Help with ignition power issue!!

[meanjean]

Got to the ramp to fish and went to stark the boat, the key was dead.  All the accessories worked, lights etc but nothing to the key.  When you turn the key on you normally get a beep from the alarm....nothing.  Normally with the key on the hour meter is clicking, the fuel gauge is working; the trim gauge is working but now...nothing.  I check the fuse on the motor providing power to the red/blue wire, its good.  On the key switch terminal (red/blue) I have 12 volts to the wire but here is the odd part, when I turn the key to the on position the voltage goes away?  No power to anywhere on the switch terminals??

I did find the main ground wire coming off the batter to the distribution panel to be bad, fixed the corroded connection.  Still nothing?

This is really pissing me off.  What now?  Don’t want to take the boat in to the shop if I can help it.
Thanks
Chad

This page has the wiring diagram I was using as a reference.

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/ignitionSwitch.html

[meanjean]

Forgot:

210 Sportsman

200 Johnson

1996 model.

[231CALIFORNIA]

Sorry if this is basic, you didnt mention it  by name ,so Did you check safety lanyard switch? also swithes go bad, try bypass test . withoutyet looking at your  schematic it is a bit harder to diagnose but my  |:(bet is it will be simple

[231CALIFORNIA]

if your system matches that setup in your link , just  keep testing for 12v power at each point and switch position indicated. also there is a neutral switch, check that it is in position, it isnt likely to kill all power , only start circuit.

[meanjean]

I did fail to mention that, I replaced the ignition switch with a new one, that didnt fix the problem.  If there was a short in the Neutral Safety Switch (NSS) how would I test proper operation?  Its basically an arm that is up when in N and down when in gear.  Its a sealed unit.
How can I test it?  Remove it and jump the 2 wires on the back of the ignition switch?

I talked with a local outboard shop and they said its not common for a 12v source to show 12v on a meter only to drop to 0 when a load is applied.  If that happens then he suggested a bad + or - wire in the harness.  The key switch get its ground and power from the motor.  

Seems there may be a wire corroded someplace?  Giving 12v but not strong enough to carry a load?
 
See it here

http://www.crowleymarine.com/parts/25558.cfm

[231CALIFORNIA]

According to your diagram
the neutral safety interupts the starter circuit +12vpower from key S terminal.
this will only enable the starter when in neutral range, and open it in other shift positions.
it is an "open to prevent" switch.
if it stuck closed ,it would allow start in gear. not common
if it were stuck open you would not get start in any position but your key should provide 12v + to the accessories via the  A terminal
if you jump it , it is out of the circuit and will have no effect on start.
if your battery has a week cel it may show 12-14 volts until you hit start, then it wont be able to do the job , but you would still l get a solenoid click and your other accessories may drop out. if it were only a week battery a jumper would fire it up. check all major grounds to see if theyare clean an tight,
get a multi meter and a friend and start probing voltages ,
clean any coroded electrical connectors  etc.
this one shoulnt be too hard.
check that main fuse and any circuit breakers or other fuses again.

[meanjean]

Pulled the fuze and its good.  Checked the NSS, it has good continuity and seems to work.  Next step is to check the wires on the starter solenoid and find a bad connection. 
I have narrowed it down to two things,
bad power wire feeding the ignition switch or
bad switch ground.

Hope to figure it out this weekend and will let you know.

[meanjean]

Found it!!!!
Inside the motor compartment, where the factory wire bundle meets the motor harness.  There is a red plug with several wires going into it.  The plug is held together with a metal wire/clip.  Just after that where the wires are electrical taped up the red/prp wire had a nick in it that was 98% corroded.  Maybe 2 strans of wire were left, hence the 12v but cant carry a load.  Bad part is the cut was around 1.5 to 2 inches after the plug and by the time I cut the corroded wire off there was not enough wire to left.  So I had to bypass the plug with 3 wires (2 others had nicks and were iffy?)
Some day I will see if I can find a replacement plug and run all the wires through it.
Thanks for your help.
Chad

[231CALIFORNIA]

Thanks for the courtesy of the updates.
Much apprecited , many of us like to read problem found problem solved threads , rather than my boat wont start help me and never hear from them again.

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