1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

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Celtichawk

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Okay after looking around my engine making sure all wires are intact I discover this: photo2.jpgphoto1.jpg. That white electrical block what is this? And what should be connected to it?
 
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Celtichawk

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

Sorry if you can't make out the photo well I can rotate them back.....
 
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Maclin

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

That is a ballast resistor. It gets 12 volts in on one terminal from the ignition switch and the other terminal goes to the coil positive terminal. IT is for an externally resisited coil, the most common type of ignition system coil "back then".
 
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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

Maclin said:
That is a ballast resistor. It gets 12 volts in on one terminal from the ignition switch and the other terminal goes to the coil positive terminal. IT is for an externally resisited coil, the most common type of ignition system coil "back then".
Click to expand...


Well oddly enough then, if it has anything to do with my ignition and my boat already runs and starts without it, would that mean they converted to electronic ignition?

Distributor cap looked funny as if it could be a electronic but I have not investigated.
 
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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

My descriptuion of it relates to how the boat left the factory when it was new, who knows what happened afer that :suspicious:.

A bypassed ballast resistor does not necessarily mean electronic ignition though. Maybe a resistor wire was substituted. Maybe it was just bypassed totally for an internally ballasted coil. Maybe it was bypassed because it failed. And many electronic triggers that replace points use all the stock components like ballast and coils.

Yours is what it is and I for one await the results of your investigation :ranger:.
 
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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

Maclin said:
My descriptuion of it relates to how the boat left the factory when it was new, who knows what happened afer that :suspicious:.
A bypassed ballast resistor does not necessarily mean electronic ignition though. Maybe a resistor wire was substituted. Maybe it was just bypassed totally for an internally ballasted coil. Maybe it was bypassed because it failed. And many electronic triggers that replace points use all the stock components like ballast and coils.

Yours is what it is and I for one await the results of your investigation :ranger:.
Click to expand...


Very well and by that if I do find that it is E-ignition that would be te culprit? If it is not though then it would be a very interesting investigation?
 
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Maclin

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

Are you having problems or did you just see this component and wonder what it was?
 
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Celtichawk

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

Maclin said:
Are you having problems or did you just see this component and wonder what it was?
Click to expand...

Just seen it and wondering! Don't like seeing things not hooked up so I thought maybe I should investigate and find out why and what it was. Since motor had been rebuilt entirely all new pistons, rings, lifters, push rods, etc I figured if they tore motor down maybe they forgot to hook up. Would it start without it if it was not bypassed?
 
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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

If the wiring and ignition was original then, No, it would not run this way. It would start while cranking because the resisitance is bypassed when the key is in the Start position, but it would die as soon as the key was returned to On/Run.
 
Boomyal

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

Per a diagram recently posted elsewhere, that ballast resistor block had one wire coming from the ignition switch with two wires connected to the outlet side. One of the two came from the momentary 12v terminal on the starter solenoid and the other went on to the coil. Once the motor was running, the lead from the solenoid would be dead (or just reflect the reduced voltage) and the other, going to the coil would show the ballasted voltage.

If your motor starts and runs, then they undoubtedly bypassed the ballast resistor with the ignition lead and abandoned the temporary 12v lead coming from the solenoid.(actually they could have left that solenoid lead tied into the ignition lead and it would make no difference.

Now the question remains, is your coil suitable for a full 12v's? It will run extra hot (until it fails) if not. Also, are you using an electronic trigger as opposed to points. Most all Electronic triggers that I am aware of do require a full, constant 12 volts, Pertronix included.
 
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Celtichawk

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

Boomyal said:
Per a diagram recently posted elsewhere, that ballast resistor block had one wire coming from the ignition switch with two wires connected to the outlet side. One of the two came from the momentary 12v terminal on the starter solenoid and the other went on to the coil. Once the motor was running, the lead from the solenoid would be dead (or just reflect the reduced voltage) and the other, going to the coil would show the ballasted voltage.

If your motor starts and runs, then they undoubtedly bypassed the ballast resistor with the ignition lead and abandoned the temporary 12v lead coming from the solenoid.(actually they could have left that solenoid lead tied into the ignition lead and it would make no difference.

Now the question remains, is your coil suitable for a full 12v's? It will run extra hot (until it fails) if not. Also, are you using an electronic trigger as opposed to points. Most all Electronic triggers that I am aware of do require a full, constant 12 volts, Pertronix included.
Click to expand...

Best thing to do now is determine if the distributor has been swapped out along with coil to electric ign. When I know I will let you guys know and then we can source any issues if it has not. Based on the information you all provided esp the above details I'm assuming it has but without making a *** out of you as me lol I will double check.
 
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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

I would like to ask another questions, since this boat has a OMC stringer drive and those may or may not be hard to find parts for could I upgrade my stern drive with a different setup like newer? Keeping it OMC if I have to without replacing transom but is this possible or is my boot hole on transom unique to the stringer drive only?
 
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Maclin

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

The shape of hole in the transom for your drive type is unique to that drive. It is arguably the biggest hole of the major players.
 
Boomyal

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

I'm not sure about a 1972 electric shift stringer (there may be a difference between '72 and '73 intermediate housings) but you may be able to convert it to a later full mechanical drive. That is assuming that you have the low profile electric shift. If you have the high profile outdrive, all bets are off. They did not make high profile drives when they went to the hydro-mechanical in 1978 or the full mechanical in 1981/82.

I converted my '75 electric shift to a hydro-mechanical drive in 1979. It adapted easily to the '75 intermediate housing.

As for any other brand of outdrive, you would have to completely rebuild the transom and possibly modify the stringer for proper height. Most OMC stringer boats, that I am aware of, did not have a full structural transom as the drive did not attach to it.
 
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Celtichawk

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

Boomyal said:
That is assuming that you have the low profile electric shift. If you have the high profile outdrive, all bets are off.

How would I know about this? I'm pretty sure it is electric shift and also how would I know for sure?
Click to expand...
 
Boomyal

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

Celtichawk said:
Boomyal said:
That is assuming that you have the low profile electric shift. If you have the high profile outdrive, all bets are off.

How would I know about this? I'm pretty sure it is electric shift and also how would I know for sure?
Click to expand...

Unless someone already did a conversion, a '72 could only be an electric shift. Also, I hope you 'lnow for sure' because it matters what type of fluid you use in the lower drive.

I am almost willing to bet that with a 25' SeaRay, you have the high profile drive.
Click to expand...
 
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Celtichawk

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

Boomyal said:
Celtichawk said:
Unless someone already did a conversion, a '72 could only be an electric shift. Also, I hope you 'lnow for sure' because it matters what type of fluid you use in the lower drive.

I am almost willing to bet that with a 25' SeaRay, you have the high profile drive.
Click to expand...

Okay I will take photos today! I have not swapped any oil in drive yet so with that being said with my questions will help determine which drive I have and then you guys can assist with tellin me the oil type
Click to expand...
 
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Celtichawk

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

photo (4).jpgphoto (3).jpg

Okay here is the photos of my stern drive.....what is it? :)
 
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Celtichawk

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Re: 1972 SeRay OMC Stringer

I apologize for the angle of the photo meant to change it before but I posted but did not change correctly.
 
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