1985 Evinrude 25 Starter Wiring

Needed to rebuild carb. To get to carb nut, had to remove starter bracket and disconnect some wiring. My dumb self didn't take a picture then. Got called away in the middle of this and didn't get back for a week. Now, can't figure out the wiriing.

The wire in the black square is the negative wire from the battery. The are two wires in the yellow area--one is positive lead from battery the other runs to the push button start on the front of the motor. So far so good. Everything makes sense.

Where does the wire in the red box go? From its length and bend it seems like a ground that could be attached to the some bolt as the ground from the battery, but bad things happen when I try that.

The wire seems to terminate on the motor case near where the tiller enters the case, but it's hard to see it so not positive about that.

Any idea where that wire goes or do I have this all messed up?

The mystery wire is a ground that is terminated on a screw near where the fuel line enters the motor case. Perhaps it's a ground for the solenoid? I don't remember taking any wires off the two small posts on the solenoid, but I'm senile half the time so it's possible.

It is a ground from lower pan to power head..attatch with the one with blue connector.

That is an awful big ground wire that looks like the starter cable.

flyingscott said:

That is an awful big ground wire that looks like the starter cable.

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The big wire with the blue connector runs to the negative terminal of the battery.

newyota said:

It is a ground from lower pan to power head..attatch with the one with blue connector.

Click to expand...

Tried that earlier. Must have something else wrong?

What is working ?----What is not working ?-----I have to agree in that it appears to be a ground strap from lower cowling to engine block.---If you connect lower cowling to the engine block there should not be any sparks.---And are you sure the 2 reds on the solenoid are not touching ground ?

If you have a push button start here is how your wiring should go.
#1 + battery cable to one side of the solenoid on the big terminal.
#2 1 wire from push button goes to the + battery cable side of the solenoid
#3 Other push button wire goes to 1 of the small terminals on the solenoid
#4 other small terminal on solenoid is connected to the neutral safety switch.
#5 Red wire from rectifier goes to the + battery cable side of the solenoid. (should have 3 wires on the battery cable side of the solenoid.
#6 Other big post on solenoid is connected to the Starter motor. ( 1 wire on that side)
#7 all grounds get attached to the ground screw with the - battery cable.