[JT!]

big suprise out on the lake today, my 2 brandnew batteries totally depleted.

got a jump start and realized that the motor isnt charging up the batteries.

if i disconnected the ground to swap batteries the motor went into forward gear, it wouldnt sty in neutral.



any ideas?

[Joe Reeves]

That engine's default shift position is forward gear. Voltage is required for neutral or reverse.

Disconnecting the battery while the engine is running usually destroys the charging rectifier.

(Small Rectifier Description & Location)
(J. Reeves)

On most 3,4,6 cylinder engines, the small rectifier is located on the starboard (right) side of the engine just in front of the engines electrical wiring strip. There are a few older V4 engines that have the wiring strip on the rear portion of the engine and the rectifier would be located just under that terminal strip. The smaller horsepower engines usually have the rectifier located on the starboard side of the powerhead close to the carburetor area.

The rectifier appears to be a round object approximately one inch (1") in diameter and also about one inch (1") high. The base of it is sort of triangular in appearance and is attached to the engine with two (2) screws/bolts..... usually one screw/bolt is larger than the other. The rectifier, depending on which one your engine uses, will have either:

One Red wire, one Yellow wire, and one Yellow/Gray wire, or One Red wire, and two Yellow wires.

Note that either of the above rectifiers could have a fourth wire which would be Yellow/Blue

********************
(Small Rectifier Test)
(J. Reeves)

Remove the rectifier wires from the terminal block. Using a ohm meter, connect the black lead of the ohm meter to the rectifier base (ground), then one by one, connect the red lead of the ohm meter to the yellow, yellow/gray, then the red wire (some rectifiers may also have a fourth yellow/blue wire. If so connect to that also). Now, reverse the ohm meter leads and check those same wires again. You should get a reading in one direction, and none at all in the other direction.

Now, connect the black lead of the ohm meter to the red wire. One by one, connect the red lead of the ohm meter to the yellow, yellow/gray, and if present, the yellow/blue wire. Then reverse the leads, checking the wires again. Once more, you should get a reading in one direction and none in the other.

Note that the reading obtained from the red rectifier wire will be lower then what is obtained from the other wires.

Any deviation from the "Reading", "No Reading" as above indicates a faulty rectifier. Note that a rectifier will not tolerate reverse polarity. Simply touching the battery with the cables in the reverse order or hooking up a battery charger backwards will blow the diodes in the rectifier assy immediately

[JT!]

thanks, i've surely ruined the rectifier. i'll test it in the morning.
when i bought the motor, i tested it without a battery. that was the first mistake.

[JT!]

i tested the rectifier, and it seems shorted open in every direction.

every test on 200ohm, 2k ohm and 2mohm all show infinite resistance.

the red lead has also been chewed by a mouse, cooked dry, and corroded as well.

i think i need part # 18-5708

[JT!]

I bought a used rectifier for 20$, which is a deal compared to list price. I tested it with the ohm meter and it behaves properly.

Joe you nailed it. thank you.

[JT!]

i am about to install my new diode component and forgot where the wires go.

yellow, yellow w/grey, and red goto which of the terminals 1,2, 3?


sorry for a n00b question, i was so busy diagnosing problem i didnt remember where they came off of.

[Joe Reeves]

Look at the yellow wires leading from the stator. The rectifier yellow wires connect to the stator's like color wires. The red wire connects to the other red wire that you see there.

Term 1 = yellow
Term 2 = yellow/gray
Term 3 = red

Now, next time, make notes and pay attention (grin.

[JT!]

seems those wires did have some color codes under the black goo covering them. (motorside, the component was clean)

i also read the manual but hadn't looked at the wiring diagram in the appendix which clearly showed what went where.
___________________

should there be voltage present on terminals 1 and 2? i find a dropping voltage in the 11v range on those terminals.

there's a full 12v on the red lead of course. terminal #3

[Joe Reeves]

Playing around with a gauge on those wires can set up a reverse polarity condition. Guess what that'll do? If the charging system is now working, let it be.