ignition then no ignition ?????

[gordwa]

~~I just rebuilt my1990 90 hp Johnson this winter and finally took it out .It seemed to start ok.It has a new starter motor and solenoid and all new coils and cdi .I was fishing with my grandsons and was getting late so decided to head in .So when I went to hit the key nothing. I had power to the power trim, lights ect but nothing to the starter motor.The tide was still moving and I wanted to get my grand kids out of the boat as it was getting dark and the ramp was about a 1I8 of a mile away so we started paddling. We paddled for about 20 minutesa aginst the tide and moved very little so my grand son hits the key and it fires right up.I put it in gear and I kill the motor.Now I hit the key and nothing.Now back to paddling and paddling for another 15 minutes. I check the key and it starts aging. I haul ass to the dock and tie the boat up I turn it off to see if it will start and nothing. When I get it home it starts right up again. Any thoughts of what is going on.Its no fun getting stranded with kids in the boat. I had started and stoped the boat about a half a dozen times before the first incident and it started fine all those times.?????? Thanks for any help

 

[Silvertip]

Sure. You have a loose connections somewhere. Start at the battery. Clean the battery cables. And don't forget that each of those cables has two ends so clean both of them. By clean I mean shiny bright. Then throw the wing nuts away and replace them with actual nuts that you can use a wrench on. If that doesn't fix the problem, check the large wire harness connector in the engine for corrosion. Disconnect it, inspect, clean and burnish the contacts as best you can. Make sure the throttle/shift control is working properly. If the starter is still intermittent, jiggle the lever. If that fixes the issue, the neutral start switch may need replacement.