Troubleshooting keyed switch

'98 Javelin 389dc
'94 Evinrude 150 E150GLERA

Symptoms:
I've lost power from the keyed switch. No click to the starter. No engagement of the primer solinoid. My fuel gauge is wired such that it only gets power when the key is in the ON position, I'm no longer getting power to it. My switch panel is still getting power. All pumps, lights, accessories are working. All trim buttons still work. So I'm led to believe it's isolated to the keyed switch.

Thus far I've reset all breakers. Replaced keyed switch. Visually checked and ohm'd the fuse on the port side of motor. Verified batteries good. Getting good voltage at the starter.

I haven't found any inline fuses to the switch as yet. I plan to pull the under console panel out tomorrow to better access the wire loom looking for wire breaks or hidden fuses. Barring finding anything there, i'm kind of at a loss of what to look at next.

Also, recent history though may not apply. Starter solinoid was replaced a few months back to correct starter not disengaging after motor was running

Is your neutral position switch working properly? That kills power to the switch..

Best way to test that? I've rocked the shifter. I've engaged the neutral button that allows throttle out of gear. That's all I've tried there.

try taking a heavy pc of wire about 12" long, strip ends about 1/4" and use to jump across the 2 poles on the starter. have the muffs on and key on, if it starts and runs the n safety is working, if not switch probably bad.

watch for the sparks.

10 or 12 ga. works, hold with pliers as it may get hot, do not hold it on there more than about 3-5 seconds

Nuetral switch as Hop and Coolarrow said or Lanyard kill switch obvious choices.

I have had both so thats how i know lol.🤪 and on a ‘95 Johnson 150 but it was a binnacle control

normally a n safety switch, lanyard is a hold open ground, when pulled it makes a short to ground and kills the engine and n safety is a normally closed ground, exact opposite of the lanyard so it can get bad contacts, spring break etc. and ground shuts everything down.

had to fix one or 2, well maybe 3.

If this is accurate to my system, the neutral safety switch takes power from the ignition switch and wouldn't actually prevent the ignition switch from receiving power.

When my nuetral switch died I jumped around it ie bypassed it. Just to get home lol!

How'd you pinpoint that as the problem?

Updated typo. Motor is a '94 not a '95.

Seems like it wouldnt turn over after moving the throttle with or without the release button pushed- binnacle on center console. After I jumped it the motor would start in gear- that made me nervous but it was a temporary fix.

Ok just spent some time on it. I can jump across the starter solenoid and engine turns over, with key in the run position. I'm getting 12v through the fused line, I'm getting 12v at the red/purple traced wire at the ignition switch on the 8 pole. I'm not getting power through the switch to the yellow/red traced wire for the neutral safety switch.

I'm thinking tomorrow I jumper power to the neutral safety switch direct. If she'll bump, that would indicate I may have replaced a defective switch with a new defective switch. I also need to come up with a plan to test the neutral switch.

Did you get the issue figured out?

Working on pulling apart my forward controls to access the neutral safety switch at this time. Project continues to grow.

Lol I understand! Last project I did on mine went from installing hydraulic steering, to that plus bench seat replacement because of rotten wood installing three seat bucket seats. Installing a stereo and new carpet in the cockpit. All of which I’m so glad I did! Good luck!

Well, new neutral safety switch did no good. I'm stumped and gonna start from scratch again. I kinda suspect the new keyed ignition switch. I'm getting power to it, but not out or through it. Two bad switches in a row would definitely throw off my trouble shooting.