c.1980 Johnson 50 Tiller Handle Wiring

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
AaronMN
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2015 3:52 pm

c.1980 Johnson 50 Tiller Handle Wiring

Postby AaronMN » Sun Apr 16, 2017 8:19 pm

I'm wiring my tiller arm to my former remote steer c.1980 Johnson outboard. I've exhausted my searches online into wiring diagrams. I'm hoping someone here can help me move forward. My outboard wiring harness has:

Black/yellow (engine stop ground)
Gray (tachometer)
Red/violet (12-Volt)
Black (negative)
Violet (12-Volt run/start)
Violet/white (Primer)
Tan (alarm)
White (unknown)

Usually, there is a yellow/red wire for start. I'm assuming the white wire is for the start circuit. On my tiller arm, I have a starter with Red and yellow/red. I'm guessing the yellow/red goes to white. [Where does red go]?

The choke has violet/white and red. I'm guessing violet/white goes to violet/white. [Where does red go]?

The [safety lanyard] has two black [wires]. I'm guessing one to black and one to black/yellow.

Can anyone help with the above? Thank you!

Aaron

Seahorse
Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 2:03 pm

Re: Johnson 50 horse power tiller handle wiring

Postby Seahorse » Sun Apr 16, 2017 11:49 pm

What is the model number of your 50 hp?

A white wire for the starter circuit has not been used since I believe the late 1960s. Where did you get that harness and from what engine?

AaronMN
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2015 3:52 pm

Re: Johnson 50 horse power tiller handle wiring

Postby AaronMN » Mon Apr 17, 2017 6:47 am

I'll check on the model information. The motor was purchased used from a private party. No controls came with.

You bring up a good point - the wires were cut on the control side of the pigtail (not the motor side). Perhaps my motor wiring is correct on that side of the plug - I'll have to check.

In any case, would you have any guidance on wiring to the tiller arm?

Thank you kindly.

Aaron

Oldslowandugly
Posts: 717
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 11:19 pm
Location: Queens NY

Re: c.1980 Johnson 50 Tiller Handle Wiring

Postby Oldslowandugly » Tue Apr 18, 2017 6:42 pm

I changed my 1980 35hp from remote to tiller also. I did not follow the factory wiring colors at the motor but the colors you noted are the same. OMC is very good with color codes. I saved the remote harness. There is no white wire in mine. I have several manuals and there is no white wire in any of the motors they cover. However- in my 1993 48hp harness there is a white with tan dash wire. Not a stripe- just an occasional dash. That wire is for the tilt position sender. Is it possible that is the wire you have and the tan is faded? For the starter button- red is hot-at-all-times (from battery cable at starter solenoid) and the red/yellow goes to the starter solenoid activation terminals and then back to the neutral start switch mounted by the shifter mechanism which is grounded there. Kill switch is black and black w/yellow stripe. Black is ground- black w/yellow stripe is magneto ground-to-stop wire. Every electric choke or primer I have seen used the violet w/white stripe wire as hot in "start" and "run". The choke or primer was then grounded at the motor where it was mounted, either by the metal body or with a black wire. The only other solid red wire I see is the one that goes from the batt cable at the starter solenoid to the red wire from the rectifier. It is the battery charging circuit.

johnyrude200
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2016 10:27 am

Re: c.1980 Johnson 50 Tiller Handle Wiring

Postby johnyrude200 » Sun Aug 27, 2017 10:03 pm

Old thread but trying to get on this forum more often. I'm a full time old OMC repair mechanic specializing just in carbureted OMC's. The red wire is a feed from the rectifier to charge the battery.

They are still using the same color codes today on ETECs as they started using universally on all of their OMC motors circa 1978/9.

Red/yellow is always key switch to the solenoid.

Black/black yellow is always stop circuit.

Red/blue/green is the tilt/trim circuit.

Purple white is primer system.

Purple/red is accessory power.

Grey is tach.

Tan/white is sending unit (trim guage).

The rest of the stuff is VRO related and should be disabled and switched to premix for motor longevity. Great when new (in 1985 --I laugh aloud--), but #1 reason for motor death these days.