TOPIC: I need help...... 1969 merc 1000 ran great til i

Ok my friend Phillip got this yesterday and it's been setting up at least 4 years. New battery fresh fuel and with water ears. It started up relatively easy but the ignition switch was trashed. So we put a new one on and once again it started right up. With it running I pulled the positive cable off to see if it was charging and it died. Put it back on it fired right up. Tried it again ...the same thing only now it will not start. Acts like it's not trying til I let off the switch then a short sputter. Please help. I'm not a boat mechanic but I fix cars a lot and he's neither. Not sure if it may have hurt something in the ignition system.

Why would you pull the cable off to see if it is charging ??????

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Use a volt meter next time.

sorry but I am speechless. No comment

Well 40 year old boat engines are not my thing.....if a car doesn't charge pulling the cable will tell you instantly. That's why I am asking people here. I am a member on a few car boards and we all help each other out INCLUDING new guys and are very happy to do it. Don't get me wrong we usually have a few guys that are jerks with only smart remarks. But everyone learns who they are very fast and we just ignore them. That is until they need help and then we even help them....
.go figure.


Now back to the problem at hand. Are there any members her that have valuable information or input?

Also how can I be sure of the year model the title says 100 hp 69. A boat shop just told me it sounds like a 71-2 and cross referencing the vin on master tech says it should be a 65. Thanks for the help

I think you just blew the switch box by removing the battery. electronics are sensitive to spikes.

Is there a way I can test it? Where would be a good place to get one and how much $ did I just throw away?

have it tested at a dealer . ebay has them. can you send me a pic of the mag daveb409@ hotmail.com.so i know which one you have.

Thanks for the help I just sent the pictures. Let me know if you need a better angle

Forgive me for my ignorance is this what I need ? www.iboats.com/mall/partfinder/?cart_id=664021215&gd_grid_id=1284&gd_poid=334597&gd_row=123&session_id=363635940

It doesn't look the same as what is on there and does this replace the box with the green,brown,red,and white terminals on one side plus lack,yellow,and brown on the other side And the coil?

Or is this what I need www.iboats.com/mall/partfinder/?cart_id=664021215&gd_grid_id=1284&gd_poid=334597&gd_row=123&session_id=363635940

Take a photo of the motor is best. You probably need something like this...
cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Switch-Box-332-2986-outboard-mercury-/230633138598?pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item35b2ce69a6

It is possible but you may have toasted the distributor but who knows. The rectifier is the smaller looking switch box (typically mounted under the larger switch box like in the ebay link) unless it has been modified with the small black 3 post rectifier.
Start with the switch box though. I have them but I am sure many others also have them out here and on ebay as well.

thanks here are some. also how much do you want for yours and do you gaurantee it to work? i prefer to buy from board members or vendors to help everyone involved out as long as i can afford it.



edit sorry i have to figure out how to resize them

other side

Well, like said, a 3 buck Harbor Freight voltmeter is the tool. Yanking an old car w/generator be OK..(heck, we used to take the good battery out after a start, and drive the old junk to the dump)

Bet for sure you fried the switchbox. Heck, did it myself, not paying attention, hooked the batt up backwards, long ago.

Let me rattle the Doc's (Thom) with a heads up email, send him here. He just got back from Florida, busy as its gets, but bet he has what you need. Hang in there a bit..

My bet goes to a fried trigger, which is in the distributor housing.
You may have damaged the rectifier too, but we'll cross that hurdle related to whether or not the charging system is functioning once we get your pal's Merc up and running.
I don't think you have fried the switchbox - just the trigger most likely.
The switchbox self destructs when the battery cables are crossed - but that isn't the case here.

I 'may' have that style trigger, but they are getting scarce for that model Merc.
I have LOTS of that style switchboxes and tested to be in good working condition I ask $100 for them
If I have a good working condition trigger for that ignition I ask $150 as they are NLA.
Below is the testing sequence needed to determine if it is your trigger or not.
I don't have the information required to test a switchbox of that design so I test mine by mocking up a complete ignition system on the bench to identify which specific component is at fault.

