[ckrepp]

Left home early Sunay morning with my wife to fish for Perch in Lake St. Clair.
Got to the lake at the DNR launch at Palms Road, got a couple dozen minnows, put boat in the water and parked, all was well until I turned the key.

My 35hp Johnson outboard cranked like crazy, but nothing was happening. We tried for half an hour before loading the Lund back on the trailer and headed home.

I last used the boat the Wednesday night before and she ran great as usual, yesterday?---KAPUT!.

Looked at it at home and found I have no spark whatsoever, nothing. I know very little about magneto ignition systems and have no idea where to start looking for the trouble. I did look at all the wires and connections, the main fuse, everything I could find to inspect...no troubles that I can see.

Anyone with any ideas??? Help!!!!

 

[walleye mike]

Kill switch, coil or coils, spark plug(s). Was it in nuetral?

Start with new plugs and unplug the kill switches. Is it solid state? If not look at the points and condenser and replace. Could be a fuse on the motor also?

 

[Mac]

Sounds like the Kill switch was accidently pulled free....check that first!!

 

[CBJ]

Rewrite the incriptions to override the flux capaciter.

Sorry thats why I bought a new one, My Merc hasnt failed me yet. Good luck, when I launched at the DNR launch By Eddies drive inn some other poor soul was at the launch with a pull start. Man thats rough cant help to feel for you guys. If you go boat shopping be sure to look up Ericville.

 

[wags]

I had the same problem about a year ago. Took our lund in and the marine tore the engine apart and still didn't see anything wrong. As it turned out $300.00 we had a kill switch that i have never seen before it was on the underside of the trottle lever. It sounds like the same problem.

 

[CBJ]

QUOTE(wags @ Jul 21 2003, 08:03 AM)I had the same problem about a year ago. Took our lund in and the marine tore the engine apart and still didn't see anything wrong. As it turned out $300.00 we had a kill switch that i have never seen before it was on the underside of the trottle lever. It sounds like the same problem.
I know what you guys are talking about. I was out in the middle of no where, it took me a little while to notice. The kill switch thats at the end of your cord thing of a ma bobber, I thought I was screwed for about half in hour. Thats when I noticed it.

 

[ckrepp]

OK, everything you guys said, I checked while at the launch. Wasn't the problem.

Here it is now Monday night, had a rough day, didn't feel to good this morning when I poted first. Figured I would come home and tinker around with it. Hooked up the fuel line and cranked it just for the hell of it. The SON-OF-A-SEABISQUIT STARTED!!! I couldn't help to just stand there and stare at it in total disbelief.

Must be a loose wire somewhere in the ignition system. Going to check all the wires again real close, undo and inspect all connections, make the sign of the cross and pray it works this Saturday morning.

Thanks all for the replies!

 

[djkimmel]

I had a similar problem a few years ago. It turned out one of my wires from the ignition key-switch had rubbed bare on the steering wheel column. It was shorting out the ignition signal.

Put in a new ignition and some rubber hose to protect the wiring where it goes over the steering cable bar. Problem was solved.

The most common problem I've seen though with other people is a bad kill switch. I'm not enough of an electrician to know how to properly test that.