Inline 6 electrical woes

Hello Folks
I have an inline 6, 90 hp serial number 6115285, I think its an 82
model.
I took it out and it didn't want to go to WOT.Hung up at 1800-2000rpm.
Brought it home and did the following.After reading a pile of FAQ's

-Sinc & link
-Checked 1st Stage and second stage timing both OK
-Pulled plugs checked for spark all fine ECEPT #2 totally dead
-Checked spark plug wire its ok but coil may be shot?

At this point I am just looking for other stuff that might be wrong, when I find that the two yellow leads going to the rectifier,have lost the rubber coating from age and have likely been arching. These leads come down from either the stator or the trigger I get them mixed up.

IF these shorted to ground would they fry the rectifier and coil on only one cylinder? or do I have more parts to look at replacing?

The fly wheel seems to have some movement in it. IE if I grab the fly wheel and gently turn in clockwise and then counter clockwise there seems to be about 1/64-1/32 of an inch of movement. Does this indicate any thing?

Parts I am considering replacing

Coils
trigger
stator
switch boxes
rectifier

Any help is apreciated especially if it saves having to replace any of the above parts!

Bill

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

First don't just start changing part inless you have money to burn. ck for spark on all cyls, if ok ck the max spark advance, if OK pull the carbs clean them and install a fuel pump kit.

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

Here is the ADI Troubleshooting link. It should help you track it down

http://www.boatpartstore.com/page26.asp

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

just to recap

90hp 6IL

No fire on #2 cyinder
Rectifier had bad wire insulation I cut back to good wire & replaced ends and reconected to rectifier.

I checked the web site quoted and they say to test rectifier by removing the two yellow stator leads and retest.

I am finding this a little vague retest the rectifier?
How?
Or am I just supposed to check for spark at the plug now?
Bill

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

They want you to do a spark test with the rectifier disconnected and heres a rectifier test

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

Laddies could you tell me what book you copied this page from. Looks like I need it for my library
I try these tests when I get home from work
Thanks
Bill

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

Here's aslightly different version of the rectifier test:

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

That came out ot one of my Mercury manuals. I am not smart enough to E-mail it to you but when my son gets home this evening he can send it or if you want he can PM it to you. I also have the CDI tests fot the ign. system if you want them. Just let me Know by a PM and then you won't have to worry about the e-mail address--Bob

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

Any information you fellows can supply is great the diagrams and diagnosing key is just what I find is the most use full for my self as I seem to have to read this electrcal stuff over many times before it starts to make sense to me.
Sorry Laddies I don't understand the abreviation PM other than for night time, but if you want to post to my home email its bljabaker@accesscomm.ca

Its raining buckets here on the canadian prairie so electrical tests are going to be put off for a day. I hate shocks!
Bill
Thanks fellows
Now if the rectifier is shot do I just replace it or do I need to continue with checking the yellow wires that were conected to it from stator as they had lost there insulation(posibly shorting to ground?)?
I don't want to jump ahead and put a new rectifier on and fry it too

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

by any means please send any info you wish it is definitely going to be put to good use and is appreciated

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

I was able to get out between rains

red to ground gave me
blk on A at 600ohm
blk on C at 0 ohm

blk on groundgave me
red on A at 600 ohm
red on C at 0 ohm

Black on B gave me infinity open circut A&C

Red on B gave me continuity at A&C

so from this I take it my rectifier is shot!
Whats the next step
Did my rectifier just die or did some other part take it out?
Bill

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

So do I go out and just buy the rectifier and
Hook it back up and hope for the best/
Bill

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

The rectifiers pop when somebody somewhere sometime....hooks up the battery backwards. Simply replace the rectifier and test your output voltage when you are done. If you read 13.5 V and up you are OK. Edited (thats 13.5 volts with the motor running)

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

I am confused now
Is it possible for the rectifier to be the only culprit as I had spark on 5 of the six cylinders. If the rectifier is bad should it not take and kill spark to all of the cylinders.
Now saying this I haven't gone back to check the spark on all of the other cylinders, I may likely have done something to the rectifier while I have been testing these other parts.
Coil,Stator,trigger,wires
Bill

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

Is this 13.5 measured across the battery posts?

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

1 once I replace the rectifier I'm to test the voltage at the rectifier for 13.5 volts or is this across the battery posts?

2 when doing electricle tests are all Volt tests to be done with the engine running or being cranked? or static?

3 Are resistance (Ohms) tests only done when engine is static with battery disconnected?
Bill

Re: Inline 6 electrical woes

bakerstaxidermy said:

1 once I replace the rectifier I'm to test the voltage at the rectifier for 13.5 volts or is this across the battery posts?
Yes, you will measure across the battery terminals with the engine running.
2 when doing electricle tests are all Volt tests to be done with the engine running or being cranked? or static?
As a guideline, all voltage related tests are done with the engine running, all resistance tests are done with the engine not running.
3 Are resistance (Ohms) tests only done when engine is static with battery disconnected?
Bill

Click to expand...

To protect your ohmeter you should disconnect your battery when doing resistance readings.