Neutral Safety Switch

[atrick]

The purpose of the neutral safety switch is to keep someone from starting the engines when they are in gear and the boat will not go into gear if you jump the switch unless you shift it in to gear.

 

[HardHead]

The purpose of the neutral safety switch is to keep someone from starting the engines when they are in gear and the boat will not go into gear if you jump the switch unless you shift it in to gear.

Exactly...the purpose of the jumper wire is after the shifter is placed in neutral. Then when at the helm you verify that the shifters are in neutral and then start the engine.

 

[HardHead]

If I am not mistaken, if you jump the 2 wires and start the engine the boat will go into gear immediately. That is the purpose of the neutral safety switch!!
Be prepared to shut the engine down.

He is trying to troubleshoot the switch. That is the purpose of bypassing it.

 

[bobeast]

If I am not mistaken, if you jump the 2 wires and start the engine the boat will go into gear immediately. That is the purpose of the neutral safety switch!!
Be prepared to shut the engine down.

The neutral position on the shifter is what controls the gearing. Bypassing the safety switch will just allow you to start the engine in any gear. It won't put the transmission in gear just by bypassing it.

OP: I had a very similar problem on my '02. I replaced the slave solenoid and bypassed the neutral safety switch and still had the same problem. The issue turned out to be dirty contacts in the "umbilical" cable that plugs into the back of the engine. This is the harness that runs between the engine and the helm. It is a round plug that looks similar to the 7 pin trailer connectors that plug into the back of a truck. It uses a hose clamp to keep it plugged in. Try loosening that hose clamp, unplugging and cleaning the contacts in both the plug and the receptacle.

side note: if you don't hear the alarm when you put the ignition switch in the first detent, check the 90 amp fusible link which is located on your starter.

 

[midexp]

Here
Velvet Drive
Marine Transmisson
Service Manual
71 C - 72C Direct Drive
and Reduction Ratios
1 .5: 1, 1.88: 1, 1.91: 1 , 2. 1 : 1 ,
2.57:1, 2.91:1
~ BorgVfarner

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjCx7CRsNfdAhXBMd8KHeVlANkQFjAAegQICRAC&url=https://www.boatdesign.net/attachments/velvet-drive-manual-pdf.81273/&usg=AOvVaw1O0yFqoRUubAK4nvwSZqvT

Thanks for the link to the manual. Unfortunately, these trans are different models than mine.

 

[midexp]

So as a follow up. It appears as the simple, inexpensive replacement of the neutral safety switch fixed my intermittent non starting condition. If anybody experiences nothing happening when they press the ignition switches, try replacing this safety switch.