I hope this doesn't sound familiar

[texastully]

So there I was: cashed in 15 years of accumulated vacation, bought a 26M with a 50 hp johnson, drug it 600+ miles home, rigged it and took it out with the family and had a great time. Loaded it, unrigged it and drug it home, only to find my son had left the only set of keys to the cockpit and motor on the trailer tongue.

Over a month later, having cut the lock off and replaced the starter switch, we head back to the water (with friends), only to discover that, while the motor lift works fine (battery ok) and the fuel pump kicks in correctly, the starter solenoid does nothing (as I sit at the end of the ramp in front of God, family, friends and a couple dozen people admiring my new boat). Mortifying. (Why, exactly, I tested everything BUT the starter is a short but complicated story involving interruptions and assumptions that does nothing to reduce my embarrassment).

I can find no smiley face that would be appropriate here.

At this point, you may be wondering why, in light of the obvious fact that I would prefer to deny this incident ever occurred, I am making this public confession.

I replaced the old ignition switch (easier than getting a new key made) using the tried-and-true unplug the old and plug in the new pin-by-pin. Did I miswire? Is the switch bad? Beats me. I badly need a color-coded wiring diagram of the bombardier remote starter switch, so as to troubleshoot. I can't seem to find a recent one anywhere on the net.

Any help out there?

[Tom Root]

texastully,~ Well if you have read others' stories...mine included, you'd see we all encounter similar circumstances. Hopefully someone will have the exact schematic you need, but basically, I'd pull out the meter, and create my own, if I were you.

Find any schematic to any start switch out here, it should be similar in many respects. The wire I'd check 1st of course, is the solenoid to the switch, do a continuity to ensure you have the right one, then swap power wires until you read 12VDC only when you rotate the switch to start position, attach, and you should be GTG.

If, there is a ground loop, eliminate that 1st, by removing it entirely until you figure out the wire configuration.

I am also assuming that you checked your power, etc., if it was hooked up wrong, you could have possibly drained your battery perhaps?

Good luck, but most, if not all of us have been there, done that, or else they are way too good, just plain lucky, or own a lawn dart, or seagull whitewash collector! ( In other words...never use their boat!)

Expect the unexpected I say!

This MAY help also!


Boating Industry of America Wire Colors



Here are the standard wire colors used in the boating industry since the late 70s. When re-powering a boat with a newer motor this is a handy reference. Most boats use these standards but always double check in case changes have been made!
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BIA Wire Color--------------------Where it is used
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Black---------------------------------All Grounds
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Black with Yellow stripe---------Magneto/short to Kill
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Gray----------------------------------Tachometer signal
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Yellow with Black stripe---------Choke
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Red----------------------------------Unprotected(12V+)from battery
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Red with Purple stripe-----------Protected(+12V)from battery
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Purple-----------------------------(+12V)from ignition switch
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Tan------------------------------Overheat sensor to warning horn
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Pink-------------------------------Sending unit to fuel guage
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Yellow with Red stripe----Ignition switch to starter solenoid
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Yellow-----------------------------charging stator to rectifier
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Lt.Blue with White stripe--------Trim up
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Green with White stripe-----------Trim down

[Catigale]

I went with the keyless ig on my MERC for this reason - knowing Im a knucklehead and would eventually lose a key after a 4 hour drive for sure......

You can leave the keyless models in a 'ready mode' where you dont need to put the code in, you just punch start...

The admiral likes this when you are tacking in 1/2 knot breeze and a freighter comes around the bend heading for you at 15 knots...

Where's that key honey????

[Theo]

Tex,

Ignore the above!!

Buy a manual!!

Gotta do it guy. It's only about $20 to $30 for the clymer manual. It will tell you exactly how the wires go.

Theo

[Tony D-26X_SusieQ]

Did you check the MOB kill switch clip? Since a lot of people usually keep it on the same lanyard as the key (me included), it probably was lost with the key. On my Honda there is a spare clip on the helm.

[DLT]

I can run my motor without the kill switch clip thingy...

My understanding, and maybe its missguided, is that the 'system' detects the clip coming off and kills the motor on that. So, if you never put the clip on, then it works fine, but without the kill switch functionality.

Maybe mine is the only one that works this way...

