No power after solenoid

[screwedloose]

I have a 1990 Johnson vj40tlesr. I am running into a voltage problem. I bought it used, any someone had already removed the vro pump. It was a mess. I have gotten to where I am trying to get the motor to spin but I have no voltage after the solenoid to the starter. I even gambled and replaced it, but same results. I’m relatively handy with electrical, but I feel like I might be missing something obvious. Thanks for the help!

 

[jimmbo]

Does the starter spin if you bypass the Solenoid? The Replacement Solenoid, is it the Proper part? Is there power getting to the Solenoid to operate it, when the Key is turned?

 

[screwedloose]

I have voltage right up to it. I can bypass it and the starter spins. I also have voltage to everything else on the boat. As of right now, looking forward towards the bow, on the left side by the starter I have a black wire with 12volts and a green wire with a tracer also with 12volts that are unaccounted for. I am assuming they belonged to the vro pump and alarm. Also on the right side of the motor I have three wires, I recall at least on has 12volts on it too. I included a picture of those ones.

 

[jimmbo]

Have you got the small leads going to the Solenoid hooked up correctly? When the key gets turned to Start, power needs to come from the control box to energize the Solenoid, is that happening?

 

[racerone]

The wires in post #3 are for trim / tilt system.-----Check the neutral safety switch in the control box.-----Check the wee ground wire on the solenoid.

 

[screwedloose]

I will check the neutral switch. That’s interesting that you mention the wire are for tilt/trim because they aren’t connected, but my tilt and trim still works off the bow switch. It might help to mention it’s a 1990 Lowe commander 170 bass boat. I’m sure the last person to touch it didn’t know what they were doing. I have found more than thing done wrong.

 

[Crosbyman]

for the starter to spin you need good +12v …

by jumpering batt to the starter post …​

so that works as tested by you ,


for the selenoid to the battery transfer of +12 v… you need a grounded selenoid on one side and +12volts on the control post (+12v from the key start position.) To simulate that… jumper a +12 to the selenoid control post to see if the starter spins as it should.

if OK… then the start key +12v is missing… trace it back to the switch could be broken wire or mad connections or bad switch

if not OK .. selenoid is not transferring +12 power to the fat red cable to the starter so either the selenoid in not clicking or not grounded or…. internal contacts are not doing their job…. since you changed the selenoid presumably by the proper type we could assume the ground side of the selenoid is absent so try to hook up a ground wire on the "ground post" of the selenoid and it it works trace then the "missing ground" ..possibly from a neutral switch or safety interrupt device.

(BTW do clean all batt posts, cables and connections to the engine…. a resistive bat or ground path will let you measure voltages everywhere but that is not good enough...you need strong current flows and amps) .

 

[Auxlarry]

I just had the same problem and found the ground wire from the solenoid was corroded at the wire connector. I decide to install a new , heavier gauge ground wire from the solenoid to ground and it worked fine.