Boat won’t Start, Turn Key and hear Nothing

[malibular8]

Hi, I would appreciate anyone’s opinion on this issue. 

2004 Malibu Wakesetter 23LSV (Hammerhead) 
I turn the key and hear nothing, not even a click. 
Power from batteries is fine, that’s been tested. 
I recently replaced the cap and rotor. Just replaced the starter today. 
Not the kill switch, that was replaced last year and my gauges work fine when key turns to on. 
My Perfect Pass was replaced last year. When I try to start the boat a few times the throttle for the Perfect Pass above the engine is hot to the touch. 
I’ve read in other posts about the Neutral Safety Switch. Could that be it and where is it located? How do I access that in a 2004 Wakesetter?

Any thoughts or opinions are welcome, thanks!

[csleaver]

The neutral safety switch is on the transmission.

[formulaben]

I guess you could check your key switch first, and also wiggle the shifter to make sure it's not the cable out of rig and not trigger the neutral safety switch.

Check this post:

...but if that doesn't fix it then my bet is that there is corrosion somewhere on the battery cables.  My hunch is a loose/bad connection at the engine ground, starter terminal, or master switch (if installed.)  I'd go over those cable terminals and cables very carefully, starting at the engine block ground and starter positive terminal and working to the batteries (including battery master switch, if installed.)  Remove every terminal, inspect inside of lugs for corrosion, then clean lug and terminal contact points with sandpaper, then reinstall good and tight.

[malibular8]

Is this it?

 

[formulaben]

Yep.

[malibular8]

I guess I’m a little slow because I looked all over for the neutral safety switch and can’t find it. 
If I’m facing the back of the boat, where is it? I can see where the transmission is, but I don’t see a round peg with two screws on top. 

[justgary]

48 minutes ago, malibular8 said:

I guess I’m a little slow because I looked all over for the neutral safety switch and can’t find it. 
If I’m facing the back of the boat, where is it? I can see where the transmission is, but I don’t see a round peg with two screws on top. 

Is it under the shift lever on the transmission?  It should be near where the shift cable attaches to the lever.

[MakeNWaves]

Like it’s already been said, neutral safety switch. Mine was on the shifter, and the entire shifter had to be changed. My dealer has 10 Malibu/Axis boats waiting for new shifters.

[dlb]

When my 2002 would not start it was the neutral safety switch.

[danadog]

27 minutes ago, dlb said:

When my 2002 would not start it was the neutral safety switch.

dlb, I am currently sitting in my 02 LXi trying to troubleshoot it as  it is only clicking when I try to start it.

Where did you locate your neutral safety switch?

I have two new batteries and been trying to figure out if it is the kill switch. Would like to bypass it all together.

Thanks

 

 

Edited July 10, 2021 by danadog

[dlb]

I no longer have the boat, own a 2020 now.  

IIRC the switch is on top of the transmission as was stated above.

also …. 

 

[danadog]

Thanks

[Bozboat]

28 minutes ago, danadog said:

dlb, I am currently sitting in my 02 LXi trying to troubleshoot it as  it is only clicking when I try to start it.

Where did you locate your neutral safety switch?

I have two new batteries and been trying to figure out if it is the kill switch. Would like to bypass it all together.

Thanks

 

 

Just thinking about this, if the boat was in gear, I would expect to hear nothing when you turn the key.  If the kill switch is bad, as in the old style hold the plug in vs the new style hold the button out, the gauges won’t move and the fuel pump will not prime but the engine should crank over. The clicking starter sounds like a problem with the starter or the amount of power available at the starter due to bad wires, loose connections etc, assuming that the new batteries are fully charged.

Edited July 10, 2021 by Bozboat