Smokin' Diodes

[KiHoPro]

I have a question about the electrical on my 1993 Evinrude 48 hp SPL. I rebuilt the lower end and put the two units back together. I went to start my O/B. After some adjustments and a little “Ether”, it fired up and ran great.<br /><br />However after sitting in the damp cool air overnight I couldn’t get it to fire. I checked all connections and wires. Came to a conclusion that the battery needed to be replaced. I purchased a shinny new battery and was set to go. I asked a friend to install the battery while I searched for some tools.<br /><br />My mistake was not to double-check my friend’s work. He installed the battery backwards. I flipped the switch and POP!, accompanied with a little smoke and the wonderful smell of burnt electrical.<br /><br />According to the manual** I may have blow the “Diodes”. *This is all the manual said in regards to this problem. “Verify the battery cables have been PROPERLY connected. If the battery has not been connected correctly the diodes in the circuit will be blow instantly.” Brilliant move! The manual, did not give a description of where the diodes are located, nor did they give a replacement part number.<br /><br />Can anyone give me some guidance? Can this battery flip issue affect anything else? I.E. the rectifier, coil?<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />KiHo<br /><br />* ELECTRICAL 6-14 (Second Paragraph down, first column)<br />** Johnson/Evinrude #1304 Outboards 1990-95 Repair Manual

 

[KiHoPro]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

Let me see if I can read between the lines? What you are saying, is that the rectifier houses the diodes? And that I did not blow anything else? Whew!<br /><br />Now where is it? Where is the rectifier located? What does the rectifier look like? I found the wiring bridge.

 

[chuckz]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

The diodes are the rectifier. Besides the starter, that's probably the only thing connected to the batteries on the engine.<br /><br />I don't know what other electronics you have on board, but they all need to be checked out.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

Just curious to find out if your friend offered to pay for the damaged parts.

 

[KiHoPro]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

NO! But I did hook him up to the positive and negative leads of the battery just to make sure that next time he was fully aware of the proper connection. He got a charge out of that!

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

after you fix the electrical you really need to fix your fuel problem. ether can be a piston killer. if the motor is in a proper state of tune and the fuel subsystem top notch there is no need for ether. if the fuel system is degraded that is a piston killer as well.

 

[KiHoPro]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

Yes…. I agree! I have a real fuel issue. My inflatable has a very large fuel tank 25gal. It is currently half full with some three-year-old fuel and oil. I am trying to locate a disposal facility.<br /><br />With the strict laws in Southern California on toxic waste disposal, I either have to posses a dealers or commercial license for waste disposal, which I have neither.<br /><br />It leaves me with two reasonable choices. One, use the existing fuel and diluting with new fuel and 50:1 as I go. Two, well I really don’t have a second choice that I can figure out.<br /><br />Anyone have any suggestions, or is this another discussion for a different day?

 

[Mark42]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

I am trying to locate a disposal facility

How about the gas tank of your friends car? (insert sinister laugh here)

 

[KiHoPro]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

Not a bad Idea! <br /><br />I believe this may be a very delicate process, and can only be preformed in the middle of the night? Due to safety concerns… (Insert Mark42s’ sinister laugh here)

 

[KiHoPro]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

Ok I have been to two marine part stores. They both have the same rectifier for the same price of $42.82 give or take some pennies. Is this a good price?<br /><br />Next issue is that I asked at the begging of my post: Can this battery flip issue affect anything else? I.E. the rectifier, coil? According to the “Sales person” in the parts department I need to also replace the “POWER BLOCK”?<br /><br />What do you think? Is this a necessary RnR?<br /><br /><br />~Cheers~

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

Unless hes refering to a power pack I dont know what hes talking about. If he is talking about the power pack, I doubt it was hurt.<br /><br />Maybe hes working on a sales commission.... In that case your prop was shorted out too. I have a good used one for a few bucks...

 

[KiHoPro]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

Dhadley - I don’t need a prop… But do you have any blinker fluid or any Ailerons for my water wings.<br /><br />~Cheese~<br /><br />P.S. I do think he said power pack, but it lost in translation… All I heard was whaw whaw whaw “dollar bills” blah blah blah “dollar bills”!

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

Glad to hear the prop wasnt shorted out. I think youll be good to go. Lets get the ol gal running and see.<br /><br />And good luck with the aliens, whether they have wings or not.

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

$42.82 sounds very reasonable. In my exuberance over my new 1977 motor (in 1977), I did exactly the same thing. It cost me $27 and change, way back then.

 

[GatorMike]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

I've got an Idea for that bad gas, recycle it, didn't it come out of the ground? ....On second thought, better not do that.

 

[fireman57]

Re: Smokin' Diodes

All stuff aside if yo know someone who has a car/truck that is before a 1986 you can put this fuel in their tank albeit seven or eight gallons at a time and it will be fine as long as they top off the rest of the tank with other fuel. I know that I will catch some guff for this but neither the car or owner will notice any difference in performance and the EPA doesn't even have to know about it. As for the "rest of the story" as Paul Harvey says, OMC dealers have to charge the same price whether you are in EPA California or corn eatin' Iowa for the same part.