MERCURY BATTERY-POWERED CDI TEST
FOR DISTRIBUTOR MODELS, Courtesy of Clams Canino & added clarifications by Dr. Frankenmerc

This test is for the 332-2986 switchbox used from 1967-1978 on all the inlines.

This test assumes your coil is good (most all are).
DISCONNECT BATTERY

1. Turn off ignition (temporarily for safety)
2. Disconnect all 3 wires on the distributor side of the switchbox.
3. Remove the HV (High Voltage) lead from the coil to the center cap (remember it unscrews
from cap)
4. Reconnect that HV center lead to the COIL side only. (this will leave the end with the brass threaded end free to put in position as per step #5)
5. Position that HV lead about about 3/8" from ground (block, shrouds etc)
and find a way to hold it there. (I gently grip the insulation of this lead about 2" away from the brass threaded end with a small pair of vise-grip pliers. The weight of the pliers can aid in positioning the brass threaded end about 3/8th inch gap from engine ground - the block)
6. Jumper the brown and white terminals on the dist. side of the switchbox together. (do NOT have the brown or white wires attached to their terminals. and add a 'jumper wire' that connects these two colored TERMINALS together)

RECONNECT BATTERY

7. Check that you have +12 V at red terminal.
8. Now,...Turn on ignition and verify +12V at white terminal that is on the white terminal side of the switchbox - (starboard side)
9. Touch the black terminal on the distributor side of the switchbox to ground (the metal case of the switchbox should be a good ground source and a metal screw-driver shank can be used to briefly make this terminal to ground contact) - This temporary contact should cause spark between the brass threaded end of the HV lead and engine ground each time you briefly make the black terminal to ground contact.

If you get a nice spark to jump about 3/8" between the brass threaded end of the HV lead and engine ground in the above test, but when everything is re-assembled and you do NOT get spark to jump at the spark plugs while they are resting against engine ground, suspect the trigger is defective as the switchbox and coil have just proven they are okay.





More good words from Dean at John’s Old Merc site:

Merc 950SS with points electronic ign:

“To test that unit is really simple. Remove both wires from dist side of switch box remove coil lead from coil and unscrew from cap and hold next to ground be sure to have it gapped, oh by the way this does not have a trigger it has 2 sets of points, take a test lead alligator clips both ends, attach one to the single terminal turn on key and tap other end to ground every time it contacts it should spark if not switch box is bad, also do not panic a 3 terminal dist side box will work by jumping across black and white and attach both wires to brown. Good luck”

Thom please write direct to:
frankenmerc at comcast dot net if you want good working used parts for this.

Ya gotta love the "Doc". Thanks reply Thom. Knew you would know the "skinny" here", save someone more expense chasing down expensive electrical parts. and this "comment"
The switchbox self destructs when the battery cables are crossed

HA!..how the hell I managed to do that the old XS/Switzer, was, well..(I should have known, just a dumb kid then, ANYtime you see any sparking, .."letting the smoke out the wires thing", ya KNOW.."this aint gonna be cheap!)

Talk ya later, stop out soon. Ted drop off the 1958 Dorsett? DANM, that one pristine boat! No reply needed here, talk/email ya later.
Oh yeah, big boat gone tomorrow, trade for the K5 Blazer goes down early..(no more ever again, I/O's for me..GIVE ME AN OLD/NEW "Frankenmerc"!..(still need to put the LU back the "beast". Be well, later, Robby.

Thanks everyone tomorrow when I get back I'll check it out.

By the way just to make sure I'm getting this right,the coil wire screws into the cap rather than pushing in? Thanks

75 baja wrote:

By the way just to make sure I'm getting this right,the coil wire screws into the cap rather than pushing in? Thanks

Yes, indeed the cap-end screws in. But the coil-end does plug in.

HTH..........ed

Bro, I will give you this much, I myself Have the same motor on my glastron I have been rebuilding. I have rewired the total motor{and had to track down the same merc{power pack} to get it running and it is no easy task, nor is it dip shit savy such as myself! lol! Don't give up though, I put the new {power pack} on mine and it runs like a dream! I now am dealing with tracking down a Mercontrol Box that fits this motor with the 7 or 8 prong cobra head style harness to motor that is just as much of a nightmare to replace. All I know is these guys on here know their stuff, and won't steer you wrong! Getting over the discouragement is the hard part!

