Re: 1978 Evinrude 85 HP Outboard Charging Problem
Hi Paul....Your engine is self sufficent in that it does not need a battery to keep running. The power or charge coil under the flywheel produces a charge which is sent to the power pack(s). The timer base also under the flywheel then tells the power pack when to fire for a particular cylinder.<br />If you will look on the starboard side of the motor, I think thats where it is, you will see a triangular shape base with a small tin can in the middle. This is your rectifier. This changes the AC produced by the stator to DC to charge the battery. Notice that it has three wires. Two yellow and one red. Disconnect these wires from the terminal strip. With a meter set to OHMs, connect one lead to the rectifirer red lead, don't matter which meter lead. With the other meter lead, touch each yellow wire one at a time and note the reading. Now reverse the meter leads and go through the procedure again noting readings on the meter. <br />If the rectifier is good, you should get a meter deflection with the leads hooked up one way and do deflection the other way. If you get deflections both ways or no reading at all, then the rectifier is blown.<br />A shop manual will be an invaluable tool for you. It is always highly recommended that owners that tinker with their shakers get one and use it. Iboats store have the generic manuals. Good for general maint and some troubleshooting. The preferred manual is the OEM manual. Reprints for your engine service manual can be gotten thru Ken Cook Co. Just search for him. Easy to find.<br />Keep us posted as to your progress. Thanks.
