Ignition system on a 1991 Johnson 200 HP

Normal factory location is for the grounds to be attached at the rear starboard powerpack mounting stud, with star washers.
The ground that is associated with the shift switch will have no effect on your starting issue if it is disconnected.

I have moved my powerpack ground to the top stud of #1 ignition coil on all my engines.

Daselbee: but what about the P/P ground??? bad ground there would create a no spark situation at starting stages, I took both off after motor was running and the motor kept on going...

I never run an engine without the powerpack ground in place. As I said, I moved it to the top stud of the #1 ignition coil.
I do not know what woulod happen if the engine was started with no powerpack ground, as I have never done it. It cannot be good though, in my opinion.

Package on its way, delivery Friday or Saturday.

Also, if you look carefully, you will see that the mounting holes in the powerpack are lined with a brass bushing. So, when you tighten the nut with star washers down, the electrical continuity for ground is made through friction contact with both the stud itself, and the brass bushing.

Mine is not lined with a brass bushing, it must have fallen off and did not had a star washer neither, and if the grounds were disconnected there was no spark so the motor would not star/run...thanks daselbee I'll be waiting for the package, and I WILL move those two grounds to the same place you mention, I hope that was the problem and with the solution that you proposed the p/p and the switch will have ground now for sure...

Joe, what do you think???

Guys, it is always a good feeling when you finally get a chance to put an end/fix and then close a tread, in the past weeks Daselbee sent me two timer bases (TB) to try on my motor that way I would not have buy a brand new one...Well right after I installed that TB the motor fired right up... so my mysterious no spark/then spark/hard to start issues were solved, key items here to remember are the following, feel free to add more if I miss a key element:
Make sure you magnets in the flywheel are there, in one piece and secured
Make your stator is not melting down
Make sure power pack and all ignition grounds are grounded
Ensure your have a good timer base
And as usual a spark tester set up at a 7/16 gap its always helpful
Thanks guys for all the help and thanks Daselbee for the TB.

Somehow missed that 10/07/10 post/question, sorry.

Good man that Daselbee, not too many of his caliber left in this ole world.

nicknack2 said:

I have been having issues with the ignition system on my 1991 200 HP Johnson, but only on the first start, can someone explain to me the relationship between the stator, power pack, timer base, rectifier and coils??? to better understand what I'm trying to do/troubleshoot?...It seem like at the beginning I'm not getting spark, but after a while spark magically appears and the motor starts w/o issues...

Click to expand...

I have a 1991 Johnson 200 hp V6, pain in the ass to start. First thing your starter must turn the fly wheel 250-300 rpm's or you wont get a spark untill that happens. It was as if it's a mystery every time you try to start it. Problem solved: My starter was tired. Got a new starter and now it will start. As long as your battery is good. You can check this theory by taking out 1 spark plug out (using the existing starter) and it will start up the moment you turn the key that tells you to get a new starter. Also turn the key to the choke push in, and hold that for 10 seconds. Let it go, and go back and prime the gas line again, then hold the gas down 25% and turn the key and start it. Didn't make this up. Took me 6 months to fiure it out. LOL

Key is to be pushed in WHILE cranking it over for near instant starts when cold.