weird control box issue, anyone experienced this?

1994 johnson 50/35 jet. (J50JERE) 2003 tracker grizzly boat. Its set up as a stick steer, with aluminum brackets connected directly to the hull to serve as a control box/steering mounts.



I've noticed that ever since I've used this set up, the control box seemingly likes to ground itself off through the hull and not crank the motor. The buzzer will beep when the key is turned, but nothing happens to the solenoid. I've verified power going to the start wire connection of the solenoid. I can remove the control box from the mount, and it'll crank 100% of the time. I've used rubber washers and electrical tape over the bolts where they pass through the bracket as a short term solution. I've noticed the warning buzzer has a different tone than when its touching the bare metal.

Is this a common (or even possible) occurrence on an outboard mounted to an all aluminum boat? It makes sense the hull being grounded, since the motor is grounded to the block and bolted directly to the boat. Are there any more viable solutions to this?

Try and find a tracker or any brand OEM SS boat and look at how the factory mounts the control box straight from the factory. Might look and make sure you don't have a chaffed wire or loose wire somewhere as well since it does this when mounted in place.

TNtroller said:

Try and find a tracker or any brand OEM SS boat and look at how the factory mounts the control box straight from the factory. Might look and make sure you don't have a chaffed wire or loose wire somewhere as well since it does this when mounted in place.

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Good call on the chaffed or loose wire - I think the control box is only the symptom not the problem

Does your buzzer just beep when the key is on, or is it continuous? Mine doesn't do anything when the key is on, not sure its suppose to either. I've tested it by grounding out the bullet connector at the temperature switch and it works as it's suppose to. My oil injection is disabled so no horn from that.

The procedure for testing the warning horn is to turn the key to the ON position and then ground out the bullet connector at the temperature switch to activate the horn. If the horn is already activated with the key in the ON position I would think something is up with the warning horn or temperature switch.

just one beep when the key is turned to "run".

JoshKeller said:

just one beep when the key is turned to "run".

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Ah, OK. Mine is a NOS OMC control box. Doesn't beep or anything when the key is turned on. What control box do you have?

Same - greyish blue model. I get the single beep when the key is turned to the run position. Testing the buzzer, the buzzer is functioning properly.

Mine must be a different model. It's the large, off-white one.

Are you sure it's not the neutral safety switch inside the box that won't let it crank over the engine? I made an adjustment to my OMC box and forgot in the spring last year and it wouldn't crank the engine. I finally opened the box and realized I was trying to start it in forward which the neutral safety wouldn't allow it to crank.

JL8Jeff said:

Are you sure it's not the neutral safety switch inside the box that won't let it crank over the engine? I made an adjustment to my OMC box and forgot in the spring last year and it wouldn't crank the engine. I finally opened the box and realized I was trying to start it in forward which the neutral safety wouldn't allow it to crank.

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NSS is disabled, i like being able to start my motor with it pushing water forward in case of an impending rock strike. Its definitely grounding out somehow. all wire look good. may just leave it as is with the rubber washers, drill out the holes through the aluminum, and shrink tube the bolts.

My OMC control box was bolted to the side of the aluminum center console and it did not have that issue but now I have a Mercury so I can't compare at this point. It sounds like something is grounding out to prevent cranking. Maybe try a piece of cardboard between the box and the mount and see if it goes away, then it tells you the whole box it grounding. How did you bypass the NSS? Are the wires connected together and wrapped in tape? If you connected them together inside the box with one of the mounting screws it might be grounding.

If I had to venture anything I would say corrosion causing voltage leaking 'somewhere'. It's not a short, they cause smoke. You have a partial open in one of your circuits so the current is flowing through the hull instead of through the wiring like it should.

You really need a good volt meter and to understand electricity to troubleshoot these fun problems. Do you have a decent wiring diagram? Trace the circuits and check the voltage on them with the box grounded and floating to see what's different. You should be able to remove the starter wiring so the engine is't trying to start while you are troubleshooting the solenoid etc.

My only concern with isolating the controls from the hull is you are not fixing anything, merely putting a band-aid on an infection. Naturally the puss won't come out until you hit a rock and bad things happen fast.