195 HO Won't Start

[jtvberg]

Hello everyone. While I have found the info on this forum really useful this is my first post.
I'll get to it:
First outing this year. Took it to the lake put it in and she ran like a champ all day. Next day it rained all-day so no outing. Day after, wouldn't turn over.
Yes, dead man was in place, battery turned on and it was in neutral.
After checking all the fuses and breakers I went ahead and bypassed the solenoid and she turned over no problem but would not run.
I found ScarabMike's very useful thread about the 30 amp relays and replaced those as well. Still no love.

Looking at the service manual I am not left with a lot of options but options none the less.
Any advice on how to trouble shoot further would be MUCH appreciated. Thank you!

 

[tdonoughue]

If bypassing the solenoid worked to turn the starter, maybe your key switch is bad? The fact it didn't run makes it sound like the engine is still off...

 

[jtvberg]

Hmmm... If everything else comes on when I turn the key on would that still be true (short of cranking it?)
I was thinking of testing the neutral safety and the dead man's but I am not entirely sure how to do that.
Thank you for the response!

 

[tdonoughue]

Yes, could be those as well. You can pull those and short them out (or disconnect them, depending on whether they are normally open or closed). And ohm out the switch while you have it out and see if activating it works. Same tactic with the key, actually...

Key on may be activating the accessories, but not the engine. Rare, but it could happen. Safety and deadman would seem more likely.

Didn't load or unload anything near wires or install anything where you might have pulled a connector off of something, did you?

 

[Gym]

Hello everyone. While I have found the info on this forum really useful this is my first post.
I'll get to it:
First outing this year. Took it to the lake put it in and she ran like a champ all day. Next day it rained all-day so no outing. Day after, wouldn't turn over.
Yes, dead man was in place, battery turned on and it was in neutral.
After checking all the fuses and breakers I went ahead and bypassed the solenoid and she turned over no problem but would not run.
I found ScarabMike's very useful thread about the 30 amp relays and replaced those as well. Still no love.

Looking at the service manual I am not left with a lot of options but options none the less.
Any advice on how to trouble shoot further would be MUCH appreciated. Thank you!

Do you at least hear any clicking when you attempt a start? I don't have your make model but in general I would try this...
1) Hold the key in the start position while moving your throttle or shifter slowly back and forth through the neutral position as it's possible the neutral switch is slightly out of position.
2) The ignition switch has two positions. All the way to right is start, spring loaded to the run position. If it doesn't start any accessories connected to it may still work in the run position as in your car.
3) This happened to me. Whereas you had a day of rain you may have got moisture in a connector. My engine would start but when I released the key it would stop. I found a connector, in a bundle back by the engine filled with water.

 

[jtvberg]

Do you at least hear any clicking when you attempt a start? I don't have your make model but in general I would try this...
1) Hold the key in the start position while moving your throttle or shifter slowly back and forth through the neutral position as it's possible the neutral switch is slightly out of position.
2) The ignition switch has two positions. All the way to right is start, spring loaded to the run position. If it doesn't start any accessories connected to it may still work in the run position as in your car.
3) This happened to me. Whereas you had a day of rain you may have got moisture in a connector. My engine would start but when I released the key it would stop. I found a connector, in a bundle back by the engine filled with water.

1. I did try that.
2/3. I have the opposite problem (maybe if I am understanding what you are saying) turning my key to run turns on everything. Turning over to start just gets me a bit of a hum and a click. I can bypass the solenoid to get it to turn over but it won't actually run. As if a safety is engaged. Point taken about moisture though. I did give a look but I will look harder.

tdonoughue: I don't think so. I don't have anything in the compartments where we the wiring is.

Thanks for the input gents!

 

[jtvberg]

Figured it.
After determining that half my fuse box was not getting power I decided it must be a safety so I tore the throttle assembly and shroud off to find that neither wire was connected to my deadman's switch. Somehow, in the gentle rocking of the empty lake both wires worked themselves loose. Can't imagine that at all but there is the cautionary tale.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[tdonoughue]

Happy to have pointed you in... um... the entirely wrong direction.

Excellent that you figured it out.