Bypass wiring harness? 1970 40hp Big Twin

[New_Era]

Hi All,

Have 1970 40hp Big Twin (Model 40052A) electric start, manual shift. The engine side wires out of the wiring harness plug are all in terrible shape. There is not enough good wire there to splice. Can you just bypass the wiring harness plug and use butt connectors to join the wires directly and eliminate the wiring harness plug? Is there any type of junction box, connectors that would be better than a butt connection. Is there some reason you should not even consider this?

I have not been able to find a wiring harness for my particular motor. For similar aged/hp motors I do see that they cost around $150. I am still trying to evaluate my new to me motor and don't want to sink that amount into it just yet but obviously need to address the wiring before I can do so.

Thanks for your help.

Ron

 

[david_r]

Re: Bypass wiring harness? 1970 40hp Big Twin

if you are wanting to start it without the key to see what yoju have---just unplug the big connector and jump the starter with a screw driver or wire.

heres a diagram (youll have to scroll down)
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/electricStart.html

jump # 3 to # 6 or you can hook jumper cables to the batt and find a good solid ground on the motor and put the hot wire to # 8 on the starter.

youll have to pull the plug wires or choke it out to kill it.

 

[New_Era]

Re: Bypass wiring harness? 1970 40hp Big Twin

Thank you David_r. I just printed out the info you sent and will pour over it.

Meanwhile, do you think bypassing the wiring harness plug can be an option?

Thanks again, Ron

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Bypass wiring harness? 1970 40hp Big Twin

Try these folks for an engine harness. They will not sell you junk (used, but not junk). If you sell the motor and end up with another engine of similar vintage you now have to do all that splicing all over again. I strongly discourage that as you then also devalue the control box and harness which could be otherwise sold. Nobody wants a butchered engine or electrics.

http://www.twincityoutboard.com/

 

[david_r]

Re: Bypass wiring harness? 1970 40hp Big Twin

have to agree with silvertip.


those wires arent always the same color on the other side of the plug........but be patient and im sure you can do it with splicing or wire connectors.





i have more diagrams from the same site ---they may help you sort it out

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/electricStart.html i think this one is too new

heres an older one http://www.hhscott.com/evinrude/images/wiring/73_OMC_V8_all_big.jpg

and here
http://www.hhscott.com/evinrude/wiring.htm

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Bypass wiring harness? 1970 40hp Big Twin

Hi All,

Have 1970 40hp Big Twin (Model 40052A) electric start, manual shift. The engine side wires out of the wiring harness plug are all in terrible shape. There is not enough good wire there to splice. Can you just bypass the wiring harness plug and use butt connectors to join the wires directly and eliminate the wiring harness plug? Is there any type of junction box, connectors that would be better than a butt connection. Is there some reason you should not even consider this?

I have not been able to find a wiring harness for my particular motor. For similar aged/hp motors I do see that they cost around $150. I am still trying to evaluate my new to me motor and don't want to sink that amount into it just yet but obviously need to address the wiring before I can do so.

Thanks for your help.

Ron

If you can get a decent used wiring harness at a price that suits you, that is your best option. A close second would be to make your own harness, but adding in a plug is difficult at home....if you could get the blank.

Those plugs are a Catch 22: if you get the benefit of ease of disconnect/reconnect because you remove the motor seasonally, the wear and tear does degrade the wiring at the plug connection.
If your motor seldom if ever gets removed from the boat or disconnected at that plug....the plug is not really as great a benefit. Also, the deteriorated wiring can cause all sorts of bizarre and unrelated problems. Get rid of the plug.

My suggestion (and I had great results) is to get a terminal block and make your connections between the motor and control harness there....with good quality ring connectors and heat-shrink tubing.
The controls harness has lots of length and can supply several feet of extra wire (correct colour code and gauge) to use inside the motor. There will still be sufficient length to bring the controls cable into the engine.

I did this with a 68 Johnson 55 HP and it solved a bunch of irritating problems. I would remove and store the motor each winter....the disconnect on the 10 ring connectors was less than 10 minutes.

 

[New_Era]

Re: Bypass wiring harness? 1970 40hp Big Twin

Thanks Tim,

Your suggestion of the termial block is the route I am going to take.

Thanks everyone.

Ron

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Bypass wiring harness? 1970 40hp Big Twin

I have mine cabled directly with no plugs or terminal strips, but the motor doesn't ever come off of the boat, and I'm not using an alternator or generator You'd need wires for:
Heavy gauge Positive and Negative to battery
Negative to block, Positive to solenoid.

(2) Magneto wires from engine to ignition switch. I have bypassed the neutral and vacuum cut out's. Do so at your own risk. I also have a kill switch (lanyard) wired in parallel off of the ignition switch.

Hot wire from the positive battery connection on the solenoid to the ignition switch. A fuse is recommended.

Starter wire from the ignition to the solenoid terminal post.

Electric choke (if equipped) wire from ignition switch to the choke.

Short heavy cable from the solenoid to the starter on the outboard. Buy this one.

That's it. Everything has crimp connectors and is heat shrunk. Reinforced where it goes through the clamp going into the outboard