1972 50hp Johnson wonbt start

hi
I just got my first boat t

hi
I just got my first boat this year and about 2 weeks ago it would not start on click or anything when you turn the key. Any ideas on what is wrong.

the model # is 50ESL72 C

"Dead battery or bad connectio

"Dead battery or bad connections,key switch bad. Shifter is not in neutral position. Move shifter forward and back."

"I checked the battery, the co

"I checked the battery, the connctins, and the boat was in neutral. how do you test for a bad key switch? I also replaced a starter solenoid."

Did you check the wiring on th

Did you check the wiring on the solenoid? You could have it mis-wired. Use a jumper wire to cross the plus from the battery on the solenoid to the plus post on the starter. If it turns over the check the wiring on the solenoid. You need a test light for checking the switch. Place one end of the test light to ground and the other to the wire to the solenoid from the switch. If when you turn the key to the start position the light comes on the switch is good.
If it does not light you may have no power at the switch. Check all fuses.

"Had the same problem.....
I

"Had the same problem.....
I have EXACTLY the same engine....
I can help you with this one.
I did some serious head scratching until I figured it out so don't feel bad.

Take apart your remote control and examine the little black switch in the bottom front of the control....
It will be in front of the alarm horn and have 5 wires connected to it.
THat's your Forward/neutral/reverse switch for the electric shifting lower unit.
I had the three wires on the back of that switch break off simply from engine vibration transmitted through the hull to the control. If you have even one wire broken on that damnable switch ( costs $100 to replace it ) the motor will not respond to the ignition switch....
Period.
You will have to carefully cut away the rubber covering the back of the switch to get to the three wires I'm talking about.
if the contats are loose... solder them back onto the posts. You just saved yourself $100

Let me know how it goes okay?

You can also try jumper cables to the motor.
Negative cable to the engine block, and positive cable to the hot terminal on the starter.
If your motor starts that way... it's most likely that switch I mentioned above....
BTW, be sure to remove the positive cable from the starter AS SOON as the motor fires, or plan on a new starter ( wink )
See the picture at the link below.
http://www.shareaproject.com/fullImages/4248.jpg""

"PS) I just sent you an em

"PS) I just sent you an email with a parts diagram of the control so you can find that switch and fix or replace it.
I sent it to the email that's listed in your profile here...
If you don't get the email, check your junk folder for one from [email protected]

John"