[buzzer1]

Hi Guys,I am new here and need help.I have a 1989 Mercury 50hp outboard that is giving me a headache. One of the cylinders on the thing keeps cutting out and fouling out. There is also oil in the exhaust leaking from the hub. The carbs have been cleaned and tuned, the spark has been checked and seems strong. I can start the motor and run it at full throttle on the other cylinders very slow and bogging and then it will just kick in clear out and go like hell. Then after a period of just trolling or going slow it cuts out again. Anyone got any suggestions? Do you think it could be a coil? Also the alarm keeps going off during this solid beep indicating overheating. Any help would be appreciated.

[Laddies]

It sounds like the switch box, whats the way they seem to go

[buzzer1]

Here is what I did this weekend. I started the motor and disconnected the bottom cylinder plug wire, no change. I put it back on and disconnected the middle cylinder plug wire, engine stumbled. I put it back on. I then disconnected the top cylinder plug wire and engine stumbled. Next I took the middle cylinder coil and swapped it with bottom cylinder coil. I started the engine and removed bottom cylinder plug wire still no change. I removed middle cylinder plug wire motor stumbled. This eliminates the coil as the problem. Here is where it starts to get tricky. I pulled the plug wire on bottom cylinder and could see and hear the spark to the plug, but no change in engine cylinder definately not working (I'm thinking spark is too weak). Then I rev the engine up and try to change the situation. Next thing is I pull top cylinder plug and no stumble. Now the top cylinder has no spark. I pull bottom cylinder plug wire no change. Engine is now running on only one cylinder the center cylinder. I am thinking that the only thing that could cause this condition is the switch box. The part is $185 new from the parts store. I do not have a dva to test but was wondering if it sounds like the switch box to you experienced folks. Carbs are clean as a whistle and fuel is flowing nicely. Any help would be much appreciated and I will continue to post resolution in order to help others. Thank you.

[Laddies]

Yes it sure sound like the box, the stator is working or it wouldn't run at at and triggers rarely fail

[KCLOST]

As I posted in your other post, I'm worried about the overheat alarm you are having...That doesn't sound like it could be related to a switchbox failure.. An intermittent beep maybe (if you have oil injection) but a constant beep has me stumped...You may very well have an overheat problem.. And overheating the engine can cause the switchbox to fail... Or I guess I should say, a failing switchbox can quit functioning properly with higher temps...Let us know...