1960-61 800E - Choke working?

I have the infamous "dock crusher", I am having a hard time cold starting. How can I tell if my choke is working? I got a diagram from a prior post to make sure it was wired correctly.....but still having some issues starting. The motor was working well past summer, still had hard time cold starting, now since its been sitting for a couple of months having a hard time to start so I want to make sure choke is working. (choke was disconnected all last year from prior owner).

Re: 1960-61 800E - Choke working?

Do you hear the click of the choke plunger when hitting the choke switch? If not then try using your finger to move the plunger up into the choke as it may be stuck and re try the choke switch. If the plunger is hung up you may still hear the click but the plunger may not be fully engaged to choke the engine. I don,t know why the PO would disconnnect a working choke or a bad one for that matter. It,s a possibility the solenoid may be bad. Check the wire to see if current 12 v is there when hitting the choke switch to rule out wire switch etc.

Re: 1960-61 800E - Choke working?

Maxz, Thanks for the reply so quick. Excuse the ignorance here, but when you say I can can try and move the "plunger", where and how would I do that? I don't remember hearing it clicking at all when pushing the button. The PO I believe told me he took off when installing a new cable (not sure why he would need to though). So if I don't hear the click, I will try to see if there is any volatage to the soleniod is bad.....hopefully that cost isn't much. Thanks
**I just checked to try and find a soleniod, but they said its no longer available. Surely there is a after market one right?

Re: 1960-61 800E - Choke working?

You remove the air box and look into the carburetor throat while someone pushes the choke button. If the choke butterflies close they are working. If not -- they ain't. The problem is then either electrical (power to the button, out of the button, down the wire to the solenoid, through the solenoid to ground, or the mechanical stuff is binding, disconnected, or simply missing. Do the obvious first, look to see if everything is there.

Re: 1960-61 800E - Choke working?

The choke on a Mercury Direct Reversing outboard is activated by moving the ign switch to the same position as you'd use when starting a Full Gear Shift motor.

In other words, on a Dockbuster the "Start" position of the ign switch runs the choke. The "choke" position is spring-loaded just like the "start" position of a FGS outboard, so the key will spring back to the "ON" position as soon as you let go of the switch.

The starter motor switch is the pushbutton on the bottom side of the remote control lever.

So, in order to start a cold motor, you'd turn the key switch to the "choke" position, advance the control lever a bit then hit the pushbutton.

If the motor is properly tuned, off she'll go!

Note that the choke is only energized with the key in the "choke" position, so you'll need 2 hands to run the ign switch and starter pushbutton. Leave the choke on until the engine starts, then engage choke as required for smooth running until the motor warms.

Here's a link to a wiring diagram for your motor:

http://www.maxrules.com/oldmercs/Wiring/0_1965a/6.pdf

Note that the Light Blue wire supplies power to the choke solenoid, and the wire coming off the solenoid connects to the internal wiring harness at the terminal board on the Stbd side of the motor, same terminal board that provides power to the ign system's ballast resistors.

You should get 12V to ground at the choke wire terminal when the key switch is in the "choke" position. When the choke is energized, it pulls a plunger, which connects to the choke linkage via a braided wire.

HTH..........ed

Re: 1960-61 800E - Choke working?

OK, thanks for the help.....I have determined the choke soleniod is bad. Is there a way to manually push the choke on this? I want to get the motor started prior to it arriving? Thanks

Re: 1960-61 800E - Choke working?

Did you download the manual which I sent you in a previous post? If so, you will see the manual choke on page 105.

Gerry

Re: 1960-61 800E - Choke working?

Thanks Gerry.....but the link doesn't work now. I didn't download at the time, I thought I was going to and had forgot about it. Any chance you have another one?

Re: 1960-61 800E - Choke working?

Small Engine Repair Reference Center Home: MERCURY - MERCURY FOUR & SIX CYLINDER MODELS (1955-1965).

Download soonest to your computer as the link is short lived.

Gerry

Re: 1960-61 800E - Choke working?

The DR 800-6 didn't have a choke plunger going thru the top cowling, so you'd have to manually operate the choke linkage in order to fire off the motor before you get the bad solenoid replaced.

A pic of your bad solenoid might help. They're mostly the same except for the mounting flange, and just about any one that's a size match could probably be adapted to work, but it'd be much easier to find the exact fit for your motor.

Far as I know all the early Sixes with solenoids had the same one, with integral wire going to the resistor terminal block.

Found one on eBay for a 70hp Six, see if it matches up to yours:

31041 Choke Solenoid Top Cowl Mercury 700 HP 6 Cyl | eBay

HTH...........ed

Re: 1960-61 800E - Choke working?

Gerry,
Can you post the link for your source for downloading manuals ?
Thanks
Mike