I need help with the choke solenoid

" Engine is a '78 Evinrude

" Engine is a '78 Evinrude 85hp. I am trying to install a choke solenoid that was missing when I got the boat. The choke is actvated by pushing in the ignition key as you turn. I have the new solenoid mounted securely and grounded. My question is where to connect the purple and white hot lead. I have been told by several to connect it to the terminal board where I would find another purple and white wire. I do not have any other purple and white wire on the terminal board. Additionally I have tested the circuts on the terminal board and found hot circuts, and circuts that get power with the key in the on position. No circut gets power when the ignition key is pushed in. I have also consulted my Clymer manual for a wiring diagram for "'78-'79 V4 Engines" that shows the solenoid wired to a component that is not labeled. Please pardon my ignorance, I am fairly mechanical but new to outboards. The components are depicted as circular with numerous wiring connections and one for each side of the engine. The only other thing I will mention is that some have told me that the 78 and 79 models are somewhat unique and different from other OMC models. Thanks in advance for any help. Joe "

Find the purple/white wire wh

Find the purple/white wire where it comes out of the harness and splice into it there. You can extend it to the terminal board and join it to the solenoid there.
Tom

" There is a proper location t

" There is a proper location to draw power for the solenoid. All terminals on the board are occupied with other circuts, and as I stated before, none are hot with the ignition key pushed in. From the diagram in the manual, the choke circut on this model engine does not go through the terminal board. "

"Joe..... Are you sure of the

"Joe..... Are you sure of the year and hp of that engine? What is the model number? That number can be found on a plate located on the port transom bracket, and also on a core plug on top of the block. And let us know what the colors of the wires are that are attached to that terminal board.... from top to bottom.

On the back of your ignition switch, there is (or should be) a terminal that is marked "C" for choke. That terminal should have a purple/white wire attached to it, and that terminal should be active with 12 volts when the key is in the on position and pushed in.

If that purple/white wire does not exist in the control wiring harness, you have the wrong harness in which case run a seperate wire from that "C" terminal to the choke solenoid... or if a empty screw hole on the terminal board is empty, join them there.

If the purple/white wire does exist at the ignition switch area, trace it back to the engine main connection plug. The main plug at the engine on the control wiring harness and the engine wiring harness should both be "red". If one is red and one is black, therein lays your problem as the color coding, wire routing, etc is different.

At the terminal board (starboard side of the engine), there should indeed be a terminal dedicated for the purple/white wire that engages the choke solenoid. Let me know what you discover.



Joe "

" Joe, I am 99.9% sure the eng

" Joe, I am 99.9% sure the engine is a 1978 85hp. The model number is 85899C, serial number J0001188. I don't have the color or sequence of the wires at the terminal board because I store the boat away from home. Given the age of the engine it is certainly possible that sometime during the past 20 plus years someone tinkered and reassembled something incorrectly. I have never pulled the ignition switch from the control box because the fasteners have siezed and would require drilling, extracting, and finding the correct screws to reassemble. I do believe the control box is original; white box with the warm engine lever, same as I've seen on Evinrudes of similar vintage. Opening the box may now be inevitable. There is a large red connector on the wiring harnes and I believe both sides are red. I will confirm when I get to the boat. I mentioned the wiring diagram in the Clymer manual showed two unlabeled round components with multiple connections; could these be the connection between the harness from the control box and the harness on the powerhead? One additional question I have. Is the choke circut powered when the key is pushed in or when the key is pushed in AND in the run position? Once again, many thanks for your help and advice. Joe "

" Joe Dawson,
I don't kno

" Joe Dawson,
I don't know if it would help or not... but the factory service manual for that motor is available. I could get it for you, as could probably any OMC dealer.
Regards,
Andrew Menkart
MarineEngine.com "

"Joe.... Yes, that's a 197

"Joe.... Yes, that's a 1978 85hp my friend. The choke feature works only when the key (ignition switch) is in the "on" position and the key is pushed in. With the key (ignition switch) in the "off" position, pushing the key in does nothing. Those two unlabeled round components with multiple connections you speak of... I cannot visualize what you're speaking of. Would it be possible for you to scan that and get it to me via e-mail or whatever? I'd be interested in seeing it.([email protected])

Joe"

" Joe, getting a web page is t

" Joe, getting a web page is the extent of my computer ability. I don't have a scanner. The Clymer manual I am using is for 48-235hp from 1973-1990 and most of the wiring diagrams show these unlabeled circular components. After looking back over the various diagrams they must be the connection plugs. Thanks so much for your advice. I hope to be close to the boat this weekend and I will take a look at the connections on the terminal board. I will get back to you with more info after the weekend. Again, many thanks. Joe "

joe on my diagram for that en

joe on my diagram for that enigine the electric choke hot wire comes right out of the big red connector and goes straight to the electric choke from the connector and then to the key switch hope this helps!! chief