Re: 1976 evenrude 85hp spark issue
That is a big help to know that. That means the ignition system is working, but the kill wire is turning it "off". Somewhere, the kill wire is leaking to ground or the ignition switch is bad. I'd disconnect the kill wire from switch next. If you still have spark, the switch is shorted.
While looking for the defect, keep in mind that the kill wire carries around 300 volts, meaning it doesn't have to actually be touching something to short it out. It can arc across a gap. Or, the "gap" can be dirt or water.