150 xr2 black max stator switch pack problems

llyons

Seaman
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
59
My 1987 mercury xr2 150 seems to only fire on 1 side. I can feel the heat on the cylinder head on left bank but not on the right bank. I have done some quick resistance checks on the stator which has a ground wire and dont get the right readings between red to blue, but for red-white to blue-white, red to gnd and red-white to gnd its fine. I also removed the kill lines and the idle stablelizer lines from the power packs and same scenario, running on just one bank. When I switch the stator lines between the switch packs, it will not start. I switch the stator lines back to original position and it starts but runs on the same side.

It seems like this would be telling me one of my switchpacks is bad as is my stator. I read that I should replace all 3 together anyway.

Any expert out there that can provide more guidance / help?

Thanks in advance

Lance
 

tommarvin

Ensign
Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Messages
999
Do you have a Malfunction indicator light/bulb that reads the error codes? We have this on our 2002 115hp EFI , hope you do too..
Do you have a factory service manual? It will walk you through everything, if not watch all the you-tube videos until you fix the problem.
CDI electronics dot com has all the ways to test all ignition parts on there web site.
If your boating season is over like ours, relax you have months to go thru your complete motor, make it perfect before next season.
 

llyons

Seaman
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
59
Thanks Tommarvin. That is helpful. I do have the engine manual and this xr2 doesnt seem to have trouble codes but I might be mistaken. I am definitely going to take is slow.. However here in Louisiana the coastal fishing is just starting to get good. I am going to do some dva and impedance tests on the stator next. Will post those numbers when I get them.
 

Dukedog

Captain
Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Messages
3,235
When I switch the stator lines between the switch packs, it will not start. I switch the stator lines back to original position and it starts but runs on the same side.

It seems like this would be telling me one of my switchpacks is bad as is my stator. I read that I should replace all 3 together anyway.

​yeah, this does indicate stator bad... switch boxes may/may not be a problem but you won't know for sure till ya get tha stator fixed... at this point and given age, i'd do switch boxes too and forget it.... throw tha idle stabilizer in tha trash.. redo link/sync, timing and done.. hope your manual is oem.. read it carefully!..... after market manuals suck.. usin' tha manual word for word, identifying parts involved, understanding it "before" ya ever turn a wrench.........
 
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llyons

Seaman
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
59
Let me ask another simple question. In my mercury mariner service manual that I purchased when I purchased the boat, it says that I should do impedance tests as follows.

Between blue and red stator lines 5400-6200 ohms
between blue-white and red-white 5400-6200 ohms
between red and engine ground 125-175 ohms
between red-white and eng ground 125-175 ohms

for stators PN 398-5454A34 the red and red-whte to ground is 65-75 ohms
and blue to red and blue-white to red-white is 4450-4650

in other documents like from CDI, i see completely different testing methods.

What is the accurate way to test this? Between what leads?
My motor serial is 0b129381
 

llyons

Seaman
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
59
Here are my impedance measurements from the stator.

blue/red 2.9 Kohm
blue-white/red-white 3.87 Kohm
Red/Ground 73.2 ohm
red-white/ground 73.4 ohm
blue/ground 2.9 Kohm
blue-white/ground 3.9 Kohm

even tho the blue/red is low, those numbers seem to be ok.

Still have one side firing.. after swapping stator leads the motor wont start...swapping back and one side is firing.
 

Dukedog

Captain
Joined
Oct 6, 2009
Messages
3,235
those numbers, for tha most part suck..... forget tha cdi stuff.. its merc stuff, not cdi...... use and go by what your oem manual, procedures and numbers, tell ya..............

​ if ya "move stator wires" and problem follows that in it self tells ya tha stator is junk..............
 

llyons

Seaman
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
59
Ok I understand.

In my scenario, when I swap the stator wires, the motor wont start.

I started up the motor after work and it was running fine today for about the first minute. I say this because it sounded like it was running right and both cylinder heads where getting warm/hot because all six where firing. Then after the minute the sound changes to a lower pitch and i noticed only cylinders 2,4,6 are firing again.

Does this point to anything?
 
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llyons

Seaman
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
59
Just did some peak vac test which I believe is the same as DVA and these are the values that I get

blue/ground 87.1
red/ground 54.0

blue-white/ground 121.5
red-white/ground 53.1

the cylinders 1,3,5 or the inside switchpack is not firing. That does coincide with the blue red pair which has dva measurements low. That side blue-red impedance is also low.

Could this scenario be causing the 1,3,5 cylinders to not fire?

I also disconnected the bias wire between the two and no change.
 

llyons

Seaman
Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
59
A little update. I am trying to do this slowly to make sure I get the right parts and limited time.

- compression was good 105-110 on all cylinders..thank God
- verified no spark on 1,3, 5 with a spark tester.
- also swapped stator leads again but this time without the bias wire connected between 2 switchpacks and motor would not start. Noticed the second time that the starter solenoid remains engaged and battery wire getting very warm.. something in this flipped stator lead configuration causes this to happen.. going to check the service manual to find a diagram so I can see if this sheds more light.

Its certainly starting to look like a stator problem.. i wonder if that would cause some short that is leaking into the solenoid circuit.

Thanks for any replies in advance.
 
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