Boat Motor Problems-Need help!

[Higgy507]

I have a 2004 Johnson 150hp outboard motor on my boat. Other than a few issues with the lower unit, I've had really good service from this motor.

This weekend the ignition key switch would start the engine, but it would not turn the engine off. The engine kill switch/cord would not work either when pulled. The only way I could turn off the motor was by choking it until it choked itself out. The ignition switch is located on the instrument console on the boat. It is not located on the shifter control. A new ignition key switch has been installed and that did not fix the problem.

A mechanic who looked at it Saturday, said it may be the power pack going out on the motor. I questioned that, because I figure that a bad power pack would cause it to not start and might also make it run rough. He mentioned that the "negative side of the power pack may have gone bad". I've never heard of this type of problem with a power pack, although I guess it may be possible.

Again, I'm not a mechanic, or an electrician, so I don't know if what he said would be accurate or not. This is not a mechanic I normally use, but someone a friend recommended, so I let him look at it to see what he thought the problem might be.

I figure it's a wiring issue, more than an issue with the power pack. Has anyone ever experienced this same type of problem? Does anybody have any suggestions as to what the problem may be?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[ChampioNman]

Welcome Higgy, does your lanyard install over the key when installed or is it a separate kill switch? The ignition switch has push on terminals if the lanyard attaches to the key. It sounds like you have lost the path to ground to kill the motor when the lanyard is pulled. If a new ignition switch was installed was it an OEM switch?

[Higgy507]

The kill switch lanyard does not install over the key. The kill switch lanyard connects to the kill switch mounted near the fuse block that is under the console. The mechanic said the new kill switch is an OEM switch. I watched him remove it from the original/unopened package, so I know the replacement switch is new. The mechanic had two (2) types of switches for Johnson motors and he replaced it with a switch that was identical to the old switch.

[omcforever]

Had the same issue a few years back. Ground to power pack came loose.

[316jughead]

This will be easy for you. Test key switch off position to ground, also test the kill switch to ground when pulled. If those check out OK then that would indicate a bad power pack, providing there is not a problem in the wiring harness, you can test that out.

[ChampioNman]

Either missing ground on the ignition switch or pack. Here is the diagram for your ignition switch and kill switch.

[Higgy507]

Just got a phone call from the mechanic I use and trust. He found a bad ignition ground wire and fixed that. Says everything is working fine now. Problem solved. Thanks to everyone for the help!!

[ChampioNman]

Good deal!