1990 90hp Mercury- voltage issue

mtammons

Cadet
Joined
Apr 3, 2005
Messages
7
I was having issues starting the motor. Did some test and determined the solenoid was bad. I replaced the solenoid and it cranked right up. I let it idle for 15 mins or so. Turned it off and let it sit for 5 mins. When I turned the key I heard a pop and smelt smoke. For the next 20 minutes I started checking wires and fuses. Found nothing. I also noticed the voltage gauge wasn't reading any voltage and the motor trim didn't work. After checking wires an testing fuses I went back and tried to crank it. It started up. The next couple days I would test throughout the day and all was good. Today, no voltage at the gauge and no power at the motor tilt. Again looked for burnt wires or wires that my be shorted out. No luck. But now it's running again. I have not pulled the flywheel to examine the stator or the trigger. Any advise would be great. Thanks
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,544
Two things confusing. All you did was to remove and replace the solenoid. (Assuming) You replaced wire for wire on the proper terminals where the wires were removed. On my 2002 90 the input terminal of the solenoid is the Batt 12v distribution point. Getting one of those wires in the wrong place could cause problems, funny events.

Second thing confusing is that you had a problem significant enough to cause "a fire" and did nothing and then everything was ok. Then off and on.

Unless you had an existing problem, and wired the new solenoid properly, and installed the exact electrical equivalent to what you had before the only thing I can think of is you have a loose connection inside that new solenoid causing your peculiarities.
 

merc850

Commander
Joined
Jul 7, 2010
Messages
2,022
It sounds like bad connections at the battery did you clean them when it wouldn't start?
 

mtammons

Cadet
Joined
Apr 3, 2005
Messages
7
Gave up and took to my mechanic. It was multiple issues. Solenoid, switchbox, and regulator were all bad or needed replacement. Thanks for the responses
 

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,585
Gave up and took to my mechanic. It was multiple issues. Solenoid, switchbox, and regulator were all bad or needed replacement. Thanks for the responses

I have some questions about all the things that the "mechanic" replaced and stated as bad. If the switchbox was bad, your engine would have never started and run. So that is suspect there for starters. I can understand a bad regulator if you, even for a second, got any of the wires reversed. But the solenoid that you just replaced had to be wired in wrong for it to go bad so quickly as well. So something doesn't add up with everything that transpired. JMHO
 
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