1. Use the full 4 digit year for everything you are asking your question about. Example: 1962, 1988, 2000, 2011
2. Include the correct name of your Whaler model. Example: Montauk 17, Montauk 170, Outrage 26, Outrage 260
3. Include the length when necessary. Example: 16, 17, 18, 20, 22
4. Do not post your email address anywhere on this site as it is already in your user profile.

new to me Johnson outboard with no spark
rfuerst911sc	#1  Posted on 03/13/13 - 4:32 PM
Member Posts: 178 Comments: 0 Joined: 09/25/11	I have a new to me 1987 Johnson 30 hp outboard that came on my project 13. This past weekend was the first attempt to turn her over and check for spark. Battery is fully charged and spins the motor very well. I checked the throttle control and no place for a safety lanyard. Pulled the two plugs, grounded them to the block and had the wife turn the key. Motor spins fine but no spark. I have never had this motor running but previous owner did say it ran. So where to start ? I have a Seloc repair manual and will study it this weekend but just wondering if there are specific areas that are prone to failure that you have experienced ? Thanks
whalerman	#2  Posted on 03/13/13 - 5:38 PM
Member Posts: 540 Comments: 5 Joined: 06/26/07	Was the engine in neutral? there is a switch to prevent starting in gear usually located near where the cables hook up to the engine.Are you sure that it doesn't have a safety switch for the opperator? THOM : 1999 Outrage 18, 2012 E-TEC 150, 2012 EZ Loader trailer
tom blinstrub	#3  Posted on 03/14/13 - 5:40 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 369 Comments: 0 Joined: 12/14/09	Check both the engine and controls for the safety lanyard.Could be at the end of the tiller if it has one. I have had a safety lanyard switch fail and what I did was take the two wires off the switch ( inside the engine cover) and connect them together. Now it would run but I had to choke it to kill the engine. Your engine has electric start so Im not sure if connecting the two wires would work but might rule out the safety lanyard switch.
rfuerst911sc	#4  Posted on 03/14/13 - 7:56 AM
Member Posts: 178 Comments: 0 Joined: 09/25/11	Engine was in neutral I spun the prop shaft with my hand. I looked all over the throttle control ( OMC ) and did not see anywhere a lanyard would go. I also looked on the engine ( no tiller ) and under the hood and still saw no place for a lanyard. Having said that the previous owner did include in a ziploc bag of keys two black plastic pins. Each pin has a hole in it that would indicate it went on a key ring or lanyard. The end that I assume gets inserted somewhere is aprox. 1/4 " in diameter and maybe 3/4 " long. It also has a slight ridge after the tip. So this is a mystery. Edited by rfuerst911sc on 03/14/13 - 7:57 AM
Tom W Clark	#5  Posted on 03/14/13 - 8:01 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	The little plastic clips are for the kill switch. If one is not in place on the kill switch, there will be no spark and not start. Reexamine the control once more. If you bought the motor loose, there may have been a separate kill switch on its former boat that was cut to free the rigging harness. In that case there should be two free leads somewhere.
Tom W Clark	#6  Posted on 03/14/13 - 8:07 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	What type of OMC control do you have? If it is the side-mount, the kill switch is on the side of the control, plainly visible. http://www.boats.net/parts/search/BRP...parts.html
whalerman	#7  Posted on 03/14/13 - 2:38 PM
Member Posts: 540 Comments: 5 Joined: 06/26/07	In the diagram that Tom posted,figures 71,72 & 52 are the swith and where it would be located on the controller. THOM : 1999 Outrage 18, 2012 E-TEC 150, 2012 EZ Loader trailer
rfuerst911sc	#8  Posted on 03/14/13 - 4:18 PM
Member Posts: 178 Comments: 0 Joined: 09/25/11	A picture is worth a 1000 words ! Yes per the link Tom posted my shift console looks exactly like the one in the pic and yes I do have items 71 , 72 + 52. I now know what the problem is, the black plastic keys I have are NOT for that switch I have no idea what they are/were for. I do NOT have the proper safety key ( if that's the correct term ) to slide over this switch and hold the switch pin in. Tomorrow I will have my wife hold that switch in while turning the key and see if I have spark, I have a feeling the answer will be yes. I really appreciate the effort you guys put forth to help me with this. Thank you
whalerman	#9  Posted on 03/14/13 - 4:53 PM
Member Posts: 540 Comments: 5 Joined: 06/26/07	Great to hear that you found the switch. Wall-Mart used to sell an assortment of safety clips in their boating supply dept. so,try there for the clips. Good luck with your project!! THOM : 1999 Outrage 18, 2012 E-TEC 150, 2012 EZ Loader trailer
rfuerst911sc	#10  Posted on 03/14/13 - 5:11 PM
Member Posts: 178 Comments: 0 Joined: 09/25/11	If you look at the link Tom posted item # 70 is a " cap and lanyard ". Hard to tell from the pic but it appears the cap is much different than what I have had on previous boats. Previous boats have had a fork type piece that slid over the stem of the switch. What I need from the pic is a cap that pushes on from the front to press the switch in do I have that right ?
scoslv20	#11  Posted on 03/14/13 - 7:20 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 29 Comments: 0 Joined: 12/05/10	I think you will find that you need to pull out on the switch in order to break the ignition ground. The switch is spring loaded so if you are thrown away from the helm the lanyard that is supposed to be attached to you will pull the clip off holding that protruding pin and it will kill the engine. Hope this helps.
Tom W Clark	#12  Posted on 03/14/13 - 7:31 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	The clips you have are the kill switch lanyard clips used on tiller steered OMC motors. I have a 1987 Johnson 9.9 that uses them. I suspect they were included with every OMC motor and owner's manual.
Tom W Clark	#13  Posted on 03/14/13 - 7:33 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	This is the clip you have (minus the lanyard): http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SIERRA-18...0990817463
rfuerst911sc	#14  Posted on 03/15/13 - 2:00 PM
Member Posts: 178 Comments: 0 Joined: 09/25/11	Tom W Clark wrote: This is the clip you have (minus the lanyard): http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-SIERRA-18...0990817463 Tom the clip in the Ebay link does it snap straight on to the switch ? Or does it slip sideways onto the switch ? If it slips on sideways wouldn't it need a tab to hold in/down the switch ?
Tom W Clark	#15  Posted on 03/16/13 - 8:01 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	That is correct. It is not what you need.
Tom W Clark	#16  Posted on 03/16/13 - 8:20 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	What you need has got to be one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/EVINRUDE-JOHN...1006804646
rfuerst911sc	#17  Posted on 03/16/13 - 4:35 PM
Member Posts: 178 Comments: 0 Joined: 09/25/11	Went to a local old fashioned boat yard today and they had in stock the proper OMC lanyard/safety clip. Went home and snapped it in place and guess what...........a good solid spark ! She would start/run for 2-3 seconds then die. She hasn't run in 5-6 years so my guess is carb rebuild and possibly fuel pump. But she does fire so expensive ignition items seem to be OK. Getting closer.
Tom W Clark	#18  Posted on 03/17/13 - 4:42 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 4280 Comments: 7 Joined: 09/30/05	If squeezing the primer bulb keeps the motor running then yes, the fuel pump is suspect. If squeezing he primer bulb does not make a difference in how long it runs, then it is probably not the problem.