Johnson 40hp Igntion problem 1988

[lcrichards74]

I have a 1988 40hp johnson that will not turn over. The battery is charged and the wires appear to be all connected. When I turn the key nothing happens. It is in neutral as well. One day it just didn't work, and there were no symptoms leading up to it. Can anyone help? Any tests i can do to find where the problem is? ThanK you!

 

[F_R]

Re: Johnson 40hp Igntion problem 1988

Use a jumper wire from the battery + to the small terminal on the starter solenoid (the ungrounded one). That should activate the solenoid and crank the motor if everything is OK at that end. Could be the neutral switch in the control.

By far, the most common starter problem is dirty/corroded battery terminals. Don't just look and wiggle. Take them apart and shine them up nice and bright and put them back together tightly.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Johnson 40hp Igntion problem 1988

there is a red fuse holder about the size of you little finger, near the starter slenoid, 20 amp fuse. if this is blown, nothing happens.

 

[lcrichards74]

Re: Johnson 40hp Igntion problem 1988

Thanks for your responses! I jumped the 2 terminals on the solinoid and the starter gear turned slowly. I took the the control unit apart and saw a wire going in to a swtch and back out to the ignition. What if I cut this and splice the wires together to bypass the switch?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Johnson 40hp Igntion problem 1988

don't go cutting anything until you do all the trouble shooting. load test the battery, check the fuse i mentioned. then this.
90% of starter problems are bad connections. remove and clean both ends of the battery cables, so that they are shiney, also the cable from the solenoid to starter. check for nicks in the cables. and make sure the connectors are on the wire good. the cable tend to corrode from the inside out, if nicked, corroded wires, and connections, heat up and cause resistance to the follow of electricity, thus the starter doesn't get enough. you can also take jumper cable pos battery post to large post on starter. with a good connection, the engine should spin. then if the starter is good clean everything and retest. then trouble shoot solenoid. starters can be rebuit at a starter/alternator shop, much cheaper than a new one.


then unplug the big red plug, and with jumper cables from postive post on good battery to positive big post on starter. if it starts you are going to have to flood it by turning the red knob on the primer solenoid to stop the motor.