1982 Evinrude 115 Scorched wires

Matt Mann

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Jul 30, 2010
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18
Can anyone tell me what these wires are for in the pic? They appear to enter the engine block through some type of cover just under the flywheel in the back of the engine. The wires must have shorted or arced and part of the cover looks like it is melted. There are two large white or tan wires that lead to the terminal block and then there is another smaller white/tan colored wire and a red one. The white ones still look as though they are connected, althrough the insulation is melted off. The red one and the little tan one are not connected anymore. The engine still runs. I was told it was a 1982 evinrude 115, but can't confirm because someone swaped the bracket out that has the model number. Thanks!
 

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Haffiman

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Dec 17, 2009
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Re: 1982 Evinrude 115 Scorched wires

That WAS your rectifier and regulator.
 

Joe Reeves

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Feb 24, 2002
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Re: 1982 Evinrude 115 Scorched wires

Yep, and without that unit the battery charging feature is eliminated. Also that prevents the AC voltage being supplied by the stator under the flywheel to travel to the rectifier etc etc. This would cause the stator to overheat and fail resulting in no ignition.
 

Matt Mann

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Jul 30, 2010
Messages
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Re: 1982 Evinrude 115 Scorched wires

Joe, Are you saying that if I disconnect my regulator / rectifier all together, that my stator can overheat? I thought it would just not charge the battery.
How could the stator overheat if the current is not going anywhere except to the plugs to make them fire?
 

Haffiman

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2,454
Re: 1982 Evinrude 115 Scorched wires

You may disconnect and ISOLATE the wires from the stator, and it will not harm.
But from the look of it, I'm afraid you may have burned the isolation closer to the stator windings which may lead to a short.
A simple Ohm test will not reveal this.
 

Matt Mann

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Jul 30, 2010
Messages
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Re: 1982 Evinrude 115 Scorched wires

The yellow wires from the stator go down to the terminal block. They are unaffected by the scorching. So my plan is to disconnect the regulator/rectifier wires from the terminal block so they are not connected at all and then run the boat. Sound like a good plan? I will have to charge the battery after each time out on the water.
 

Haffiman

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Re: 1982 Evinrude 115 Scorched wires

Should be working.
Would suggest to cover screws and the end at the terminal block with liquid neoprene.
 

Joe Reeves

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13,262
Re: 1982 Evinrude 115 Scorched wires

Best to have the charging circuit operational. You can discard that expensive water cooled voltage regulator/rectifier assembly on that model and install instad the smaller 3 wire rectifier that bolts up just in front of the engine's wiring terminal strip.

(Replace Water Cooler Reg/Rectifier With Regular Small Rectifier)
(J. Reeves)

Many engines, if equipped with a P/T/T, incorporates a water cooled regulator/rectifier assy somewhere, usually located on top of the block, just in back of the flywheel on a V4 or V6. If the battery is not being charged and/or the tachometer is being non functional or erratic, the usual problem is that the water cooled regulator/rectifier assy has shorted out, a fairly expensive item. However, if your engine does not have a high 35 ampere output stator (under the flywheel) but rather has a 6 ampere or 9 ampere stator (amperes in the low range area), then it really does not need that expensive water cooled regulator/rectifier assy.

You can trouble shoot that item by locating the terminal wiring block on the engine. Find the small gray wire that leads to the engine wiring harness (at the present time, it's attached to another gray wire that is attached to that reg/rect assy. Move that gray wire so that it will be connected to the Yellow/Gray wire on the terminal block that leads to the stator assy. That small gray wire that we want moved leads to your techometer. Now, run the engine for a short time simply to check the tachometer reading. If the tach now reads correctly, you may do the following if you wish.
-------------------------------
A rectifier will not tolerate reverse polarity. Simply touching the battery with the cables in the reverse order or hooking up a battery charger backwards will blow the diodes in the rectifier assy immediately.

If you have a late model engine with P/T/T, you probably have a water cooled regulator/rectifier assy. That regulator/rectifier assembly has a list price that exceeds (usually) $250.00.

However, the low ampere charging stator on the engine really doesn't require that expensive item. The engine, if it has the low ampere charging stator, usually a 6 ampere or 9 ampere, will allow you to use the smaller type rectifier which is by far a less expensive unit. This smaller rectifier has a list price of approximately $50.00.

I'll enter the original OMC part number and the superceeded number for both units here. Prices are approximate and rounded out.

Water Cooled Reg/Rectifier - 395391--> 395204 - $250.00 .
Regular Smaller Rectifier - 582399--> 583408 - $50.00.

To use the smaller rectifier, remove and discard the wires from the water cooled reg/rectifier. Cut them off at the reg/rectifier and remove them. Don't let them lay around on the engine or connected up at the other end. You can replace the water cooled regulator/rectifier with a plate if available or leave the water cooled reg/rectifier on the engine (let it serve as a water passage cover plate).

The following paragraph pertains to engines up to the time I retired (Approximately 1990). Later model engines might not have a mounting area for the smaller rectifiers or may have the smaller rectifier mounting area elsewhere. I can only suggest you check the engine involved.

Now on many of the 2, 3, V4, and V6 engines, look at the starboard side of your engine right close to the wiring terminal block. There are two threaded holes there where the smaller rectifier attaches to the engine. They're two different sizes (threads) on some engines. Just find screws or bolts that will work properly. After that, pertaining to the three wires that are attached to the smaller rectifier, attach the RED one to the 12v RED terminal on that block, the yellow one to the yellow stator wire at the block, and the yellow/gray one to the yellow/gray stator wire at the block. NOTE, the Yellow/Gray terminal will have the stator Yellow/Gray wire, the small rectifier Yellow/gray wire/ and the tachometer Gray wire.

Some of those small rectifiers do not have a yellow/gray wire, but instead have two yellow wires. In which case, it doesn't mater which yellow wire goes where just so they're attached to the stator wires.

Thousands of parts in my remaining stock. Not able to list them all. Let me know what you need and I'll look it up for you. Visit my eBay auction at:

http://shop.ebay.com/Joe_OMC32/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

And yes, it's been my experience that if the AC voltage being provided by the stator is isolated, being prevented from completely its circuit, that power backs up and causes the stator to overheat. Perhaps I am in error but every stator that I've come across in that scenario has melted down prematurely. No matter.... I just feel that it's best to have all circuits as they should be and avoid the Mickey Mouse scene.
 

blimp

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 30, 2009
Messages
237
Re: 1982 Evinrude 115 Scorched wires

Thanks Joe, I bought a motor used that had this configuration and was considering spending the $250 for the water cooled R/R. Now I know I don't have to! Thanks again, yet another time this site has saved me a bunch of cash.
 
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