Need to go fishing, but outboard wont crank - solenoid or safety switch

[JoeCozmo]

HELP - Mercury, 60 hp, 4-stroke, bigfoot, 2006 model on 21' Suntracker pontoon.

Was told my starter was bad by dealer. Replaced starter. Didn't crank...not even a sound when I turned the key.

Removed starter solenoid and tried to find replacement locally...no luck, but one parts guy said it might be the neutral safety switch. Hmmm. Put solenoid back on, decided to look for safety switch. Re-connected battery, and engine tries to start without key in switch when I connect positive to battery. I think I re-connected it exactly as before, but must've made a mistake.

Any suggestions? Where exactly is the neutral safety switch? I'm somewhat mechanically inclined, but have little outboard experience. Any help would be great.

Thanks!

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Need to go fishing, but outboard wont crank - solenoid or safety switch

When you put the sel back on you put the power wire and the starter wire on the same terminal, those are separated, and are closed by the sel when you hit the start switch. and the neutral safety switch is in the controller. When its centered and out of gear it allows the motor to start.

 

[JoeCozmo]

Re: Need to go fishing, but outboard wont crank - solenoid or safety switch

No, I'm sure that I have the wires on the correct separate terminals. Maybe I have the wires touching each other since the terminals are close together. I'll check this today.

 

[Don S]

Re: Need to go fishing, but outboard wont crank - solenoid or safety switch

Here are the troubleshooting procedures for your motor.

View attachment Start TS.pdf

 

[JoeCozmo]

Re: Need to go fishing, but outboard wont crank - solenoid or safety switch

NICE flowchart Don! Ill use it and see what I can find. I wish I had started with this chart before replacing starter!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Need to go fishing, but outboard wont crank - solenoid or safety switch

Yup, replacing the most expensive part of a system without doing any diagnostic work is a good way to lighten the wallet, increase frustration, and perhaps screw up things worse than they already are. You can verify the solenoid with a length of #10 wire about six inches long. Touch one end of the wire to the large terminal that has the positive battery connected to it. Touch the other end to the small terminal that has the wire from the ignition switch on it. If the engine cranks, the solenoid is good. If not -- it ain't.

 

[JoeCozmo]

Re: Need to go fishing, but outboard wont crank - solenoid or safety switch

Thanks Silvertip for your suggestion. I think solenoid is ok because I did have large positive wire terminal from battery slightly touching small brown wire terminal from neutral safety switch. That's why it was trying to crank when I connected positive battery cable (i think??). Regarding the starter, my local parts guy tested it and said it was bad. Maybe he was just trying to sell me a new one. Starting to think that problem may be in remote control...maybe neutral safety switch. When I turn ignition key, nothing happens after audible signal...no clicking, no starter, nothing. I've got a good hot, charged battery.

 

[castmaster83]

Re: Need to go fishing, but outboard wont crank - solenoid or safety switch

Any luck getting your motor to crank? I've got the exact same problem. Mine would not crank, so I replaced the starter relay (solenoid) and the alternator diode. When I went to connect the battery the starter tried to engage. I'm sure the diagram in the post will help me with that, but what were you ever able to get it to crank after turning the key? How?

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Need to go fishing, but outboard wont crank - solenoid or safety switch

The neutral safety switch is inside of the controller, if it is not in neutral or the linkage is out of adjustment it wont allow the solenoid to kick in and turn the starter.

 

[castmaster83]

Re: Need to go fishing, but outboard wont crank - solenoid or safety switch

Thx for the help.The brown wire from the starter relay was touching the positive cable and that is what made the starter engage when I connected the battery. I got mine running after I changed the starter relay and the alternator diode. A $50 fix compared to $99/hr diagnostic/labor + parts @ the marina.