Engine trouble, any idea what's going on?

[Downwind]

Had a similary problem on an older Mercury (1992 black max 75hp) The threading was stipped where the ground wire connected to the motor and would give me intermittent problems. Had to drill it out and get it re-thredded....are you getting any clicking or noise whatsoever? What is the make and model of the motor?

Also, could it be the control box neutral safety switch intermittently working...probly wouldnt affect your trim though....

Hey Sudsy, the issue you had is exactly what the problem turns out to be. So I went back tonight and tried to remove the plastic cover guard that is covering a mass of the wires. Whoever took it off last time stripped the hell out of the heads on those screws. The Philips heads looked almost like Roberts heads. So after one rubber band and a lot of cursing I was able to get those screws loosened to slip the plastic cover guard out of the way. Located the different grounds and sure enough one of them is loose. I undo it completely, give it a good scrub with a wire brush and then put it back together. I tighten it down and just as it snugs down I go to tighten it and loosens right up - stripped. So I'm assuming the same guy that stripped the other screws was the same guy that stripped this bolt.
Re-tightened just down to be snug to try it and she runs like a champ again. My next question is, as a temp fix, lock-tite the bolt in until I take the boat out for the winter and have it drilled and re-taped then?
Thanks to everyone's help!

 

[salmonkiller01]

Find another bolt close by the ground and use it if you can.

 

[sudsy]

Hey glad to hear you found the problem, common problem on older outboards.... if it were me i would get a helicoil kit, pretty simple to fix...either pay to get it done, or do it yourself, but if it is stripped, its going to cause nothing but grief...locktite will hold it in place, but its the lack of metal to metal contact that is required for a solid ground...as for the alarms, i had another problem on the mercury, all my sensors ( oil, thermostat) fed into a control box, which then sent the signal to my alarm, it was intermittently given the alarm signal when no cronditions were present, i would look for this on your boat, and prove your oil float switch and thermostats are functioning.

 

[High Velocity]

Downwind, one option is to visit a local industrial supply place and buy a heli coil kit for the size of bolt you're dealing with. They come with everything you need to install the heli coil for the original bolt. If you're unsure of the size of bolt, take the bolt with you. Putting locktite on the stripped hole may affect the quality of the ground. Are there any other bolts close to that location that you can use as a ground point ?


Sent from my iPad when I should be fishing.

 

[High Velocity]

I've got to learn to type faster ! Sorry for basically copying your reply sudsy. LOL !!


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[sudsy]

I've got to learn to type faster ! Sorry for basically copying your reply sudsy. LOL !!


Sent from my iPad when I should be fishing.

No worries, i am super slow on my ipad aswell.... Definetly recommend the helicoil kits, super east to install, and gives a solid seating for your bolt, bring your bolt to a parts store to match the threading and size, deinetly a do it yourself job,

Cheers!

 

[Downwind]

Hey glad to hear you found the problem, common problem on older outboards.... if it were me i would get a helicoil kit, pretty simple to fix...either pay to get it done, or do it yourself, but if it is stripped, its going to cause nothing but grief...locktite will hold it in place, but its the lack of metal to metal contact that is required for a solid ground...as for the alarms, i had another problem on the mercury, all my sensors ( oil, thermostat) fed into a control box, which then sent the signal to my alarm, it was intermittently given the alarm signal when no cronditions were present, i would look for this on your boat, and prove your oil float switch and thermostats are functioning.

Downwind, one option is to visit a local industrial supply place and buy a heli coil kit for the size of bolt you're dealing with. They come with everything you need to install the heli coil for the original bolt. If you're unsure of the size of bolt, take the bolt with you. Putting locktite on the stripped hole may affect the quality of the ground. Are there any other bolts close to that location that you can use as a ground point ?


Sent from my iPad when I should be fishing.

Thanks guys, looked up the install of that kit and, seeing as you have to drill out and re-tap the whole would it not be easier to just replace the bolt? I know it would be bigger but I'm pretty sure there was room through the ring terminal of the ground wire.

 

[High Velocity]

Downwind, if you decide to do the heli coil (which is very easy, as sudsy stated), and you're drilling into a blind hole, you don't want to drill too deep and end up going into the engine case. An easy trick to prevent this is to measure the depth of the hole with a piece of wire, drill bit, etc. Then put the drill bit required for the heli coil in your drill and measure the length of drill bit protruding from the drill chuck. Subtract the hole depth from the installed drill bit length, then cut a piece of fuel hose or vacuum hose to the length you got from the subtraction and put it over the drill bit. For example, if the hole was one inch deep and the installed length of the drill bit in your drill is three inches, you would need a two inch piece of small hose installed over the drill bit. This will prevent any chance of drilling the hole too deep. I use this trick in all critical drilling operations. Hasn't failed me yet.


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[High Velocity]

Thanks guys, looked up the install of that kit and, seeing as you have to drill out and re-tap the whole would it not be easier to just replace the bolt? I know it would be bigger but I'm pretty sure there was room through the ring terminal of the ground wire.

If you have enough parent material, absolutely, you can go to the next larger bolt size. Use the hose trick I mentioned in my last post if you're going into a blind hole.


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[Downwind]

If you have enough parent material, absolutely, you can go to the next larger bolt size. Use the hose trick I mentioned in my last post if you're going into a blind hole.


Sent from my iPad when I should be fishing.

That makes sense, thanks. I've always used tape to make sure I don't go too deep with my bit but appreciate all the advice. I think I owe everyone here a beer!

 

[Downwind]

Well was able to pick up the helicoil yesterday and got it drilled, tapped and installed tonight. You guys were right, that was easy. Took me all of 5 minutes. Now that bolt is nice and tight and she's running better then ever. Ran her for 5 minutes before I took her out for a spin and no problems. Can't wait to get her out for a good run this weekend!

 

[High Velocity]

Congrats !! Good job, now get your butt out fishing !!!


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