89 centry palimino with a 3.7 mercruser charging issue.

[Ted brake]

Hey guys and gals. Hopefully someone can help me out. I've had this boat a couple years with overall pretty good service. Engine had 480 hours when I got it and now has 612. however the other day I left that marina and the engine boiled over and blew off the anti freeze. Shut down and and later changed the pump in the outdrive and also the rubber baffle was gone completely from the exhaust. I checked and didn't see it held up anywhere. There was a hole in the exhaust bellows so it probably went out through that Hopefully my over heating is cured but now when I check my voltage at the batteries I'm only getting the battery reading of 12.6 running or off. Before I had 13.7 running. So I'm wondering if anyone has the reading I should get from the 2 stator wires and if the is a way for me to check the water cooled voltage regulator. I'm thinking where it got hot it fried??? Hopefully the head gasket will be fine. I've had it running on land and temp is going up the 1/4 and holding....fingers crossed.

 

[dubs283]

Yep, most likely fried the regulator. Part is nla, might get lucky on ebay but you'd be buying used.

Others here run the 3.7 and can help with troubleshooting but they may suggest the alternator upgrade....

 

[Scott Danforth]

i would be suspect of the head gasket

yes, you most likely fried the voltage regulator.

there are some 30 amp outdoor power equipment regulators I would be willing to try if I was in your shoes.

 

[Bt Doctur]

I think the yellow stator wires are around 28-35 Volts AC

 

[matt167]

There are some solid state regulators for vintage external ford applications that would work. Their pin out is on the connector usually. Solid state is very important as if it’s not, it uses a few sets of points which would be a source of ignition

 

[nola mike]

I still have yet to see anyone successfully replace the regulator with something else... Would love to see it.

 

[Ted brake]

I still have yet to see anyone successfully replace the regulator with something else... Would love to see it.
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This is great thanks. I'm familiar in doing the first page. However the second I don't have the meter. I'll try with the ohm meter tomorrow. I've seen a couple on ebay. Not cheap even for used. Take the chance on it being good? The price you pay having old gear I guess.

 

[Ted brake]

Yep, most likely fried the regulator. Part is nla, might get lucky on ebay but you'd be buying used.

Others here run the 3.7 and can help with troubleshooting but they may suggest the alternator upgrade....

In doing the altinator upgrade I would imagine I'd have to build on to my engine cover to fit.

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

I did the replacement voltage regulator once. When mine went it was overcharging, both times. The 2nd time I switched to a Delco 10si belt driven alternator. There was a guy on here last year that converted the vr to one for a Harley. Here's the link to the old thread. https://forums.iboats.com/threads/merc-3-7-470-voltage-reg.750413/#post-5706091

 

[Dubed]

You can do the alternator swap for less money than a regulator if you can even find one. There are several cheapies on Ebay or you can spend more $$ on a better unit. If you buy a kit, it will come with full instructions and is not very difficult. Make sure its marine and get the correct kit for your application.

 

[Ted brake]

You can do the alternator swap for less money than a regulator if you can even find one. There are several cheapies on Ebay or you can spend more $$ on a better unit. If you buy a kit, it will come with full instructions and is not very difficult. Make sure its marine and get the correct kit for your application.

Where would I order this kit? I'm in Newfoundland, Canada...Napa? Or a marine place

 

[Dubed]

There's a place called Breezeworks in Florida who is supposed to have a good kit. Other than that, Google it and a bunch come up. I picked mine up on Ebay, it works fine but not the best quality. Alternator is fine but the brackets and fitment have little to be desired.

 

[nola mike]

There's a place called Breezeworks in Florida who is supposed to have a good kit. Other than that, Google it and a bunch come up. I picked mine up on Ebay, it works fine but not the best quality. Alternator is fine but the brackets and fitment have little to be desired.

No problems when I did mine, took about an hour. The included alt seized after a year though

 

[Dubed]

No problems when I did mine, took about an hour. The included alt seized after a year though

I didn't like that the adjusting bracket bolted to the water/ timing cover and it was not a good fit. It would have placed a lot of torque on those small bolts if I didn't tweak and straighten it out. I hear Breezeworks makes a good fitting mount. Also the belt was garbage, had to replace immediately .

 

[nola mike]

I didn't like that the adjusting bracket bolted to the water/ timing cover and it was not a good fit. It would have placed a lot of torque on those small bolts if I didn't tweak and straighten it out. I hear Breezeworks makes a good fitting mount. Also the belt was garbage, had to replace immediately .

Oh, misunderstood. Mine was a breezeworks conversion.

 

[Dubed]

Oh, misunderstood. Mine was a breezeworks conversion.

Unfortunately I went cheap and unfortunately regretted it.

 

[Ted brake]

Hey guys and gals. Hopefully someone can help me out. I've had this boat a couple years with overall pretty good service. Engine had 480 hours when I got it and now has 612. however the other day I left that marina and the engine boiled over and blew off the anti freeze. Shut down and and later changed the pump in the outdrive and also the rubber baffle was gone completely from the exhaust. I checked and didn't see it held up anywhere. There was a hole in the exhaust bellows so it probably went out through that Hopefully my over heating is cured but now when I check my voltage at the batteries I'm only getting the battery reading of 12.6 running or off. Before I had 13.7 running. So I'm wondering if anyone has the reading I should get from the 2 stator wires and if the is a way for me to check the water cooled voltage regulator. I'm thinking where it got hot it fried??? Hopefully the head gasket will be fine. I've had it running on land and temp is going up the 1/4 and holding....fingers crossed.

So I took.off the two yellow with red strip from the stator and there is 0.00 resistance and when started I checked for voltage and the is none. So I assume a stator problem....maybe not regulator

 

[dubs283]

No resistance is a red flag. Are you checking AC or DC volts?

 

[Ted brake]

No resistance is a red flag. Are you checking AC or DC volts?

DC