1992 6hp Johnson, interesting problem

[CATransplant]

and solution.

This Johnson has cut out a couple of times on previous fishing trips, but then started right back up. Today, though, it wouldn't start. I potted around the lake fishing with the electric troller, but then wanted to run up the lake. Still no start. I checked the fuel, etc. but no go.

So, I popped off the cowling and disconnected the Amphenol connector for the kill/lanyard switch that's on the tiller handle. Instant startup. So, the switch is bad, or there's a short inside the handle.

A new Johnson switch is $70! So, I'll be installing an aftermarket one on the lower engine pan. I ain't paying $70 for that switch.

BTW, for today, the choke worked just fine to kill the engine. At idle, the engine just dies immediately.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 1992 6hp Johnson, interesting problem

"the switch is bad, or there's a short inside the handle." either one, but you are solving the problem. choking can make it harder to start next time.

 

[sbump52]

Re: 1992 6hp Johnson, interesting problem

The only method I have to kill my 55 10hp is to choke it. Just pull the knob and it dies pretty quick. Is there a better way?

 

[CATransplant]

Re: 1992 6hp Johnson, interesting problem

The choking didn't cause any problems on later starts. I started it and shut it down about 25 times while fishing, and it always started on the first pull at idle after being shut down with the choke.

I'd leave the kill switch off entirely, except that I use the lanyard when I'm fishing on the river, due to the barge wakes. On lakes, I don't bother, since I never, ever stand up in that boat.

So, I'll find a third party switch that accepts a lanyard and mount it in the engine pan.

I looked at the OEM switch, and can find no reason on earth that it costs $70. It's also a nasty job to replace. I can live with a third-party switch.

My real point in posting this was to remind folks that disconnecting the kill switch is an easy thing to do if your engine's ignition system is inoperative. If that's the problem, it's easy enough to locate and fix. I'd recommend it as a first step in diagnosing a sudden loss of ignition.

 

[crxess]

Re: 1992 6hp Johnson, interesting problem

Switch may be serviceable. Probably a wire chaffed though. Take a look first might cost nothing to fix.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: 1992 6hp Johnson, interesting problem

Could be. Trouble is, tearing down the tiller is a pain. If there's an exposed wire that doesn't require that, I'll fix it. Otherwise, I can get a kill/lanyard switch right here on iboats for less than $10. It would take more than an hour to strip down the tiller and reassemble it. There's room on the engine pan to put the switch, so that's a lot easier.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: 1992 6hp Johnson, interesting problem

I used to have an occassional "skip" in my engine that drove me bonkers. Took 6 months to resolve it. Finally turned out that the vacuum cut-out (40 HP) would very occasionally ground out one set of the points. The only reason I found it was that I ran out of wiring ring connectors one time, and bypassed the vacuum switch, which by the way, tested out just fine on the bench.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: 1992 6hp Johnson, interesting problem

Yeah. The OEM service manual for those Big Twins has you check the kill wiring, and vacuum cutoff if you're having ignition trouble before going any further.

That's in keeping with my father's advice (he was an auto mechanic and maybe the best diagnostician I've ever known) to always start testing with the easiest thing to fix first. His advice has saved me lots of hours of unnecessary work.

Way too often, people start throwing parts at an outboard ignition problem, only to find out later that the problem was a bad connection, a chafed wire, or a bad ignition switch on the boat.

That's why, at the lake, complete ignition failure meant that the first thing to do was take the Amphenol connector apart and disable the entire kill switch. Since the outboard ran perfectly after that, 30 seconds of testing that solved my problem without any further work.