2 budlights and it gets better, and I want to see a video of this on youtube if you get it running like a dream! I know i will def share one of mine when Im done! lmao!

Take it easy and slow,

N8ebear30

N8ebear

Dr_Frankenmerc wrote:

My bet goes to a fried trigger, which is in the distributor housing.
You may have damaged the rectifier too, but we'll cross that hurdle related to whether or not the charging system is functioning once we get your pal's Merc up and running.
I don't think you have fried the switchbox - just the trigger most likely.
The switchbox self destructs when the battery cables are crossed - but that isn't the case here.

I 'may' have that style trigger, but they are getting scarce for that model Merc.
I have LOTS of that style switchboxes and tested to be in good working condition I ask $100 for them
If I have a good working condition trigger for that ignition I ask $150 as they are NLA.
Below is the testing sequence needed to determine if it is your trigger or not.
I don't have the information required to test a switchbox of that design so I test mine by mocking up a complete ignition system on the bench to identify which specific component is at fault.

MERCURY BATTERY-POWERED CDI TEST
FOR DISTRIBUTOR MODELS, Courtesy of Clams Canino & added clarifications by Dr. Frankenmerc

This test is for the 332-2986 switchbox used from 1967-1978 on all the inlines.

This test assumes your coil is good (most all are).
DISCONNECT BATTERY

1. Turn off ignition (temporarily for safety)
2. Disconnect all 3 wires on the distributor side of the switchbox.
3. Remove the HV (High Voltage) lead from the coil to the center cap (remember it unscrews
from cap)
4. Reconnect that HV center lead to the COIL side only. (this will leave the end with the brass threaded end free to put in position as per step #5)
5. Position that HV lead about about 3/8" from ground (block, shrouds etc)
and find a way to hold it there. (I gently grip the insulation of this lead about 2" away from the brass threaded end with a small pair of vise-grip pliers. The weight of the pliers can aid in positioning the brass threaded end about 3/8th inch gap from engine ground - the block)
6. Jumper the brown and white terminals on the dist. side of the switchbox together. (do NOT have the brown or white wires attached to their terminals. and add a 'jumper wire' that connects these two colored TERMINALS together)

RECONNECT BATTERY

7. Check that you have +12 V at red terminal.
8. Now,...Turn on ignition and verify +12V at white terminal that is on the white terminal side of the switchbox - (starboard side)
9. Touch the black terminal on the distributor side of the switchbox to ground (the metal case of the switchbox should be a good ground source and a metal screw-driver shank can be used to briefly make this terminal to ground contact) - This temporary contact should cause spark between the brass threaded end of the HV lead and engine ground each time you briefly make the black terminal to ground contact.

If you get a nice spark to jump about 3/8" between the brass threaded end of the HV lead and engine ground in the above test, but when everything is re-assembled and you do NOT get spark to jump at the spark plugs while they are resting against engine ground, suspect the trigger is defective as the switchbox and coil have just proven they are okay.





More good words from Dean at John’s Old Merc site:

Merc 950SS with points electronic ign:

“To test that unit is really simple. Remove both wires from dist side of switch box remove coil lead from coil and unscrew from cap and hold next to ground be sure to have it gapped, oh by the way this does not have a trigger it has 2 sets of points, take a test lead alligator clips both ends, attach one to the single terminal turn on key and tap other end to ground every time it contacts it should spark if not switch box is bad, also do not panic a 3 terminal dist side box will work by jumping across black and white and attach both wires to brown. Good luck”

Thom please write direct to:
frankenmerc at comcast dot net if you want good working used parts for this.

Haven't had time to work on this thing until today. I've been working a lot lately. I got the distributor cap off, went to pull the rotor off and it crumbled, and the shaft stayed in. I'm trying to figure out how to get the trigger off. Any help please? Do you have or know where to find a service manual for sale? 817 471 7827 call me please.

Pretty general, but might help. web.ebscohost.com/serrc/pdf?sid=a6ac2aed-a3c8-47e6-ab9b-c7f8fda452be%40sessionmgr10&vid=4&hid=9