[Chip Hindes]

I have lost count of how many times I've gotten to the marina or boat ramp and remembered the "primary" set of keys was left hanging on the key keeper in the hallway at home. So a "secondary" set of keys is in the cabin and never leaves the boat for any reason. The cabin is locked when the boat is unattended, but there is a key to that lock on each set of vehicle keys. If that system doesn't work, an additional key is in a hidden outside location on the boat. It's about as stupid-safe as I can make it; if I can get to the boat, I can start it.

That same key fits the cable lock on the dinghy motor and the anchor locker, though I've never locked the anchor locker.

I tried a combo lock but kept forgetting the combo.

When aboard the boat, the keys are in the ignition switch at all times. It is normally in the "on" position because the control lever tilt doesn't work with the ignition "off". Even if we stop at a dockside restaurant or the like, if I can see the boat from the restaurant the keys stay in the ignition.

[argonaut]

Before doing anything more embarrasing make certain the throttle control is in the center detent "neutral" position.
Most engines won't crank unless controls are in neutral.

Re: kill switch, my Honda -will- crank even if the lanyard kill has been pulled.
Won't start, but will crank.

Failing that, I'd heed Theo's sage advice, not worth the damage you could create by not having a diagram. IMHO you need a maintenance manual anyway.

[Chinook]

Probably not the came cause, but early on I had problems with the motor tilt solenoid on my Nissan 50. I ordered a new solenoid, and while installing it, I discovered a ground wire that was badly frayed and hanging by a thread. Rather surprising to see that on a nearly new engine. I installed the new solenoid and kept old one for spare, repaired the ground, and have been happily tilting ever since.

[Catigale]

Re: kill switch, my Honda -will- crank even if the lanyard kill has been pulled

Same with my Mercury, Im told. I have never done anything that stupid, of course, more than five times per boating season

[DLT]

Just to be clear, my Evinrude ETEC (dealer installed) will crank and RUN, without the kill switch engaged. I can't remember killing the motor by pulling the lanyard, so I can't be certain that the kill switch is wired correctly. But, I know mine will run without the clip engaged...

So, it looks like there are differences between the manufacturers about what will and will not happen with the kill switch...

[Catigale]

That doesnt sound right DLT....if you toggle the kill switch does it kill the motor??

My kill switch saved my hide once when I came into a landing and left the boat idling in gear once....Abigail quickly killed it on request

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Re: kill switch, my Honda -will- crank even if the lanyard kill has been pulled

Same with my Mercury, Im told. I have never done anything that stupid, of course, more than five times per boating season

Steve, your kids are obviously better behaved than mine. I tried to start the motor once for a couple minutes before realizing some kid had hit the switch. So....my Mercury will not run with the switch off.. Plus, it definitely kills it when it is running...again, spontaneously kid tested and approved.

And yes, it does crank with the switch off, its just the ignition circuit that is disabled, not the starter...that would require a much bigger switch.

As for remembering keys, that can be a problem. I put all my keys on the same ring and make it boyant with two key floats. The idea being that I have to use the same set of keys to unlock my trailer as I do to unlock and start the boat. This way, they are already in my pocket after I hitch up the trailer.

Another problem that I had once or twice was leaving the lifejackets at home for the kids. This was back when we had two boats and the lifejackets could be anywhere (usually in a closet or the wrong boat). Now that we consolidated to one boat, I always make the kids take them off before leaving the boat. Wow, I remember one time a few years ago that we were taking the jetboat out into the Gulf. I must have spent 2-3 hours finding a decent boatramp without a long wait that day (I think it was a holiday weekend)....only to get the boat ready to launch and find that you have to scrap the whole trip because you don't have the kids's lifejackets...talk about a good excuse to cuss the whole family out (including myself)... Wasn't worth the two hour drive to go home, get them and return, so I think we launched back in the bay near home instead....but still rather a lousy day when everyone was geared up for a white sand Gulf excursion.

[Catigale]

I tried a combo lock but kept forgetting the combo.

Easy one - just use your anniversary date. If you forget that one, you will be reminded in a way that you will never forget it again

[Dan B]

Keys - primary set in the boat bag, a spare set in the car. When we are on the water, they always stay in the ignition. If we go ashore, the rule is they are zipped into something. Both on floatable rings. So far, so good.

I have 3 kids to remember the combination lock to get into the cabin.

My Yamaha F50 won't engage in gear unless the neutral throttle lever is fully down (not engaged.)

I almost learned the hard way about the kill switch. My motor wouldn't start one day (and I nearly drained the battery) before finding out it was because I failed to get the kill switch fully engaged on the sprocket.