68' Merc 650 thunderbolt issues

podom2007

Recruit
Joined
Jul 13, 2011
Messages
3
Ok so I got an older boat last year with a 1968 Mercury 650 65hp on it. I took it out on the lake a few times and the engine really seemed to bogged down and would not go over maybe 10 mph at full throttle. Then I went to go take it out on the lake again and it would not start period. So I opened up the case and started poking around the spark plugs all looked good but the distributor looked like it had been sitting in the sun since it was made. The wires were all brittle and broken and there was no voltage going to the plugs when the key was turned over. There was voltage going into the distributor but not out of it. So i took the part out and started hunting for a new one about a year ago and could not find a replacement so I kinda gave up on it. Till I started searching again two days ago and found www.oldmercs.com however I can not find a whole distributor on that site for a 1968 Merc 650. Does anyone have any ideas of where I can find this part? Or maybe a work around like a newer part that will work in place of the original one? I would really like to get this motor running so I can get back out on the lake and enjoy my boat. Thanks.
 

CharlieB

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
5,617
Re: 68' Merc 650 thunderbolt issues

On the Support pages at CDIElectronics.com you will find a link to download their free Ignition Troubleshooting Guide which has detailed instructions how to test your old battery CD Distributor ignition system.If I remember correctly, CDI makes the ignition unit and triggers to keep these old jewels running for a long time.
 
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