Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't shut o

[Whoopbass]

I can't get my boat to turn off. The outboard is a 1978 85 HP Mercury. To my knowledge the shift control box is of the same vintage.
Before this happened I couldn't get it to start.

Here's the story:
Last year I was all set to go to the lake when I decided to fire it up at home and make sure everything was ok. When I turned the key Nothing.
I took apart the shift control box and the nuetral safety switch was busted. Tried to rig it but for some reason it still wouldn't start so I put the boat away.

I bought a used shift control box off Ebay a couple weeks ago. The wiring harness didn't have the plug to connect to the outboard so I spliced my old wiring harness into the control box. All the wires were identical so I doubt that is the problem.
The inside of the box from ebay is in excellent condition. The wiring in my old box was shot as well as half the wiring in the outboard. (I don't see how that outboard ever ran but it did and it ran great.)
I replaced all the old wiring that was falling apart in the outboard and also bought a new starter solenoid.

I fired the old boat up and it ran great as usual but when I went to shut it off by the key nothing would happen.
I tried several times but with the same results.

If someone has any ideas what to look for I would really appreciate it or if someone can give me an idea in how the ignition switch shuts the motor off that might help.

I e-mailed the guy I bought the box from and asked him if he knew if the ignition switched worked but he never e-mailed me back.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

Outboard ignition switches are unique. There are two M terminals that other machines don't have. In the Off position, those two connect to allow the power to the coils to be directed to ground instead. The rest of the switch operates just like any other ignition switch. I believe a black wire should be attached to one M on yours, and salmon (kinda pink) to the other M. ( Many Merc switches letter their terminals a b c d e f, I don't know which is which on those. )

 

[Laddies]

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

Thats a ground off system, they probably sold you a older box for battery powered CD. In most cases the harness can be converted by changing the switch we need to know the wire colors inside the box to tell also there should be a part number on the harness where it plugs into the engine

 

[Whoopbass]

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

Both boxes appear to be identical.

The part number for the wiring harness is 45876.

The color of the wires that are connected to my old switch are black,red,cream,salmon and yellow. There is also a black wire that goes to the tach and a cream wire that goes to the choke.
The color of my wires in the old box were the same as the box I bought off Ebay.

In your opinion(s) do you think the problem lies in the switch? I can always replace the switch with my old one that I know works but it would require some soldering.

THANKS

 

[quilter]

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

on your switch box you have a orange or a black with yellow stripe, try shorting a wire from ground to this terminal and if it shuts off either rewire a toggle switch to this terminal or rewire your switch.The toggle is the easiest. If it don't shut off when you short it replace your switch box. have the motor running when you try to kill it.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

That sounds like the right harness, ck ground off between the blk and orange terminals with a ohm meter or use a jumper to see if that kills the spark (use care not to connect 12 to the orange as just a small arc will ruin the electronics

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

Re: Can someone tell me how the key ignition works because the outboard won't sh

On Merc Color codes. Pay attention to whether or not you are looking for a black wire with a yellow stripe, or a yellow wire with a black stripe. When you read blk/yel in the wiring harness pay attention to which is first.

In my harness are both and I was (passing gas) the other day and got them mixed up because I didn't pay attention to which was the wire color and which was the stripe.

I was on the wire you are talking about and was supposed to be on the fuel enrichment solenoid drive. Only difference is what I said. Thank goodness I didn't tear up anything.

Mark