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Need help starting a 1979? Johnson!

Z

Zrknight

New member
I purchased a pontoon last fall that has an old 2 stroke Johnson 25hp motor on it. Based on some googling, I believe it is a late 1970's, possibly a 1979? I can't find a serial number on it. I took it out a few days ago and it ran like a champ! But, I turned it off, attempted to restart it, and got nothing. No click, nothing.i swapped batteries and still got nothing. Floated on the lake for awhile, messing with the key and it eventually cranked enough to start. Got it home and it won't do anything again. I've replaced the starter switch and solenoid and it doesn't seem to have solved the problem. Im thinking I rewired the starter switch wrong. It has a solid red wire, a red wire with a purple stripe, a solid black wire, a black wire with a white stripe and a solid white wire. It's a 6 post starter switch that is identical to the old one. Someone please help!
 
So, did you install the correct solenoid or a car solenoid? If you put on a car solenoid, put the old one back to avoid confusion. THEN, does the motor have a neutral start safety switch? No motor ID so we don't know. But if it does have one, that is the first place you should be looking.
 
It's an identical solenoid. I ordered it off of Amazon but it came up searching numbers off of my old solenoid. I'm not sure how to tell if it has a neutral safety switch. Where would this be located? Any input where the motor ID would be?
 
Neutral safety switch could be on the motor or in the control box.----We need pictures of control box or starboard side of motor block.---Pictures make it easy.
 
You apparently have a multimeter. Check the voltages on the two small solenoid terminals, one at a time, while somebody turns the key to start position. Assuming nothing happens the voltage should be about 12V on one small terminal and 0V on the other one.

IF you have 12V on both, the safety switch is open or burnt up (models with a safety switch somewhere on the powerhead) IF the safety switch is just open, make sure the shift is in neutral and the throttle set at a low position.

If you have 0V on both, you are not getting voltage from the start switch. Again. safety switch if you have one and it is in the remote control.

This is just a quicky diagnosis system. I could sit here and type for a long time, if I wanted to run a school.
 
Anyone have an idea on the wiring layout for the starter switch? I want to make sure I have this right before i start trouble shooting other aspects of the system.
 
Neutral safety switch seemed to be the issue! I traced down the wire and it was disconnected but laying close so it must have bumped just right to start and get me off the lake! Thanks for everyone's help!
 
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