1988 Force 50 hp with US marine control box

[newpontoonie]

I just purchased a 1988 Grumman Pontoon it has a 50 hp Force outboard with Us Marine control box. All the electrical wires are connected to the ignition switch but there is a cable that comes out of the bottom with 4 wires in it the colors are black, red/blue, purple and not sure if the last is orange or green as it is faded. Does anyone know what these wires are for? I assume a engine kill or tach maybe? I have not yet tried to start the engine because I would think these need to be connected to something, any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 1988 Force 50 hp with US marine control box

Possible they are for a lead to the dash?
Black is usually a ground?
Red hot
Blue is usually a hot lead for the guages?
Orange is the overheat buzzer?

Are they just hanging loose or are they connected to a coupler?

Take the shifter apart and see where they go.
PIcs??

Profile? Location? You might be close to someone who can help??

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: 1988 Force 50 hp with US marine control box

It really depends on the control box and cable. Some had a small 4 wire cable that ran to the dash for tachometer and other gauges, while some had a three wire cable for power tilt/trim. Some had nothing and the ignition switch with all associated wiring was located in the dash, not the control box. Colors on the tilt/trim were usually standardized as red-- power, blue--up, green--down, In your case, black would be ground, red/blue would be power to the tach, purple is signal to tach, and if the final one is orange it would be for the overheat indicator or temp gauge.

Orange is usually overheat indicator for a buzzer or light. I don't think any US marine controls had a buzzer built into the control box like the later Mercury3000 control box that was used on Force engines after 1994.

 

[newpontoonie]

Re: 1988 Force 50 hp with US marine control box

It really depends on the control box and cable. Some had a small 4 wire cable that ran to the dash for tachometer and other gauges, while some had a three wire cable for power tilt/trim. Some had nothing and the ignition switch with all associated wiring was located in the dash, not the control box. Colors on the tilt/trim were usually standardized as red-- power, blue--up, green--down, In your case, black would be ground, red/blue would be power to the tach, purple is signal to tach, and if the final one is orange it would be for the overheat indicator or temp gauge.

Orange is usually overheat indicator for a buzzer or light. I don't think any US marine controls had a buzzer built into the control box like the later Mercury3000 control box that was used on Force engines after 1994.

Thanks Frank I guess I will try to start her up tomorrow! And plan on buying the temp and tach gauges once my helm comes in. Do you know if I need to buy specific ones to be compatible with the engine or are they pretty standard? Again thank you for the post I was worried that I was missing a kill switch or something more involved.

 

[newpontoonie]

Re: 1988 Force 50 hp with US marine control box

Possible they are for a lead to the dash?
Black is usually a ground?
Red hot
Blue is usually a hot lead for the guages?
Orange is the overheat buzzer?

Are they just hanging loose or are they connected to a coupler?

Take the shifter apart and see where they go.
PIcs??

Profile? Location? You might be close to someone who can help??

Thanks for the post Jerry. I would believe they belong to the dash as another poster has helped verify the color wires I have. I will be trying the gauges soon as they arrive!

 

[joshackley]

Re: 1988 Force 50 hp with US marine control box

I know this thread has been dead for a while, but I just happen to have a US Marine control box attached to a 70HP force. My also has that little cable coming out with 4 wires, that are connected to a terminal. On mine, the orange and red went to a overheat buzzer, black is ground, purple is for the tach. I also used that red wire to connect something else, I'm pretty sure I used it for the gauge lights maybe? I'd have to climb under my dash and check for sure.

 

[soulride]

I have a 35hp with the same control it seems the the wires that were.in the bottom got pulled out and place directly on the motor instead by the previous owner. If you still have yours please check and see where the wires lead to

 

[jerryjerry05]

Post is 2 years old.

 

[GA_Boater]

Post is 2 years old.

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