Question about kill switch wire

[swheeler]

Hi folks, I have a 1996 130 Evinrude that decided it did not want to start, i disconnected the kill wire (black w/yellow stripe) at the engine. It now will fire up.... Of course shutting it down is another issue. This engine is on a houseboat with an upper and lower helm, I have a relatively new ignition switch on the lower helm and the upper (exposed to weather) helm is probably 10 years old. I had a spare switch, so I changed out the upper helm switch and the engine still won't start with the kill wire connected. I will check the lower helm switch tomorrow against the tests I have learned from this forum. I am betting the newer switch is good..... If so, anything else I should check for? Any suggestions are welcome. Trying to line up my options early due to real limited time trouble shooting this stuff.

Ps one possibly important note; I did touch the engine power cable on the battery in reverse polarity. The battery switch was in off position, but there was a spark.. Simply wasn't paying attention. I have checked the rectifier and all seems well. It starts as long as the kill wire is disconnected.


Thanks, Scott

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Question about kill switch wire

Check the other key switch, your shift switch or the harness along the way. There is a short there somewhere.

I find an easy way to troubleshoot a section of wiring is to run a jumper after disconnecting. If it now acts as it should you found the short.

 

[swheeler]

Re: Question about kill switch wire

Thanks Chris,
If the shift switch was bad, I was guessing it would not crank from the key switch's? I will check out the lower helm switch. It only became a problem immediately after I tapped the wrong terminals on the battery, I wonder if that could have fried a switch... There was a spark. The jumper wire test makes alot of sense, tnx.

Since I have owned the boat, both the upper and lower switch have had to be in run position in order to start the engine. May not be relevant, but another detail.

Thanks, Scott

 

[will62]

Re: Question about kill switch wire

Scott,
Did you locate the problem? If not, the attached photo may help you check your key switches. Since you may have a short in your harness, you will have to disconnect the wire(s) to one of the "M" terminals before doing the continuity tests. If your key switches are good, you'll probably have to use Chris's method to locate the short in the harness.

 

[swheeler]

Re: Question about kill switch wire

Thanks for the diagram! I'll do some testing when I get home today and post what I find. Much appreciated, Scott

 

[swheeler]

Re: Question about kill switch wire

Well, after changing out the lower helm switch all is working. Old aftermarket switch tested ok??? But I guess it could have been an intermittent problem or a bad connection. I also cleaned every connection from the engine to the helm. I really wish I could point definitively to the issue... Hate not knowing for sure. But it is working and I do keep a full compliment of tools and parts on board, so if the issue comes up again, I'm ready.

Thanks for the help and hope everyone has a safe/happy new yeah! Scott