Nothing on key turn

[wgkelly]

My 1992 Johnson 115 will not start: nothing when I turn the key. Batteries are charged and I am getting voltage to the engine. I am assuming it is the neutral switch, but one thing is bothering me before I go tearing into the control box: there is no voltage registering on the dash gauge when I turn the key. would that still be consistent with a problem with the neutral switch? Thanks for any advice-- going up to the lake to work on it this afternoon.

 

[racerone]

Check the fuse first.---Does primer solenoid work when you push in the key.

 

[wgkelly]

Thanks for the fast reply. Yes the fuse looks good. Not sure about primer solenoid--- actually not sure where that is-- but I don't hear anything at all when the key is turned. How would the volt gauge not register anything unless the ignition at the control box had some connection issue? I don't really understand if the gauge is wired into the circuit before or after the ignition? Just FYI: as far as my mechanical skills go, I can turn a wrench but I have to be pointed to the bolt ;-)

 

[racerone]

Test the fuse.----You should hear the primer solenoid click ( item with red lever ) on the motor.----Turn key on and push in , do you hear that click ,yes or no?

 

[Scott Danforth]

have you checked to make sure the battery has power?

is the battery connected?

 

[wgkelly]

Thanks again for the replies!
Yes-- battery is connected and I have power to the engine via the cable to the starter. I am going up to the lake this afternoon-- I will verify the fuse: visually it looked fine but I never did check continuity. No clicking at all with key turn. I tried jostling the shifter since it seemd like when you try to start with it not in neutral but no dice. Still curious about the voltage gauge not registering anything with the key turn. Is that any clue to where the problem might be?

 

[racerone]

If the solenoid does not click when you PUSH THE KEY in it is not a neutral switch problem.----Check the fuse.

 

[wgkelly]

Racerone: Nothing when I push it in as far as I can tell, and will check the fuse this afternoon and report back if you're still online. Thanks for replying.

 

[iggyw1]

This may sound simple and stupid, but.........My boat was doing the same thing once. I tried and tested everything and no dice. By mistake, I found the tether off of my kill switch lying on the floor of the boat between the seat and sidewall of the boat. I never even thought about that. When I re-stalled the thing onto the kill switch, (the little "horseshoe" shaped thing) the boat started right up. Check that kill switch!

 

[hardwater fisherman]

This may sound simple and stupid, but.........My boat was doing the same thing once. I tried and tested everything and no dice. By mistake, I found the tether off of my kill switch lying on the floor of the boat between the seat and sidewall of the boat. I never even thought about that. When I re-stalled the thing onto the kill switch, (the little "horseshoe" shaped thing) the boat started right up. Check that kill switch!

Does the tether not just disable spark? So the motor should turn over when the tether is pulled but no start.. He says he has nothing when turning the key.

 

[wgkelly]

This may sound simple and stupid, but.........My boat was doing the same thing once. I tried and tested everything and no dice. By mistake, I found the tether off of my kill switch lying on the floor of the boat between the seat and sidewall of the boat. I never even thought about that. When I re-stalled the thing onto the kill switch, (the little "horseshoe" shaped thing) the boat started right up. Check that kill switch!

Yes-- thanks. The motor would turn over if the kill switch was activated, but I get nothing at all. Appreciate the response.

 

[Crosbyman]

ok here goes .. similar issues came up lately

Get a friend to hold the key on START.....
twist- shake all accessible wiring front to back shifter handle etc....

if you have a side connector plug open it clean all male/female mating surfaces in the plug resinstall

while START .....mode turn the engine right and left

if you get a reaction.... you found the broken wire

 

[wgkelly]

thanks-- please describe what you mean by side connector plug. Shaking the tree seems like a good call and I'll give it a shot when I get up there.

 

[F_R]

Did you do the first thing you should have done? That is CLEAN the battery terminals. Don't just shake and wiggle them, remove and CLEAN them shiny bright, then reinstall tightly. Then if it doesn't crank, proceed with some voltage checks.

 

[Scott Danforth]

by clean....... clean and shiny enough your mother in law would eat off them.

 

[Crosbyman]

some engines have a fat side connector if none on yours look inside the cowl ...clean all connectors battery first

 

[racerone]

All electrical connections are under the cowling.

 

[wgkelly]

Fuse is good; engine gets power since I can see it with a volt meter and the trim works. I can't see how it's a battery issue since the power to the trim is strong. I think it has to be in the control box somewhere or the ignition switch. I don't think its the starter solenoid since there is zero clicking or anything happening back at the moter when I turn the key. How can I jump the starter to make sure? Is there a way to test the ignition to see if turning the key opens a circuit? I still don't understand why the voltage gauge is not registering anything when I turn the key-- it clear that current is not getting to the gauge when the key is turned and maybe if it not going to the to the gauge then the ignition loop to the engine has a bad connection somewhere?

 

[F_R]

Surly you understand that power getting to the voltmeter is only half the story. It has to get back to the other side of the battery before it or anything else will work.

Did anybody suggest cleaning the battery terminals? Especially the negative (ground) one. We are only guessing till you confirm that you have done it.

 

[Vic.S]

Fuse is good; engine gets power since I can see it with a volt meter and the trim works. I can't see how it's a battery issue since the power to the trim is strong. I think it has to be in the control box somewhere or the ignition switch. I don't think its the starter solenoid since there is zero clicking or anything happening back at the moter when I turn the key. How can I jump the starter to make sure? Is there a way to test the ignition to see if turning the key opens a circuit? I still don't understand why the voltage gauge is not registering anything when I turn the key-- it clear that current is not getting to the gauge when the key is turned and maybe if it not going to the to the gauge then the ignition loop to the engine has a bad connection somewhere?

Check the negative ground connections as F_R suggests

The fact that you have power to the trim confirms that the fuse is Ok

Check for power getting to the ignition switch ( terminal B )
If not check the wiring between the fuse and the switch for breaks / bad connections .

If you have power to the switch suspect the switch .

It will help to refer to a wiring diagram. ( Impossible to do this sort of troubleshooting without IMO)
Not good because they are not in color but the one for the engine and the one for the remote in the manual on the Boatinfo site might be good enough

http://www.boatinfo.no/lib/evinrude/manuals/1992-2001johnsonevinrude.html#/0

Be aware that digital volt meters take so little current that they can give a normal reading even through bad connections. I prefer to use a test lamp that will need some current to light up .