Stator replacement help.

[keithmylum]

I have a 1971 40 hp 400m mercury that I am replacing the stator on. My old stator had a red wire that connected to red on the start solenoid then threw the wiring harness to red positive on the battery. The stator has a black wire instead and says I should connect it to engine ground. Stator number 174-4424. Do y'all think this is correct? I am afraid I will short out the new stator.The rectifier used to be connected to ground but now it is connected to positive.

 

[Cal_MI]

Re: Stator replacement help.

The parts list shows 5 wires connected to the stator. You should disconnect one wire at a time from the old stator and connect the new stator to the equivalent place. Yes, red wires are normally connected directly to the positive battery post and black wires are usually connected to chassis ground. But some shade tree mechanic may have made a repair with the wrong color wire at some time. And old Merc engines have some wires coded differently that the new ones. For example, the hot wire from the ignition switch used to be white on old (pre 1980) engines, but is purple on newer engines.

 

[keithmylum]

Re: Stator replacement help.

The parts list shows 5 wires connected to the stator. You should disconnect one wire at a time from the old stator and connect the new stator to the equivalent place. Yes, red wires are normally connected directly to the positive battery post and black wires are usually connected to chassis ground. But some shade tree mechanic may have made a repair with the wrong color wire at some time. And old Merc engines have some wires coded differently that the new ones. For example, the hot wire from the ignition switch used to be white on old (pre 1980) engines, but is purple on newer engines.

It does have 5 wires the other four I know where they go. Two to the rectifier and two to the switch box. I just don't know about the black wire that says to connect to ground. Since the one I am taking off had a red connected to positive. But the reverse is true for the rectifier. It used to be connected to ground but now goes to positive.