Kill switch on ignition no longer operational- do I need a new switch?

[jplomeo]

Hi,

The engine kill switch portion of my ignition key-push to choke switch (2001 Crestliner, with a 2000 Jonhson 90 HP) no longer shuts the engine down when the lanyard clip is pulled off. Can this be fixed or do I need to to replace the entire switch? and who sells these? they are not in the engine parts diagrams anywhere that I can find.

Thanks
JP

 

[Bosunsmate]

Does turning the key still shut it off?
If so then open up the control box it might just be a corroded connection where the ground wire goes from the lanyard switch and connects to the metal control casing, sometimes the wires fray inside them too

 

[alldodge]

Hi,

The engine kill switch portion of my ignition key-push to choke switch (2001 Crestliner, with a 2000 Jonhson 90 HP) no longer shuts the engine down when the lanyard clip is pulled off. Can this be fixed or do I need to to replace the entire switch? and who sells these? they are not in the engine parts diagrams anywhere that I can find.

Thanks
JP

Agree with bosunsmate, and will add the kill switch on an outboard is opposite of an inboard or I/O. When activated it makes a connection instead of breaking the connection. Check to see that when the lanyard is pulled there should be a connection to ground.

 

[Silvertip]

A simple test is to access the kill switch contacts. Start the engine and then short the kill switch switch contacts. If the engine dies, the switch is bad. If not, there is a wiring issue. If the key switch fails to kill the engine as well, then that points to a wiring issue as it is highly unlikely the kill switch and ignition switch are both defective..

 

[jplomeo]

Thank you for all your information. Yes, turning the key does shut the engine, and the choke works also. I'll take the switch off the dash and open it up and look at the contacts and connections. I dont exactly know which are the kill contacts, as I think this switch has multiple connections since it does 3 things.

Thank you!

 

[gm280]

Thank you for all your information. Yes, turning the key does shut the engine, and the choke works also. I'll take the switch off the dash and open it up and look at the contacts and connections. I dont exactly know which are the kill contacts, as I think this switch has multiple connections since it does 3 things.

Thank you!

You peaked my curiosity now. What three things does your kill switch actually do? I've never heard of such, but am interested to learn...

 

[jplomeo]

This keyed ignition switch starts and stops the engine with the key, it activates the choke when pushed in, and it is also the kill switch as it has the safety lanyard and clip on it.

 

[boobie]

Sounds like a bad switch. JMO.

 

[gm280]

If I understand you, your ignition switch is also the kill switch? Usually there is a separate kill switch with its own lanyard that is remote from the keyed ignition switch. That's why I asked. If all those things are from the exact same switch, I would be looking for a new switch IF the wire connections are good... JMHO!

 

[boobie]

OMC came out with that switch in around 1996. Don't quote me.

 

[boobie]

The kill switch and the ignition switch were all the same. You could still run it with the lanyard off but when you installed the lanyard on switch and pulled it off it would kill the motor. That way if you were in the boat and got thrown out with the lanyard the motor would stop. Anybody else in the boat could start the motor to retrieve you. Good feature.

 

[Rick.]

Thanks for that boobie. I didn't know that it could be started without the lanyard. Always learning on this site. Rick.