Help installing 70HP outboard

[joshackley]

Hey guys, I need a little more help. I just bought a 1994 or 95 70HP Force to replace the 91 70HP force. I've got a Clymer's that covers the new motor, I've got the remote controls, cables and wiring harness, I believe it's the Commander 2000, motor has it's wiring harness still connected.

But, it doesn't have battery cables? I'm thinking I need to take the battery cables off of my current motor, and hook these up to the new motor?

I'm sure I"ll have more questions after I pull the old one off and put the new one back on, but connecting it to the battery is my main concern at the moment.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: Help installing 70HP outboard

You'll need probably switch the whole system as the motor changed a LOT from 91-94

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Help installing 70HP outboard

Battery cables are easy. Red positive cable to the battery side of the starter solenoid and black to any good ground on the block. Usually, on the three cylinder engines there is a 5/16 X 18 tapped hole in the front of the block near the starter but you can use an exhaust cover bolt, a head bolt, a manifold bolt, etc. You can even ground to the lower cowling IF you run a a separate ground from the block to the cowl (for insurance). Since you already have a 70 you know that the battery cables enter on the port side of the lower cowling along with the main cable.

 

[joshackley]

Re: Help installing 70HP outboard

Thanks guys. I took the battery cables off of my old motor, saw where they were hooked up, and hooked them up the same way to the new motor. Duh. :facepalm:

I actually got the old one off, the new one on, and was able to crank it, all in about 6 hours. I'm a little tired now.

So hooking up the remote controls was pretty easy, I do need to hook up the rest of the harness to the boat harness for tach, etc.

I have two major problems right now. My cables are way too long! This motor came off a houseboat, so I'm assuming that's why there's the long cables. They go from my remote to the transom and back to the windshield! I can't use the cables that I had with the other remote, because the mounts on the motor and in the remote are different. Until I get new cables, will these work, even they are way too long?

Second problem, I have this little piece that came from somewhere when I opened up my controls that I can't find a spot for. It's a little cylinder metal piece, looks like brass, maybe 1/4" in diameter, and 1/4" wide? Does anyone know where this goes? I'll try to get a picture when I can, it's raining outside right now.

Oh, just thought of another issue. I have a diagram of the remote, it says what color the wires are, but not what those wires do?

One other thing. The tattle tale hose that should be there doesn't have any water coming out of it. But there was a small hose connected to an elbow on top of the head that the water comes out instead. Has anyone seen this before?

 

[joshackley]

Re: Help installing 70HP outboard

So cables being too long are causing the remote to be difficult to operate even with the tension knob backed out until loose, because they are in a bind, however, they are working properly. New cables on the list.

I found the place for the little brass cylinder metal piece after taking the remote apart again, and putting it where it looked like it could go....and it did.

Motor harness now connected to boat harness, and working properly. Figured out what the important wires are. Still not sure if I'm supposed to hook up the tan wire somewhere (sets off the buzzer when grounded), or the brown/white wire at the end of the harness, or the other tan wire near the plug by the controls.

Figured out why the original tattletale hose doesn't work, it's because it's blocked. I'm guessing instead of replacing the hose, they just unscrewed the plug on top, screwed in a 90 fitting, and attached a piece of hose. I'm going to see about clearing the hose, or picking up a new one, and a plug so that I can remove the added elbow and return it to original configuration.