Mercury 400
Recruit
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2006
- Messages
- 1
I just found this forum after receiving a Crestliner, trailer, and 40HP Mercury Outboard this holiday weekend from my Uncle.
The motor had been installed on the old pontoon boat up until about 2 or 3 years ago...when it was removed when the pontoon boat was traded in for a new one. The Mercury was to be installed on this Crestliner, but had not been until this Holiday weekend. The motor had always run well on the pontoon boat.
The motor had been 'stored' simply by wrapping it with a small piece of plastic sheeting and laying it on its side on a small trailer...outside. So, when I retrieved the motor it was covered in debris, etc from 2-3 years of just laying there.
Anyway, after attaching the motor to the boat, I figured I would see if there was any spark. So, using a freshly charged battery, I tried the key and the starter engages and turns the engine over just fine. But...there is NO SPARK to either plug.
The serial number on this Mercury 400 is 3048289. So, I believe it is a 1971 model, 2 cylinder (red pin-stripes around the cowling).
Since I just got the boat and motor, I don't have any literature on any of it. I just started searching the web and stumbled across this forum. I did a search on 'no spark' and read some of the topics but didn't see my model/year/issue.
I understand small engines and automotive systems...but outboards are new to me. I have a decent tool set, and multimeters, timing lights, dwell meters, etc but I need a place to start.
I looked at all of the wiring on the engine (and even used two different remote controls - with the same results) for anything corroded or damaged. Nothing looked corroded, but I did notice the white wire attached to the center stud (of the 5 studs) on the switch box looked like the insulation was 100 years old (until I unwrapped the electrical tape and found decent insulation beneath it). The strands of wire inside the crumbling insulation looked sort of greenish and red (oxidized copper)...that is why I went back under the electrical tape to get to some better wire.
I replaced that crumbling section of wire with a new piece...but still no spark. I have tried disconnecting the mercury switch, removing the switchbox wires (one at a time) and cleaning both the wire terminals as well as the nuts that secured them to the studs. The grounds all seem to be OK, and (like I stated earlier) the starter turns the engine over great. Just no spark.
I was completely expecting to have carb issues (with just sitting there for a couple years) but I wasn't expecting this dam no spark issue.
Any help is appreciated. I realize that outboard parts aren't exactly inexpensive...so I would like to troubleshoot properly...and not just start throwing parts at this issue.
The motor had been installed on the old pontoon boat up until about 2 or 3 years ago...when it was removed when the pontoon boat was traded in for a new one. The Mercury was to be installed on this Crestliner, but had not been until this Holiday weekend. The motor had always run well on the pontoon boat.
The motor had been 'stored' simply by wrapping it with a small piece of plastic sheeting and laying it on its side on a small trailer...outside. So, when I retrieved the motor it was covered in debris, etc from 2-3 years of just laying there.
Anyway, after attaching the motor to the boat, I figured I would see if there was any spark. So, using a freshly charged battery, I tried the key and the starter engages and turns the engine over just fine. But...there is NO SPARK to either plug.
The serial number on this Mercury 400 is 3048289. So, I believe it is a 1971 model, 2 cylinder (red pin-stripes around the cowling).
Since I just got the boat and motor, I don't have any literature on any of it. I just started searching the web and stumbled across this forum. I did a search on 'no spark' and read some of the topics but didn't see my model/year/issue.
I understand small engines and automotive systems...but outboards are new to me. I have a decent tool set, and multimeters, timing lights, dwell meters, etc but I need a place to start.
I looked at all of the wiring on the engine (and even used two different remote controls - with the same results) for anything corroded or damaged. Nothing looked corroded, but I did notice the white wire attached to the center stud (of the 5 studs) on the switch box looked like the insulation was 100 years old (until I unwrapped the electrical tape and found decent insulation beneath it). The strands of wire inside the crumbling insulation looked sort of greenish and red (oxidized copper)...that is why I went back under the electrical tape to get to some better wire.
I replaced that crumbling section of wire with a new piece...but still no spark. I have tried disconnecting the mercury switch, removing the switchbox wires (one at a time) and cleaning both the wire terminals as well as the nuts that secured them to the studs. The grounds all seem to be OK, and (like I stated earlier) the starter turns the engine over great. Just no spark.
I was completely expecting to have carb issues (with just sitting there for a couple years) but I wasn't expecting this dam no spark issue.
Any help is appreciated. I realize that outboard parts aren't exactly inexpensive...so I would like to troubleshoot properly...and not just start throwing parts at this issue.
