no key start

[redneckrob01]

bought a 88 bayliner with a 50 force. at first it would crank fine when cold but after you ran for a while you could not start with key. put a rope on it , one pull and it would fire right up. now it will not even start when cold. you can jump the solenoid and start it when the key is on. tested trip wire on solenoid and it is getting juice when key is in start. figured solenoid was bad and of course it is obsolete so i got one at a local mercury dealer that is similar. put it on and same thing. then every once in a while it will crank with the key (which it did while i was checking wires with a test light). got power from battery to solenoid. power from trigger wire. but no power through solenoid. i have checked all that i know to check. ready to use it for an anchor if i cant get this figured out!!!

 

[Jiggz]

Re: no key start

Let me see if I get this correctly; With the key in on and trying to start the engine using the key via start position nothing happens? Is this correct. But by jumping the solenoid with the key in on position the engine will start? When you jumped the solenoid did you jumped the two big red wires or did you did it via the coil wire terminal which is the battery connection for the key. If you did it via the two big red wires then you basically jumpered over the main solenoid meaning you entirely bypassed the solenoid which is a good start to troubleshoot.

The next step to troubleshoot then is to jumper the small coil wire (of the solenoid) to one of the big wire coming from the battery (or source wire) and see if the solenoid will energize the starter and start the engine or at least crank it over. If it does, then the problem is the ignition key which probably needs replacement or at least cleaning using contact cleaner. If it doesn't, then the solenoid is bad.

 

[redneckrob01]

Re: no key start

thats what i was saying, jumping the big terminals it will start. when you use the key switch the battery side of the solenoid is live. key to start and the trigger wire gets live, but the starter side does not get live. the only diffence in the old solenoid and the new one is the new one does not have the rubber grommets on the mounting holes. wondering if its something in the key switch or the em. kill switch...

 

[Jiggz]

Re: no key start

When key is placed in the "ON" position, it basically disconnect the kill switch off the ground so the CDM can provide sparks to the plugs. IT DOES NOT ENERGIZED ANYTHING in the engine except accessories connected to it. When key is placed in the START ("S" position) it energized the solenoid which energized the starter motor.

You can test the switch if it's working or not by dismounting it and then placing it in "ON" ("I" position) and then jumpering the "B" (red wire) terminal with the "S" terminal with a short wire and you should hear the solenoid start the starter motor. If not, then wiring needs to be checked. If it does energized the starter but not if you just put the key in the "S" position, the switch needs to be replaced.

Just make sure the neutral switch is pushed in.

 

[redneckrob01]

Re: no key start

well put new key switch in. still nothing. checked wires with a test light and everything was working back to the solenoid. had my daughter bump the key to start a couple times and it started working. after that we were setting there talking for about 10 minutes then the yellow smoke started rolling.. one of the coil packs went up in smoke , key was in off position... i give up.

 

[Jiggz]

Re: no key start

Sorry to hear about the unfortunate coil burning. Obviously, this was caused by improper wiring. No battery power is ever to come into the coils at any given time regardless of the position of the key switch. Coil packs only get their power straight from the stator and their signals from the trigger.

There is a wire or two wires coming from the coil packs going to the ignition switch for turning off the engine (M-TERMINALS: BLK/YEL OR WH wire). All this does is connect the coil pack wires to ground (M-TERMINALs: BLK wire) which shunts power to ground thus no sparks in the spark plugs hence killing or stopping the engine. BUT NO 12V POWER SHOULD BE CONNECTED TO THIS WIRE OR WIRES.

Attached is the wiring diagram for both "D" models and also earlier models.