Two M's on ignition switch?

[INHUNTER]

I bought a sea-dog replacement ignition switch for my 1995 Merc 115hp. All of the letter markings are the same on the new switch as the old switch, but the markings & posts aren't in the same order.

There are two posts marked M (one with a yellow/black wire and one with two black wires) on the old switch. On the diagram for the new switch one M is shown as going to magneto circuit & the other is marked as going to nowhere. Here is a link to the sea-dog diagrams:
http://sea-dog.com/420350.html


How do I know which wire to put on which M post on the new switch? Does it matter which post it goes on since they are both marked M?

 

[Laddies]

Re: Two M's on ignition switch?

The 2 M stand for magneto on a 2 cyl. mag engine they ground the pts. out on tour engine 1 goes to the black/yellow and the other has the black to short out the box and kill the engine

 

[INHUNTER]

Re: Two M's on ignition switch?

Thanks for the reply.

From the wiring diagram on the link I posted, it looks like one M is for Magneto & the other I'm guessing is a ground. Which color wire should go to Magneto post & which to the ground?

 

[okcscott]

Re: Two M's on ignition switch?

The other M should go to instrument panel, the 5 pen connector on the front of some QS remote controls. Should not matter which M you connect. I just went through the switch change works both ways.
Bryan

 

[INHUNTER]

Re: Two M's on ignition switch?

so what does "magneto" mean? where is that located?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Two M's on ignition switch?

Those two terminals are what kills your engine. The magneto is the ignition system. When you turn the key to RUN, those two terminals are open so the engine will run. When you turn the key to OFF, those two terminal close, shorting the ignition system to ground hence killing the engine. Neither of the M terminals goes to the instrument panel as they have nothing to do with any of the instruments.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: Two M's on ignition switch?

One of the "M" connections gets a yellow/black wire and the other gets a ground lead (black). This is how mercury shuts off a motor. The yellow/black wire goes back to the switchbox(s). M for magneto is just a carry over from the magneto days I guess. It doesn't matter which is used for what.

 

[okcscott]

Re: Two M's on ignition switch?

If you have a QuickSilver remote this might help

 

[INHUNTER]

Re: Two M's on ignition switch?

Thanks to all. I was just worried that if I hooked up the two M's incorrectly, I might blow something out or something. I hooked them up & the ignition is working properly. Now I just hope that it fixed was the correct part to fix my irratic starting problem.