1999 honda 75 4 stroke wont start

[wonderslug]

Having trouble my 75 Honda wont start it will start by jumping the starter but not by the key. I tried to jump the switch at the forward/reverse control linkage but to no avail. Some history to the outboard is that it sank last summer but have been using it a fair bit since then since then... Is there anything else I should be looking at??

 

[hondadude]

The first thing to check is to see if your gauges come on when you turn on the key. If they do not, check the 15amp fuse on the motor.

Do you hear any clicking at all at the engine when you try to crank it? If so, it is what Honda calls the starter magnetic switch. Most people just call the the starter slave solinoid.

Where did you jump the motor? The easiest place is across the two posts on the starter magnetic switch. If you did jump it there, you have good voltage to the solinoid and starter. You just have to get the start mag switch to operate. If it clicks, but there is no crank,it is bad.

If no click, first make sure that it has a good ground going to it.

If the ground is good, then you just have to trace the circuit until you get 12v on the line.

A circuit diagram can be found in the back of your owner's manual. http://marine.honda.com/pdf/manuals/31ZW0602.pdf

Your shifter (depending on design) may also have a neutral safety switch in it. Honda does not use it (if it is there). There is a possibliity that it was rigged with it in the circuit.

In general, you will have to get 12v to the key switch (through the 15a fuse on the engine), so the switch can send it back to (through the main wiring harness connector - round 14 pin at the engine), through the neutral safety switch on the engine, through a connection that is housed over the ECU under the black plasitc cover, then to the magnetic switch (solinoid), which activates the starter.

This is probably one of the easiest failures to trace. It just takes some patience.

Mike

 

[wonderslug]

I gave this info to the person who is trying to use the motor. and according to him the few guages it has do not light up or beep (it is a tiller type). But I seem to remember that it should beep and a green or red light should come on. So thanks for the heads up on the fuse. The only problem is he is having trouble finding the fuse (15amp) is it under that plastic cover as well.

 

[hondadude]

Sorry for the assumption that you had a helm.

Most of the above info still applies. There is no neutral safety switch inside the tiller arm...so you do not have to worry about that.

The good news is...you do not have to crawl throughout the boat tracing wires and cables.

The keyswitch still operates the same way. It is always possible that the keyswitch has developed corrosion inside since it was submerged. Generally, when there is corrosion buildup, the starter operates by itself, when you least want it to operate. So, the switch may be ok, unless the corrosion shorted the 12v to ground internally.

The description for the location of the 15 amp fuse is on p124 of the owner's manual. http://marine.honda.com/pdf/manuals/31ZW0602.pdf

If you find the fuse is blown and it blows again when you replace it, disconnect the round (14 pin plug) that connects the tiller to the motor. Then put in another fuse. If is does not blow again, then the problem may be in the tiller handle or wiring going to the starter.

I do not think that the red and green lights come on or beep when you turn on the key. That generally occurs only with the fuel injected engines.

Although you have already bypassed the neutral safety switch, you should be sure that when the motor is put into neutral, that the shift mechanism on the engine is coming back to the detent that is by the neutral safety switch.

Also, make sure the neutral safety switch is depressed when the motor is in neutral.

Mike