1972 Mercury 20hp is KILLING me

[Now it's a Pride Issue]

Somebody help me!! To save time, I'll admit up front I'm a moron. I was given a '72 Mercury 20hp that ran fine by pull start (battery was dead for years). I bought a new battery and installed. I didn't think to check out the switch which turned out to be bad...sent 12v into the ignition circuit...smoke poured from under cowl. I replaced ignition box (red one) that's under flywheel around the points. Engine starts now but when I try to accelerate past a certain rpm, engine dies immediately. What could this be?

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1972 Mercury 20hp is KILLING me

It sounds like it burned the high speed winding out also

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1972 Mercury 20hp is KILLING me

Sorry should have posted this on the first post. I think this is your system it's quite easy to test with a OHM meter

 

[Now it's a Pride Issue]

Re: 1972 Mercury 20hp is KILLING me

Thank you Admiral. By "high speed winding" are you referring to the stator coil (blue and yellow wires)?

Also, I seem to have another clue....as I was putting the flywheel and brackets back on last night after checking the points, I somehow didn't get the point plate advance arm re-attached. The plate was WAY advanced. When I then started the engine, it seemed to be running at something like 12 billion RPM (at least it seemed like 12 billion as I fell all over myself trying to get it turned off). Since it ran up so fast, are you still thinking the high speed winding may be bad?

Thank you again; I really, really appreciate the help.

 

[Laddies]

Re: 1972 Mercury 20hp is KILLING me

Yes but while you have it apart check everything, you are not the first one for them to drive nuts