1981 40 hp merc. Part I.D.

[jporter5333]

If you click on the link to the thread below there is a picture of 402 40 hp. In the pic there is a little blue thing on the left hand side of the powerhead. Can anyone tell me what that is? My boat has one as well and looking at it from the side it looks like a condenser from a points ignition. Any ideas?


http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=343804

 

[flatcat77]

Re: 1981 40 hp merc. Part I.D.

that is a mercury switch so when your motor hits somthing and kicks up it kills your motor. just a safety device.

 

[jporter5333]

Re: 1981 40 hp merc. Part I.D.

Holy cow pie. Could this be why my boat is getting no spark? If so, how do I test, just take it off and try to start the boat without it?

 

[flatcat77]

Re: 1981 40 hp merc. Part I.D.

is your motor tipped up? if so it grounds out your spark. i think it grounds out your whole switch box. is your wire coming out of it like a pinkish orange?

 

[jporter5333]

Re: 1981 40 hp merc. Part I.D.

No, motor I have the motor down and was down and had hit nothing when the motor quit on me and there is just a short little black wire that has a loop connector on the end and it its just hooked to the mounting screw for the mercury switch.

 

[flatcat77]

Re: 1981 40 hp merc. Part I.D.

i bet that thing doesnt work anymore. or you are grounding out somewhere else. that wire should go up to the ignition. i'm not sure if you can bypass that thing or not.

 

[jporter5333]

Re: 1981 40 hp merc. Part I.D.

I'm thinking it was bypassed. But the motor has been running and that switch has never been touched since I've had the boat. I am pretty sure (atleast from looking at the wiring diagrams) that the wire that is supposed to go to it is rolled up and capped off. But I checked it out and it is not grounded or nicked or anything.