PLEASE

This may be even too stupid an answer to post, but it's what happened to me. At some point, the starter solenoid on my motor went, and it was replaced by someone other than me. Who ever did it, replaced it with one that was very similar in appearence, but had a metal mounting bracket that had to be cut off in order for it to fit. Turned out, the bracket was how this solenoid was grounded, and in order for it to work, you had to ground the stump of the bracket to a motor mount. Remove that ground wire, and the solenoid would stop working. Took a lot of screwing around to find out that was the problem. I guess the chances are pretty slim that this is your problem, but I had similar symptoms, so I thought I'd post the info.

 

[nitsuj]

Re: Key Won't Spin Starter 70HP Johnson Need an Expert PLEASE

Dammit, I was still writing my reply when you posted it was fixed! Glad you got running.