99 Force 120 start/tilt combination

[xsquid]

1999 Force 120 outboard

Problem began last year - Intermittently, when turning over to start, motor tilts down as if down tilt switch is engaged, motor does not start. Continues to try to drive down as long as starter engaged. If I unplug the tilt switch, the motor starts and runs normally.

The way I got around this the last time was to tilt the motor down, unplug the switch and start it. From there, it ran fine the rest of the day.

There are two tilt/trim switches, one at the console, one at motor. If I bypass the switch on the motor (which I installed when I got the boat in 2001), the problem remains. If I disable down tilt, motor will start and run normally. Both Solenoids have been replaced.

There are obviously additional troubleshooting steps I can take, but has anyone ever seen this issue?

Thanks for any help!

 

[twostroke87]

Re: 99 Force 120 start/tilt combination

sounds like the problem is behind the dashboard, sounds like someone was wiring and didn't really know their color codes and wired the Yellow w/red tracer on the key (starter circuit) somehow into the Green wire (down trim circuit) So that when the key switch sent power over to the starter circuit, on the way to the starter somewhere it is intersectiong the down circuit of your trim.

Find the wire on your key switch that is all yellow with a red tracer, it should be that color, if its not you gotta pull the key switch out and see which wire is going to S on the key, then follow that wire, it show go up to the throttle and back down again for the neutral safety switch then out to the engine.

If your trim switch is dash mount this can be a quick fix, if your trim switch is in the throttle then it sounds like inside the throttle the green wire (down) is connecting somehow into the neutral safety switch circuit, you will have to find and and separate them.

Good luck!

 

[RRitt]

Re: 99 Force 120 start/tilt combination

since it is intermittent look for places where the insulation is damaged or missing. Tilt and ignition should be two completely seperate switches so any intermittent shorts would have to be in the wiring.

 

[xsquid]

Re: 99 Force 120 start/tilt combination

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. Couple of additional thoughts.

I've owned the boat almost 10 years. No wiring has been done near or around the dash. This began during the season last year. Boat has always been garaged.

There are 2 tilt/trim switches, 1 on the throttle and the other on the motor. As I mentioned, bypassing the switch on the motor has no effect.

Other note. Once the motor is started, you can reconnect everything and things work fine until you engage the starter again.

Let me describe what I mean by intermittent....if you back the boat into the water, start the motor, it may work fine, or it may exhibit this symptom. If it exhibits the symptom, it will not go away until the switch is disconnected.
The next time you start, it may or may not happen.

Cracked or broken insulation makes sense to me........any idea how the throttle lever is wired and if the starter is somehow connected? Through the kill switch?

Again, thanks for all the help!

 

[RRitt]

Re: 99 Force 120 start/tilt combination

It seems to me that you already know what the problem is but are hoping that it will be something easier than rewiring trim switch. I doubt it. My money would be on abandoning the old wires and installing new ones.

 

[twostroke87]

Re: 99 Force 120 start/tilt combination

If it were my boat, I would just forget about the throttle trim switch, and wire a new trim switch onto the dash. Either way I'd bet money the short is inside the throttle, like someone else said, the casing is worn away and they are shorting together.

 

[RRitt]

Re: 99 Force 120 start/tilt combination

It might be worth mentioning that if the wire insulation is still flexible and the short is just one small spot where a metal edge has worn through ... then ... seal the wire back up with one or two layers of heatshrink and then protect from corner with mesh. The nylon mesh looks like a chinese finger trap - usually black, sometimes white. I guess Radio Shack would have what you need. Mouser elcetronics and Grainger would have it for sure

 

[xsquid]

Re: 99 Force 120 start/tilt combination

I got this fixed yesterday and wanted to take a minute to post my results and thank all of you who commented on this thread. I realize it has been some months, but I havent been able to get the boat out until now.

The issue eventually migrated to where the down tilt ran anytime the starter engaged. The down trim button on the throttle stopped working, the only thing it would do is kill the engine if it was running.

I finally purchased the manual for the motor with all of its diagrams and launched into working on this on Sunday. Turns out that the electrical cable between the boat and motor with all of the wires inside had been repaired before I got the boat used in 2001 and the repair was to the down tilt wire, with a nick in the power wire thrown in for good measure. So, a little heat shrink and lots of effort in disassembly and reassembly later, things are working perfectly. The diagrams were really helpful and a multimeter was a must......

Thanks again to twostroke87 and RRitt for all the advice!