Choke switch or solenoid?

**skeetbum** · 02-05-2017, 05:11 PM

For the first time I can remember, my motor wouldn't crank. Raised idle, pushed key, no change. So when I got to the ramp after just fishing around, I pushed the key, after turning the switch on, and no click. Walked away for a while and came back later with starting fluid, gave it a shot, wife turned the key and she came to life. So my question is how best to diagnose which is the sour part. I don't mind putting an independent switch in for the choke but don't want to go through that to find out the switch wasn't the problem. I guess I just want to do this once so I'm asking family first. Help me out folks, and thanks in advance.....Skeet

**Cray** · 02-05-2017, 06:47 PM

Should be a single wire hooked to the solenoid. It should be connected with a bullet connector. Disconnect that wire and using a test light hook the clamp to negative side of cranking battery. Using prob on test light connect it to wire coming from switch. Have wife turn on key and push it in. Should lite test light, if not problem is between there and switch. To test solenoid you will need a jumper from hot post to wire going into solenoid.

**Fishfryed** · 02-06-2017, 01:27 PM

Make, model, horse power, 4 or 2 stroke ?

**skeetbum** · 02-06-2017, 07:17 PM

1988 Mariner 150 2 stroke, 2.2 block. Cray's comments are what I was looking for to start with, now I just need some time to fool with it when I don't have other stuff on my mind. All input is welcome, and Thanks Charlie.

**Cray** · 02-06-2017, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by skeetbum

1988 Mariner 150 2 stroke, 2.2 block. Cray's comments are what I was looking for to start with, now I just need some time to fool with it when I don't have other stuff on my mind. All input is welcome, and Thanks Charlie.

If you get into it and have questions you got my number.

**skeetbum** · 03-06-2017, 09:17 PM

Couldn't be in two places at once, at the motor and at he switch. Neighbor came down last weekend and we chased around the problem. He's a smart guy and plays with cars so it didn't take much 'splainin before he was all over it. Long story real short, it was clicking faintly but not enough to do the job. Took a tiny plastic hammer and tapped while I held the switch and she went right back to business. Cranked like it always had before, and fished out of it this Sunday past. Still gonna buy the part cuz if it did it once...... Thanks for the help folks. Y'all are the best.

**Bassing_53** · 03-07-2017, 07:39 AM

Stay away from that starting fluid or she wont crank anymore. Very destructive on a 2 stroke

**Archerguy1** · 03-07-2017, 09:36 AM

May want to start running seafoam in the gas, I have seen a few solenoids gummed up and quit working

**skeetbum** · 03-07-2017, 08:10 PM

Archer, I run a can at least twice a year. I have to tell a story about the stuff, now that you mentioned it. 3 years or so back I had a piece of an intake gasket let go and release all the coolant into the crankcase. 153,000 miles on a 4.3 that ran really good. Come to find out it's a common fault with that particular gasket and motor. Nephew is a real good mechanic and came up to replace the gasket and some other parts along the way. When he lifted the intake off and turned it upside down he turned around and said "you have to tell me what you do to keep these injectors this clean." Coming from the mouth of a guy who deals with this stuff a lot, I took it as quite a compliment. My answer was that I use mostly Shell gas and a can of Seafoam 2 or 3 times a year. He does the same now and has become a believer of seafoam. It might be time for a couple of cans through the boat, thanks for the reminder.

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