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Hi everyone. I'm new here but have been boating for a number of years. I have a recent problem that I am hoping someone can help with. On my last trip, I noticed that the ignition switch would not work (as if it was getting no power). After letting it sit for several minutes it worked fine and we headed in not wanting to get stuck on the water. After getting home, I charged the batteries and next day checked the switch and T&T. Both worked perfect. That was a week ago. This past Saturday, getting ready for a Sunday trip with my son (home from college), I top off the battery charge, check the T&T and ignition and...NOTHING. I am getting power to the engine connections and all other electronics but NOT to the ignition/starter. I have triple checked the battery connections, wires etc. for tightness and corrosion and found nothing wrong. The only thing I can figure is the switch itself but, why won't the T&T work as well? The setup is a one and half year old Yammie controls and a 60hp motor. There is nothing wrong with the motor as it runs perfect, just no power to the ignition. Thanks for any help and sorry if this longwinded. Mikie
I swapped the kill switch with another. Same thing. The motor is a 2000 60hp and the harness is a 2005 ten pin connection. I am usually pretty good at finding the problems and correcting them but this has me really stumped.
Does the tilt and trim have a switch on the side of the motor as well?If so, Does that switch work??
It really does sound like a loose connection, or bad ground. Does the engine alarm chirp when you turn the key??
I suppose you can check the pin connecters in the harness to see if it is bad , by checking to make sure that current is traveling back and forth through all the wires/pins
Im not a Yammie expert, but someone will come along here with the answer.......
There is no T&T switch on the motor and no chirp when the key is turned. I get nothing. I am going to do a load test on the battery today, weather permitting to see if the amps are up to par. Otherwise, I start from scratch again.
Are you getting power to the ignition switch. They do go bad from time to time and can start to act up like yours is doing. I would just go buy a new one for about $25.00 and see if that works. If you still have the problem you now have an extra ignition switch. You may wat to try turning the ignition and moving yout throttle foward and backward a little. My kill switch is a little off and I have to tap the throttle foward just a tad so the engin will start.
Well, I don't really have any advice other than to keep chasing it (the problem), cause eventually you'll find it. I had an electrical problem that cost me a bunch of money tossing parts and repairs at it, before i actually stayed on the boat all day one day and figured it out. Turns out I had a bad connection (in a VERY hard spot to see) in my ignition wire. It caused the problems (cutting off and having NO fire) to be intermittenting, which was driving me completely insane!!!. I figured out it was that wire by bypassing each circuit one at a time until she fired off. When I pulled the old wire out I found the bad spot.... But that was after I replaced the coil, ignition switch, fuel filter, carburetor, fuel pump, fuel lines, wire harness main plug (a hail of a job), coil wire... and cussed the living daylights out of everything and everyone for weeks
I had a problem with my system a few weeks ago and traced it to a inline fuse on the motor to the ignition switch. My fuse was bad so it was a simple fix. You may have the same type of fuse with a bad connection???
get some long leads, an ohm meter, a few cold beers, and spend hopefully not. The whole day ohming each ckt. till the bad shows up. U kinna know its like above, some isolated corner only a midget can get at. Sorry
My 27' Whaler did the same thing. First the T&T became intermittant, then everything else. I bought new ignition switches for it. When I went to install them, I found that all of the screws on the terminals of the old switches were loose. They used to provide lock washers on these, but no more. I would check the terminals on the back of your switch first. Then look for the main 12 feed to the switch, paying careful attention to any type of in-line fuse holder, fuse block, or breaker.
You could simply by-pass the ignition switch and determine if it is bad - or disconnect the power leads and do a continuity check with it in the off and run positions.
OK, I am illiterate when it comes to ohms/continuity. What kind of reading should I get when the switch is in the following positions:
1) off and connected to the battery
2) on and connected to the battery
3) off and dis-connected
4) on and dis-connected
Thanks for the help guys. The ideas are definitely usefuland educational.
Check the kill switch(make sure the fitting is in the switch securely) for sure....also check ignition as well. If still an issue, you'll want to check the starter("solenoid") and give it a tap to loosen the coils.
__________________ Hubs Tub
Scout 162 w/90 Yammie
Johns Island, SC USA
From memory there could be an inline fuse in the wiring back near the motor (as someone mentioned above). It is probably in a red plastic in-line cover. I would look for this and make sure it is clean.
The fact that there is no chirp at the panel when you turn the key, would seem to indicate to me that you arent getting power to the switch box............
Hi Severm,
Electrics aren't too hard to sort out if you follow some basics - and I take it from your last post asking about continuity that your experience may be limited - so while the advice I'm going to give may be a little long winded - it will get you there without too much cussing. (Hopefully)
First get a copy of the circuit diagram and spend plenty of time looking over this such that you can identify each item and connection.
Next - I'd suggest you go to an electronics shop (I think you guys have Radio Shack) and get a simple audio continuity tester that when the two probes are connected together - it emits a sound. Talk with the sales guy about what your after. The second piece of test equipment you want is a 12volt bulb (say 5watts) with 2 wires connected such that when you connect this accross you boat battery is glows . ( you can make this yourself with a soldering iron)
I don't have yamaha circuit in front of me - but if you get really stuck I will find one to help you.
Using your circuit diagram - think of the lines as roads - start from your battery and follow this to the ign key.
Now look at you boat - and identify the loom that carries the wires. With fault finding - you always try breaking the circuit in half. Find somewhere to break into the circuit ( disconnect a plug) and test with the light bulb back towards the battery.
When you get to somewhere like the IGN Sw - you need to spend time and understand what contacts are being connected when you turn the key.
Also pointed out by another contributor - inline fuses can give poor connections - thats why I've suggested the light bulb.
If your testing a section of wire that is not connected to power - use the audio continuity tester.
Trick - as you check a section of the circuit and are absolutly 100% sure it's ok - then colour this on your wiring diagram with a marker pen. Means you can go away and come back latter - and remember what you have tested.
Also - if you get a wrong indication - ie the light blub doesn't go when you think it should - first check the bulb goes then go back one step (the previous connection closer to the battery) to confirm you have power.
Hope this helps some.
Great ideas. Keep them coming. Couldn't get to it yesterday since I was babysitting my beautiful granddaughter of 8months. Some things take priority and she always comes first. Doesn't have me wrapped around her finger at all. Looks like the Labor Day weekend is going to be busy. I have checked the fuses at the console and the motor and all looks fine but... I'll check again to make sure. I think it is a loose connection somewhere or in one of the switches. The starter looks good but will check that also. Hopefully not too much cussing. The beer thing is definitely OK though. Whatever I find, I will definitely get back to you all and maybe we can file this away for the future. Thanks again for all the help. Mikie
Really strange electrical 
