850 Wiring

[1960 Starflite]

I have a 1975 850 Mercury and the wiring harness is junk. Is there any other source than $$ CDI ?

 

[Chris1956]

There should be other sources. Search on the OEM model number. Sierra used to make one. Surplus unlimited is another place to check.

 

[Scott Danforth]

You could make your own

 

[Chris1956]

Often the quick disconnect on those engines goes bad. If you wanted to rewire it like OEM, you would need a suitable waterproof plug with two battery cables and about 7 other wires, that fit or almost fit the quick disconnector hole in the lower cowling.

The other choice would be to use marine bullet connectors for the small wires and run the battery cables from battery thru the hole in the lower cowl to the starter solenoid and ground. It would be ugly but would work.

 

[1960 Starflite]

I was able to rewire the engine side harness a couple years ago. I also purchased a 14ga x 7 conductor 12 ft long cable. I stripped the old brittle wiring as close to harness plug as possible and soldered the splices. It has evidently broken internally again to choke and start solenoid.

I'm still searching the venders. Serria is same price as CDI.

 

[racerone]

Forget about the quick disconnect plug.-----Use a terminal board to connect wires from motor to control box,

 

[Chris1956]

Terminal board? Gee how about marine adhesive shrink tube bullet connectors?

 

[Scott Danforth]

I usually go with a Deutsch round connector.

 

[1960 Starflite]

What a corroded mess inside boat side harness. I didn't cut any of these, the corrosion had migrated even into my replacement soldered cable.

Replaced with Jetunit 474-9550 harness $242 delivered. Still a lot of money for wires. Started the old girl yesterday.

 

[Chris1956]

Your motor would originally have marine tinned wires. Those do not look like those to me. Marine tinned wires are thinner and tined, vs regular copper wire..

 

[boscoe99]

Neither of my two Mercury motors, nor my Yamaha, used tinned wiring.