Johnson 50 no crank

[Dmpaul89]

Tried to get my pontoon ready for the water today. Put new control cables on for the motor. It wont crank now for some reason? Its a 1973 johnson 50. With a power shift 2 control box (not electric shift). When i turn the key on i can work the choke but cant crank. Replaced the solinoid and same thing. Have power at both small terminals on the solenoid when i turn the key to start but it wont click or anything. Tried moving the throttle handle around too. Think i may have broke the nuetral saftey switch?

 

[5150abf]

You just replaced the cables so you had the control box open, I would run thru that again and make sure you didn't pinch a wire, broke or misaligned something.

Been a minute since I was in one of those but remember it was a bugger to reassemble.

Normally I wil start with the last thing I did and go backwards from there till you find it but Yes, Neutral switch would be a prime candidate

 

[Dmpaul89]

What confuses me is why the posts on the solenoid vet power when i turn the key, yet it does not do anything. I thought all it needed to activate was 12v? I guess theres more going on than i know.
and on the control box, i just removed the lower cover, didnt split it in half.


also i did not try to crank the motor before doing this work unfortunatly it has sat since last fall.

 

[RCO]

You say you have power at both small terminals at the solenoid? One should have power when the key is in the start position, the other side is ground from the neutral safety switch.

 

[Dmpaul89]

Yes both small posts will light up a test light when i try and crank the motor. But no clicks

 

[Dmpaul89]

Ok, i disconnected the lower small post at solenoid and ran a jumper ground wire to the block and she cranks now. I assume this means it is in fact a neutral switch problem?

 

[racerone]

If it now cranks with the key, there is a problem with ground wire in the harness.