Yamaha Problem

[Dave in Walker]

Problem with a 2003 Yamaha 50HP motor, this is on my small spare boat I am useing while waiting for my new boat. suddenly no warning it would not start, no noise period, no clicking,.trim works, battery a year old and fully charged, checked the fuses on the motor, fine, 12.23 volts going to the solenoid. Limited on my mechanical skills, any ideas? tapped the starter and solenoid with a hammer, no go.

[Pooch]

Even though you may have voltage at the solenoid, there could be a bad connection on the battery when you try to pull more amperage through it. First stop for me is always a battery connection. Even tight they can be a poor connection if old or weathered.

Pooch

[2lbperch]

Hey Dave, check your neutral switch. It is the switch that only lets the motor start in nuetral.I had same problem twice with my Yamaha. There should be a wire on each side of the switch you can pull off and then connect together( they will have male and female connectors on them.) Only issue is that now the motor will start in forward and or reverse. Hope it works for you.

[Dave in Walker]

Well update. after 2lb perch's cpmment, i went out and shifted the motor in and out of gear a half dozen times quite rapidly, motor started! So this must mean it is the switch? now where is it? either replace it or gamble and see what happens?

[REW]

Dave,
You might get some lubrication into the area where the shift lever goes and activates the switch.
Quite possibly it has gotten a bit dry and perhaps bound up a bit.

Seems like a lot of things when they get older - get bound up quite a bit.

[2lbperch]

Dave, remove the cowling of the motor. looking from the rear of the boat my switch is on the right side .I have a brown wire going in and a brown wire coming out.(my Yamaha is a 2003 90 hp tiller)
pull the 2 wires off and connect together bypassing the switch. This will tell you if the switch is bad.
Be careful because now the motor will start in any gear. it will remind you of the old days of pulling the rope and not realizing you were in forward. 2lb perch

[Pooch]

Originally Posted by 2lbperch

Dave, remove the cowling of the motor. looking from the rear of the boat my switch is on the right side .I have a brown wire going in and a brown wire coming out.(my Yamaha is a 2003 90 hp tiller)
pull the 2 wires off and connect together bypassing the switch. This will tell you if the switch is bad.
Be careful because now the motor will start in any gear. it will remind you of the old days of pulling the rope and not realizing you were in forward. 2lb perch

Good information to know. I've never had a neutral start switch fail. (70 hp Yamaha tiller)

Thanks,
Pooch