can i make it work

hi i just bought a unfinished speedboat project.it has a 50hp evinrude outboard. with it came johnson controls which are done but the wiring cable is ok.also a good mercury box with cables and wiring. is there a way i can make the mercury control box work the evinrude engine with what i have?

Re: can i make it work

I doubt it.

Re: can i make it work

Welcome to iboats!

Since it is "unfinished" you still have time to keep an eye on ebay for the proper control.

Do not attempt to mix outboad controls....not worth the frankenstein type work or effort.

Re: can i make it work

I tried this once.

Hints: Once.

I didn't have power trim and tilt, electric start, or electric choke.

engine was a 93 20hp
Merc Controller was probably late 70's early 80's

My cable attachments for the johnson hung outside the engine, not inside.
So using some hose clamps and some screws, I made it work.

Took it out for one test run, then went a spent the $ on a new evinrude controller. it had all the bells and wisles, PTT, key start, choke, etc etc.
When I sold the boat, I took the controller out.

The adjustment knobs on the cable ends are pretty important. And there is a lot of force on the cables, way more than you realize. More than a hose clamp could ever hold.



I had $800 into that boat.

Should have never sold it.

:-(

Re: can i make it work

There are several issues with attempting to mix controls from one engine manufacturer with engines from another. 1) the electrical interface is not the same. 2) The throw (amount the cables move when the lever is moved) is not correct for the engine. And no -- the cable adjustments do not compensate for that -- those are cable "length" adjustments. 3) Some throttle/shift controls work backwards from the engine. In other words to increase speed on some engines the throttle cable must PULL. On others they must PUSH. That can vary even within the same manufacturer. 4) As mentioned, the cable ends generally don't match with the fastening points on the engine.

Re: can i make it work

You may or may not get it to work but just like steering this is not something you want to maybe work, something goes wrong and the engine is pegged wide open and you will wish you had gotten the right controls.

Getting it to shift,advance the timing and throttle all in unison I think would be more of a pain than getting the right control.

Start poking around on Ebay, you will find something.

Re: can i make it work

johnson/evinrdue are compatable with each. the rest are all manufacturer specific.

Re: can i make it work

BigB9000 said:

I tried this once.

Hints: Once.

I didn't have power trim and tilt, electric start, or electric choke.

engine was a 93 20hp
Merc Controller was probably late 70's early 80's

My cable attachments for the johnson hung outside the engine, not inside.
So using some hose clamps and some screws, I made it work.

Took it out for one test run, then went a spent the $ on a new evinrude controller. it had all the bells and wisles, PTT, key start, choke, etc etc.
When I sold the boat, I took the controller out.

The adjustment knobs on the cable ends are pretty important. And there is a lot of force on the cables, way more than you realize. More than a hose clamp could ever hold.

I had $800 into that boat.

Should have never sold it.

:-(

Click to expand...

i tried it putting the evinrude plug/socket on the end of the wiring [red to red green to green and so on]. engine started with key and choke worked,so far so good.checked that the battery was charging ,ok nice one.put it into gear,lovely jobely.went to put the throttle up and the cable pushed instead of pulling.dam so close.looks like ebay then