Question about Stator on '88 135 Black Max

[Ron-MeltonHillLake]

Hi, I have a 1988 135 Black Max Mercury. It seems to be a little sluggish lately. I put an inline spark tester on each cylinder and did some test. Cylinders 1, 3 and 5 produce a visible spark while cylinders 2, 4 and 6 do not. I thought that I might have a bad SwitchBox so I swapped the two around and put what I thought was the good SwitchBox on the side where I wasn't getting spark before. It did not make a difference. I still get the same results. Then I decided to test the other electrical components. The trigger seems to check out just fine when doing resistance test. So then I started checking the stator. The service manual states that when testing the Red stator lead and the Powerhead ground or the Red/white stator lead with the powerhead ground with an R1 setting on the Ohm meter I should get a reading of 125-175, however; when I do this test I get a reading of 70 ohms. Would this cause the boat to run sluggish and explain why I don't see a visible spark on Cylinders 2, 4 and 6? I thought the stator was just for charging the battery. I am ready to be schooled by someone who knows what they are doing. Thanks.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Question about Stator on '88 135 Black Max

Actully your stator does charge the battery but there are 4 additional ign. windings that furnish low and high speed voltage for 1-3-5 cyls while the other 2 furnish voltage to operate 2-4-6 cyls and it's a ign. winding thats failed.

 

[Ron-MeltonHillLake]

Re: Question about Stator on '88 135 Black Max

Thanks for the reply Laddies. So you are saying "yes", that the 70 ohm reading would be representative of what is causing the no visible spark on 2, 4 and 6 cylinders. I do not know how much you know about this particular motor but are the red and blue wires (and red/wh and blue/wh wires) that come out of the stator the ignition wires you are referring to for high and low voltage?

 

[Laddies]

Re: Question about Stator on '88 135 Black Max

OHMs testing of stators is very inconclusive but if you swap the red and red/white and the blue and blue/white wires or swap the boxes as you did and nothing changes as far as spark you have a bad stator.

 

[Ron-MeltonHillLake]

Re: Question about Stator on '88 135 Black Max

Excellent. Thanks a bunch Laddies. I know just enough to be dangerous.