1989 200 Johnson stator leaking

SparkieBoat

Captain
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
3,643
I have been having trouble starting the motor, once it starts it runs great. I suspect my stator may be going out. When I checked it, it was putting out about 180 on one side and 200 on the other side, it cranked right up after that check and ran fine. it seems like it just is not getting fire sometimes, only when cold though. no problems cranking after first start up. i tested the kill switch and wiring everything there seems fine. I connected 2 good fully charged batteries together so i know I have plenty cranking amps, seems to be turning over at proper speed. The stator is leaking on both sides pretty good. Does this mean stator replacement is pretty much a must??
 

wilde1j

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 15, 2002
Messages
5,964
Re: 1989 200 Johnson stator leaking

Have you done the resistance checks? When a stator starts with the melting deal, it's days a usually numbered.
 

Joe Reeves

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
Messages
13,262
Re: 1989 200 Johnson stator leaking

Stator leaking on the smaller side coils would affect the charging system. Do you have a tachometer and if so, is the tachometer working? The tachometer operates off of the charging system and if it (the tachometer) has stopped working, it is usually due to a failed rectifier. A failed rectifier would cause the voltage to back up within the stator resulting in overheating of the stator and hence the melt down.

The two large black coils at the rear portion of the stator supplies voltage to the powerpack. If either of them are melting down, that will result in weak, erratic, and eventually no ignition.

At any rate, the stator requires changing....... and check that rectifier........ and the tachometer as follows.


(Testing Tachometer With Water Cooled Regulator/Rectifier)
(J. Reeves)

A quick check is to simply plug in a another new tachometer as a piece of test equipment. If the new tach works properly and the old tach didn't, obviously the old tach is faulty.... but usually boaters don't carry around a spare tach (see below).

A faulty rectifier wouldn't damage the tachometer, the tachometer simply wouldn't work. This is due to the fact that the tachometer operates off of the charging system and the rectifier converts AC voltage to DC voltage, enabling the charging system. A faulty rectifier disables the charging system, and the tachometer simply doesn't register.

However.... those water cooled regulator/rectifiers that are used on the 35 ampere charging systems (and some others) bring into play a different type problem, and as you've probably found out, they are really a pain to troubleshoot via the proper procedure. There's an easier way.

The tachometer sending/receiving setup operates off of the gray wire at the tachometer. That same gray wire exists at the engine wiring harness which is connected to the engine electrical terminal strip. You'll see that there is a gray wire leading from the regulator/rectifier to that terminal strip, and that there is another gray wire attached to it. That other gray wire is the wire leading to the tachometer which is the one you're looking for.

NOTE: For the later models that DO NOT incorporate a wiring terminal strip, splicing into the "Yellow Wire" mentioned will be necessary.

Remove that gray wire that leads to the tachometer. Now, find the two (2) yellow wires leading from the stator to that terminal strip. Hopefully one of them is either yellow/gray or is connected to a yellow/gray wire at the terminal strip. If so, connect the gray wire you removed previously to that yellow/gray terminal. Start the engine and check the tachometers operation, and if the tachometer operates as it should, then the regulator/rectifier is faulty and will require replacing. If the tachometer is still faulty, replace the tachometer.

If neither of the yellow wires from the stator is yellow/gray, and neither is attached to a yellow/gray wire, then attach that gray tachometer wire to either yellow stator wire, then the other yellow wire, checking the tachometer operation on both connections.

I've found this method to be a quick and efficient way of finding out which component is faulty.... the tachometer or the regulator/rectifier. It sounds drawn out but really only takes a very short time to run through. If the water cooled regulator/rectifier proves to be faulty, don't put off replacing it as they have been known to catch on fire with disastrous consequences.
 

ezeke

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 19, 2003
Messages
12,532
Re: 1989 200 Johnson stator leaking

It's essential that your QuikStart is engaged for a cold start, so check it out.
 

SparkieBoat

Captain
Joined
Aug 17, 2009
Messages
3,643
Re: 1989 200 Johnson stator leaking

thanks for the detailed post Joe..very very helpful. Boat is new to me, tach was working sparatically now does not work at all. sound like a very possible rectifier problem, I will test tomorrow. I will also check quick start, but I think that it is working. so it looks like a new stator and rectifier...dang getting more $$$ by the minuet, but at least now I will not put a new stator on just to have it ruined by a bad rectifier. Thanks guys
 
Top