Geoff Cooper
Jetboaters Admiral
- Messages
- 1,124
- Reaction score
- 1,256
- Points
- 262
- Location
- Thailand
- Boat Make
- Yamaha
- Year
- 2006
- Boat Model
- AR
- Boat Length
- 23
A few months ago i noticed a couple of faults appear on my Port side ignition switch they consisted of when you turn the ignition on then you turn the key to engage the starter you only had to turn it slightly to engage the starter if you turned it all the way the starter wouldn't engage so it was not making a proper contact, The second fault was that when you turned the engine to the off position on many occasions it kept running and you had to flick it back to the position to start the engine and then it stops. ( Hope your keeping up with this )
Ok I check Ebay quite regular and i noticed an advert for an ignition switch it was for a Yamaha outboard but hey so long as it's an electric start we should be in business, I ordered one, Thought i would give it a try and if we could sort it then good news, If not well there's loads of Yamaha outboards over here so should get rid of it easy, Well it soon arrived and after a couple of days i hadn't got much to do so i took a look at it, I removed my old switch and sat down with a test meter to check out the difference, To look at they were Physically identical but the wires weren't the same ok lets get this sorted and see if we can get the job done, After checking my old switch which remember was faulty so readings were sketchy i managed to do the conversion, For those who fancy a go here's how you do it.
Ok here's my original switch i took out of the boat i just rested in a small vice as you could do with 2 pairs of hands, I metered as much as i could and found the 2 faults so it confirmed there were problems.
I cut the cables on the old switch leaving some cable on the switch for reference.
There was more wires on the new switch as outboards have push key choke etc but it's not rocket science, So after a few minutes and having universal joints in my fingers due to working alone i located the wires that we didn't need.
Here is the back of the new switch you can see i have moved to the top the cables that you don't really need,You can use the yellow if you want to that goes to first click ignition live, Blue and spare red and earth is for outboard motor push choke.
1 x Black ( Single bullet connector )
1 x Blue ( Single Bullet connector )
1 x Yellow ( Twin Bullet connector )
1 x Red ( Single bullet connector )
Ok now here's where we adapt and overcome as my old boss used to tell me in the 70s, I'm going to call it switch end and plug end
Switch End Plug End
White wire, There is no white wire going through the tube cut a length and join to the white wire at the switch and plug end
Red wire goes through the tube to plug end so connect to red wire at plug end
Connect brown wire to green wire switch end and green goes through tube and connect to brown wire plug end
Black wire with double bullet goes through tube and connects to black at plug end
Yellow with double bullet switch connect to yellow with red stripe plug end this is ignition first click live don't really need it but connect anyway
Hope your keeping up.
Ok were now back at the boat, I'm checking that the new switch matches the wiring and the cut out safety switch is connected to the ignition as when you turn the ignition off it send the circuit to earth cutting the engine this is the white wire basically it does the same job at the ignition as it goes through the safety switch
Ok all going well so far.
Ok you can see a better view of the wires here, I'm just checking all is working correctly we don't want any problems, Ok engine starts and stops ok no problem and when the switch is turned off the white runs the circuit to earth so all is well now to remove it again and tidy up the wiring, Check the key it's splash proof better than the original.
Ok tidy all the cables up and solder the joints and use heatshrink You can change the cables to the correct colour but each end of the tube is the correct colour anyway so that's the main thing, I use some cable protector just to be sure and it always looks better.
Ok all finished and ready to go saved about $60 just for an hours work so worth it as the original switch are made in China, It will probably work on later boats as i wouldn't think they have changed much.
This is the advert if anyone 's interested, I've just ordered another one for a spare as you never know and it's bound to break just when you don't want it to, Any questions or anything you don't understand give me a shout and I'll do my best to help you, Good luck
Ok I check Ebay quite regular and i noticed an advert for an ignition switch it was for a Yamaha outboard but hey so long as it's an electric start we should be in business, I ordered one, Thought i would give it a try and if we could sort it then good news, If not well there's loads of Yamaha outboards over here so should get rid of it easy, Well it soon arrived and after a couple of days i hadn't got much to do so i took a look at it, I removed my old switch and sat down with a test meter to check out the difference, To look at they were Physically identical but the wires weren't the same ok lets get this sorted and see if we can get the job done, After checking my old switch which remember was faulty so readings were sketchy i managed to do the conversion, For those who fancy a go here's how you do it.
Ok here's my original switch i took out of the boat i just rested in a small vice as you could do with 2 pairs of hands, I metered as much as i could and found the 2 faults so it confirmed there were problems.
I cut the cables on the old switch leaving some cable on the switch for reference.
There was more wires on the new switch as outboards have push key choke etc but it's not rocket science, So after a few minutes and having universal joints in my fingers due to working alone i located the wires that we didn't need.
Here is the back of the new switch you can see i have moved to the top the cables that you don't really need,You can use the yellow if you want to that goes to first click ignition live, Blue and spare red and earth is for outboard motor push choke.
1 x Black ( Single bullet connector )
1 x Blue ( Single Bullet connector )
1 x Yellow ( Twin Bullet connector )
1 x Red ( Single bullet connector )
Ok now here's where we adapt and overcome as my old boss used to tell me in the 70s, I'm going to call it switch end and plug end
Switch End Plug End
White wire, There is no white wire going through the tube cut a length and join to the white wire at the switch and plug end
Red wire goes through the tube to plug end so connect to red wire at plug end
Connect brown wire to green wire switch end and green goes through tube and connect to brown wire plug end
Black wire with double bullet goes through tube and connects to black at plug end
Yellow with double bullet switch connect to yellow with red stripe plug end this is ignition first click live don't really need it but connect anyway
Hope your keeping up.
Ok were now back at the boat, I'm checking that the new switch matches the wiring and the cut out safety switch is connected to the ignition as when you turn the ignition off it send the circuit to earth cutting the engine this is the white wire basically it does the same job at the ignition as it goes through the safety switch
Ok all going well so far.
Ok you can see a better view of the wires here, I'm just checking all is working correctly we don't want any problems, Ok engine starts and stops ok no problem and when the switch is turned off the white runs the circuit to earth so all is well now to remove it again and tidy up the wiring, Check the key it's splash proof better than the original.
Ok tidy all the cables up and solder the joints and use heatshrink You can change the cables to the correct colour but each end of the tube is the correct colour anyway so that's the main thing, I use some cable protector just to be sure and it always looks better.
Ok all finished and ready to go saved about $60 just for an hours work so worth it as the original switch are made in China, It will probably work on later boats as i wouldn't think they have changed much.
This is the advert if anyone 's interested, I've just ordered another one for a spare as you never know and it's bound to break just when you don't want it to, Any questions or anything you don't understand give me a shout and I'll do my best to help you, Good luck
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