56 Johnson Javelin, new battery but won't do a thing

[F_R]

Don't worry about the missing gear. You are running remote controls so don't need it. You have already disabled the mercury switch last year, and it worked back then so should work now.

Without being there to do some electrical troubleshooting, I don't know what's wrong. Do you know how to use a multimeter? What kind of start switch/button are you using? What kind of solenoid? Does the electric choke work? Got any pictures of that stuff that might help us?

I remember you are pretty smart.

 

[KathyD19]

I will take pics of all of those things for you. I installed a new push button start at the helm (originally the old solenoid had a button to push to start the motor and since it was at the back of the boat, I wanted all of that at the front so I moved it and installed a new solenoid without a push button). There is a main "kill switch" at the helm as well. I have to push that in and then I have to depress the start button to initiate the motor. Nothing has changed about that wiring and I looked it all over thoroughly yesterday hunting for any broken or damaged wires but found none. I'm just about ready to take each wire off one at a time from the helm and put new wires in just in case there is something inside the casing that I'm missing. No, I don't have a multimeter and I wouldn't know how to use it if I got it. Thank you for the compliment about me being smart. I'm no genius, but I'm willing to learn and my super power is being stubborn. Off to take pics now...

 

[KathyD19]

First is the solenoid, haven't changed a thing on that since installation a couple years back and it's worked fine. Second picture shows my messy wiring since I pulled it all out (gently) to check the wires. Third shows the back of the dash board and the fourth picture is the front of the dash board. Pardon my lack of electrician skills and over use of electrical tape.

 

[F_R]

I studied your pictures, and THINK I understand your setup. One question, the black wire on the solenoid---where does it go? I suspect to the negative battery or grounded on the motor. Is it broken or disconnected?

Second question, what kind of connections do you have on the battery? I honestly suspect that is where your trouble lies. Can I ask for another picture?

Quick something to try--using a screwdriver or something, short the two start button switch terminals together. Anything happen? I'm suspecting corroded contacts inside the start button.

You are generous enough to do all this for the kids, gotta help you.

 

[KathyD19]

Here are two pictures of the solenoid and the black wire as well as the connected cables to the battery. They were replaced about 4 years ago when I was working on the wiring. As far as shorting the start button, do you mean laying a screwdriver between the two gold terminals on the back side of it (as seen in the picture) with the kill switch in the "ON" position? I will have to put the water barrel back on that and do that tomorrow, then will let you know. To be completely candid, we had a horrible thing happen this afternoon at 5:30. Our five year old boxer collapsed and died in the yard while playing with her sibling. They both were recently diagnosed with a genetic heart problem but I never expected that to happen. I did CPR on her but couldn't bring her back. My husband and I just finished burying her and I'm pretty torn up about it all. But I will move forward with your recommendation tomorrow on the boat so I can get this to that family. My pain shouldn't stop their happiness. It will be a distraction for me.

 

[Grub54891]

Sorry for your loss, I know its not easy.
That black wire coming off the solenoid don't look to be hooked to ground? Or us it my eyes...

 

[oldboat1]

OldBoat, . Or do you mean I'm hooking up the cables incorrectly, meaning I'm putting positive to the negative post etc?

That. (easy to do when in a hurry)

 

[KathyD19]

Sorry for your loss, I know its not easy.
That black wire coming off the solenoid don't look to be hooked to ground? Or us it my eyes...

The black wire is coming off the post you can see and is hooked onto the post behind it (to the right) where the red cable is attached. That's how it was set up for me by my electrician friend when he helped me put that on there a few years ago. It's always worked set up like that I haven't changed anything.

 

[Grub54891]

The black wire is coming off the post you can see and is hooked onto the post behind it (to the right) where the red cable is attached. That's how it was set up for me by my electrician friend when he helped me put that on there a few years ago. It's always worked set up like that I haven't changed anything.

Ok.

 

[Geoffrey Graydon]

Kathy,first of all as the posessor of 7 much loved dogs I feel your pain.With regard to your problem there could be one of several fairly simple remedies but the absolute first thing to do is disconnect ALL your battery cable connections ,clean Thoroughly and retighten.You have no idea how many miraculous "cures"I have effected with this simple procedure.Happened with my pickup only two days ago,running perfectly then nothing when I went to go home.Hope it works for you too.

 

[F_R]

Quote: As far as shorting the start button, do you mean laying a screwdriver between the two gold terminals on the back side of it (as seen in the picture)

Yes

Also, remove the battery cables from the battery and clean inside of them with some sandpaper or whatever. Might be a layer of non-conductive corrosion in there

I don't want to see you ripping any wiring apart just yet. But I'm too sick at this time to study the pictures..

 

[KathyD19]

Geoffrey, thank you for your condolences....it's been a rough weekend. F_R, I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling sick. Please take care of yourself!! I didn't do anything on the boat today...just feeling really down and not like doing anything. Tomorrow I'll put a water barrel under it and test the start button by doing the shorting trick. I'll also sand down the inside of the battery cable connections (although they appear squeaky clean) and see if that helps in any way. Thank you all for your assistance. I'll post again when I've tried those things.

 

[F_R]

I have Parkinson's and the medication is sometimes worse than the disease. But anyhoo, I'm ok for right now.

 

[KathyD19]

F_R!!!! Good news, or at least I'm pointed in the right direction (plus I'm glad you're feeling better). I cleaned the battery contacts, didn't help. BUT I did the shorting out of the start button and the motor jumped like it wanted to start...first sign of life it's had since the new battery!!!! Ok, don't laugh but I don't know if it didn't fully start because it scared me when it did that and I dropped the screwdriver or if by shorting it, I caused more problems because when I tried to do the short again, I got nothing. Have I made it worse? My next step tomorrow is to take the starter button in to O'Reilly's and try to find a replacement (it's a simple push button and I'm 99% sure I got it from O'Reilly's when I replaced it). So is there something else I need to look for since it wouldn't do anything again after the first attempt at shorting it?

 

[F_R]

I don't think you damaged anything I wish I'd been there to see you jump. Yeah, I know, I've jumped a few times myself. Never fell overboard yet.

 

[KathyD19]

It wasn't pretty. I was laying on my back under the dashboard with my legs up on the seats. I jumped and dropped the screwdriver on my face :facepalm: So if I didn't damage anything else, why couldn't I get it to do it again? Did that kill the starter switch when I shorted it? (gonna replace it anyhow so that's ok)

 

[F_R]

Nah, that didn't damage the switch.

 

[KathyD19]

Ok, so do you think that the kill switch could be bad? If I took it out of the equation by twisting it's two wires together, to make it constantly "ON" then try touching the push button ignition wires together and it started, would that be a way to test if the kill switch was bad? I'm really bad about electrical stuff. Been shocked too many times in my life and am gun-shy because of that.

 

[F_R]

I know nothing about the kill switch or how it's wired. It is just for stopping the motor right? I don't see how that could prevent the starter from working.

FWIW, there is nothing under there to seriously shock you. But I know what you mean, I absolutely hate being shocked. Maybe my training in TV repair has something to do with it. Those things can kill.

 

[Geoffrey Graydon]

Sorry to flog this Kathy but what you describe (flashed once then didn't do anything) is a classic symptom of bad battery connections.Go through them starting at the battery and check every joint including from solenoid to starter but paying particular attention to the ground wire.I'm sure that's where your problem lies.