No spark 1985 Johnson 150

[jasoncooperpcola]

I checked the wiring diagrams online and on the link. Everything matches up. If i disconnect the ground or the black/yellow (bumblebee) wire the motor will run. The only way to shut it off is to reconnect the wire i disconnected.

Could it be the ignition switch?

That's what i am leaning towards right now but don't want to spend money on an ignition switch till i am 100% sure its the culprit.

[tsubaki]

Do it, it's a cheap answer to rule that out.

[jasoncooperpcola]

According to my test light the ignition switch is working fine. The black and yellow contact on the ignition switch only is grounded when the ignition is off.
I have completely pulled the big red plug apart on the motor and on the black and yellow wire contact on the motor side of the plug i have a dim ground.

What the hell?? That contact feeds two black yellow wires one of each go to the power packs.

[spareparts]

have you checked the kill switch?

[jasoncooperpcola]

There is no kill switch that i know of Spare.

Although i may buy one just to fix this problem and use it to shut the motor off.

I have isolated the problem to the motor based on the fact that, with the big red plug unplugged, the motor side of the plug where the black yellow wires come out have a dim ground. I checked the other side of the harness that goes to the remote control and it is ok.

[jasoncooperpcola]

After further investigation, if i unplug both yellow/black wires to the power packs and put my test light on the connectors, they both very very dimly light up my test light(which one end is hooked to positive to check for ground).
What now?

[jasoncooperpcola]

So this morning i go out and play with it some, and it wont crank now!
After some digging around i found a blown fuse(that comes out of the solenoid on the red wire) on the motor. I Replace it and now it cranks AND shuts off!

Could the fuse have been the whole problem?

[tsubaki]

There's a bunch that don't make sense to me, reason for not suggesting deeper.
Normally if the lone fuse is bad, you won't get anything related to the control box to work. The trim, the choke (primer) or the starter. That fuse basically works everything related to the harness.
Bunches of stuff just didn't sound right or at least I didn't comprehend it.

You know, I take that back.
My son in law couldn't get his engine to start and I found out it was that fuse.
He couldn't tell me he had shorted anything or not. Normally if the key switch is turned on and you short anything it will blow that fuse.

[jasoncooperpcola]

I spoke too soon. When i put the remote control back together it wont turn over, its dead. When i take it apart, it will turn over.

Now here's the real kicker: I now have ALL the wires (ignition, neutral safety switch jumped) outside the remote control hanging out the gunnel. Same thing, if the remote control is together the motor is dead. If the remote control is apart it will start.

How the hell is this possible?

I was planning to take it out tomorrow and run it for a little bit just for the helluvit. Its already cost me the last day of snapper season so its already on my sh*t list.

[jasoncooperpcola]

So now i believe it is the ignition switch. Every time i touch the yellow/red wires together it starts. When i put them pack on the ignition i get nothing. Tomorrow i will get another ignition switch from west marine unless, someone can recommend a better place to get one?