William Johnson check electrical trouble post

[Andre Sloan]

I had the exact problem you discussed in your post. It was a loose plug on the back of the engine.

 

[William Johnson]

Thanks for the post. Plugs were not loose on the motor. Its at the service center now, they seem to think it is the regulator due to one of the yellow wires showing burned. May have got the stator also, but I'll know tomorrow when they give me an update. Just curious though, if it was a loose plug, I can't see how that would affect the trim/tilt motor not working either.



William

 

[Andre Sloan]

I don't know why it affected the tilt/trim motor. But that's how I would know my boat was not going to start. When I'd sit down and try to trim the engine down, nothing would happen. Try to turn the starter, nothing. Everything else in the boat worked.



I had a friend hold the trim switch down while I jiggled wires. When I got to the big harness on the back, the trim bumped. He then tried the starter and it fired. I unplugged it, sprayed some contact cleaner in the cannon plug, and haven't had the problem since summer 2004. Not a very sophisticated diagnostic and fix, but it worked.



As I recall that harness had about 12 - 14 wires in it.

 

[Andre Sloan]

I think my use of the word 'plug' may have thrown you off track.

 

[Steve Rizza]

The middle prong in the harness is the wire that carries power from the motor,to the throttle box,and then it comes back to the motor on other wires.If the power TO the throttle box is disrupted,then no tilt/trim or ignition...Or warning beeper.

 

[William Johnson]

Can you give me the exact location if this harness you are referring too? My engine is a 1998 Mercury Force 120 and I do not recall any wires at the back of the engine, just of the sides of the motor. I'd be interested in knowing this, the mechanic at the marina has not gotten to my engine yet, I'd sure like to save myself the expense if it is something that simple.



Thanks,

William