87 88SPL issues help!

[NRG]

Some of these are self inflicted Im sure lol.. I may know how to do fiberglass etc .. I never said I was a outboard mechanic lol
emoBang emoBang emoBang

I replaced the throttle shift cables the old one where too long and kinked, the last time I cranked this motor was back in Feb it started by key fine.. since I replaced the cables it no longer starts.. I have the motor in neutral ( prop spins freely ) and the control box neutral safety switch is depressed as it should be see pic , the electric choke works, push it and and you can hear the choke kick in on carbs.. I replaced the solenoid thinking that was the issue .. but nope still no power to the starter.. if I jump the yellow red wire to the solenoid I can force the starter to spin but then the battery cables get hot .. Im sure their is something I have set wrong just cant figure it out .. drivin me bonkers

Also while we are at it I have a red wire with purple stripe that goes no where .. I think its went to the trim switch I believe this power head came off of another engine , and it had power trim this one now does but I built a box and made the trim relays remote inside the battery compartment ( Thanx to Wretchin2 diagram from a previous post and it works emoThumbsup )

Ok .. now yall can smack me up side the head .. or what ever .. just please help me figure out what the h**l Im doing wrong lol

 

[Bubbakat]

Have you checked the in line fuse anchored up in front of the solenoid

 

[NRG]

Bubbakat - 9/12/2009 1:59 PM

Have you checked the in line fuse anchored up in front of the solenoid

yep new fuse

 

[jbh3]

NRG, in that last pic, those 2 yellow wires in the middle that wrap around each other look burned where they come together to me. Could be paint or something. Pretty sure you would have noticed, but, just in case....Good luck!

 

[SNUFFY]

those two go to the stator too. If they are contacting somewhere.... Had a 115 just like it . Those 2 yellow wire going to stator move when the spark advances. They are also in a sheath. After about 25 years the wires finally cracked and shorted .....liked to never have found them.
But if the problem is the starter won`t turn over....never mind the above
I see you have a meter...if it the starter...you have to keep checkin till you can`t find juice.

 

[wrechin2]

See if you have voltage on the terminal marked "B" befoer you go any furtherIt will be red..........But looks like a new solenoid.... Test to see if when you hit the key if you have power on the yellow and ground on the black. If so, you may have a bad solenoid. If NO power go back to the control box and check power on the yellow wires on the neutral swich (TEST BOTH SIDES WITH KEY IN START POSITION) and see if you have it on both sides. If so, then it is a harness issue. If no power there then test for + at the yellow wire at the switch when in start position. If no power out of the switch, It is a bad switch. Do these test and post your results.

 

[NRG]

I just put on a NEW solenoid today ... all worked back in Feb when I tried the motor to see if it would start.. I havent touched the motor other than that except for this past month when I pulled off the old shift/throttle cables... it would start with the key .. the wires to the battery got hot but did start.. .. since then nothing has changed.
I did swap the power head from the old mid section to the new mid.. and re-attached all the grounds etc where they where.. and removed the carbs cleaned them, and put them back on and installed new water pump, and re-installed the lower unit, the motor shifts fine.. .. I still think it has something to do with the shift/throttle cables.. position of the cables is causing the problem ? I just cant figure out what the issue is exactly

 

[NRG]

I aslo tried by passing the neutral safety switch .. by placing a jumper between the to leads.. that did nothing either lol .. Ive tried any thing and every thing I can think of .. I was sure I was missing something some where.. something stupid and simple .. I just cant figure out what
I will check the leads again James , but Im pretty sure I already check the power with a test light on the saftey switch .. had nothing

 

[NRG]

jbh3 - 9/12/2009 3:36 PM

NRG, in that last pic, those 2 yellow wires in the middle that wrap around each other look burned where they come together to me. Could be paint or something. Pretty sure you would have noticed, but, just in case....Good luck!

yep just paint

 

[wrechin2]

Check voltages as instructed. Voltage has to make it from the switch to the + side of the solenoid. You neet to start at the solenoid and back track to find where it is loosing it. Starter circuit is simple and you have a meter. Just test for voltages......

 

[fischnrod]

Loose ground connection OR kill switch off

 

[NRG]

NRG_BigFish - 9/12/2009 6:12 PM

I aslo tried by passing the neutral safety switch .. by placing a jumper between the to leads.. that did nothing either lol .. Ive tried any thing and every thing I can think of .. I was sure I was missing something some where.. something stupid and simple .. I just cant figure out what
I will check the leads again James , but Im pretty sure I already check the power with a test light on the saftey switch .. had nothing

I have power to all terminal locations etc 1 , the red has power

No power using test light on the solenoid , from the yellow and black side posts of the solenoid , I have power from the battery to the top.

No power on the neutral safety switch when turn key, checked the yellow wire to the ignition switch that comes out of the safety switch .. I DO get power when the key is turned on the yellow wire that comes from the safety switch .

I also tried removing the fuse and using a jumper run between the to halves of the fuse holder .. still nothing emoBang emoBang emoBang emoBang

And grounds are all tight, and even if the kill switch was bad it would just stop the motor from firing, not keep it from even turning the starter

 

[NRG]

Problem SOLVED YEA!!! .. thanx to the guys at Marine Specialty .. something I just didn't think about till they mentioned it.. try jumping the wire from Neutral safety switch back to solenoid.. and yea .. I hadn't tried that .. and IT WORKED !!! .. I knew it was something simple that I just hadn't thought of .. and sure enuff a bad wire in the harness.. that's a simple fix .. just bypass the wire and run a new one !! Maybe I will get this thing on the water this week after all

THANX FOR ALL THE INPUT FROM EVERYONE!

emoThumbsup emoThumbsup emoThumbsup emoToast emoWorthy


I thought that I would check just to be sure that the whole wire was bad, ohm'd it out , and the wire thru the harness was good, but at the end of the harness where it attaches to solenoid, it had been previously spliced with a butt splice.. I cut the wire back to where it was clean, and stripped back insulation and attached a new piece of wire .. and the motor fired up .. so was only the end of the wire not whole wire bad.. sheesh Ive been pulling my hair out since Friday and it was one lil bad 4 inch piece of wire .. prob didnt even need new solenoid .. but at least I know that is good lol

 

[wrechin2]

That is why you test at the solenoid and back track to see where the last place voltage is present......

 

[NRG]

Yea .. I knew I was close .. just thought there had to be another safety switch somewhere that was hosing me up.. and I knew it had to be simple .. I thought about fixing that wire just to be safe.. and if I had I wouldnt even have needed to ask for help ... I dont ask unless Ive hit a wall... and most times .. my walls are self inflicted and created lol

 

[wrechin2]

You would have found it on the 3rd step in my post telling you what to look for. If no power at the solenoid and power on both sides of the NSS then it is a harness issue. I have a special tool I use that test for harness issues by plugging it in at the engine and it bypasses the boat harness. Glad you found it!!!! I had one that had rat damage to it. May be a real simple repair. Later!

 

[Guest]

Can't wait to see you out there sean!