Power pack or switchbox?

[gpfishingdude]

I have changed and tested nearly everything I can think of on my 85 Mercury 50 HP 4 cylinder motor but I still can't get spark on the top two cylinders. When they talk about the power pack is that the same as the switchbox on this motor? Any way to find out if the switchbox is bad? I replaced mine but I don't know if the new one is any good.

 

[gpfishingdude]

When I stuck the old switchbox back on I only got spark on #3 so I am pretty sure that old switchbox is bad. Other components keep testing good individually so I am thinking about sticking the new switchbox on again and running a new ground to #1 and #2. They have a common ground on the same bolt.

 

[Chris1956]

Powerpack is the term used for the switchbox, on Johnnyrudes.

Same animal.

 

[gpfishingdude]

I should tell everybody that it was the brown wire because that is what everybody says when they have this problem but it wasn't it was a bad ground on #1 and #2. I jumped a ground wire between where the bottom two were grounded and where the top two were grounded and got spark all the way around. Now I have to make sure that it runs right and pumps water. Still a lot of work ahead before we are cruising on a lake.
Sure felt good to see that spark after all of the work I've done.

 

[gpfishingdude]

So now that it has spark all around and the carbs have been rebuilt I ran it on muffs. It idled too fast so I adjusted the idle speed screw on the linkage. I didn't idle it down as far as I want to be at on the muffs in case it runs differently when I get it in the water. I will button up the cowling this evening and maybe take it somewhere tomorrow.

 

[gpfishingdude]

I started the motor at the boat launch and it idled and ran great. so I launched the boat. I picked the wife up at the dock and we cruised out on the lake for about ten minutes and then I felt it lose power.
I went back and squeezed the fuel bulb and it ran at reduced speed for another couple of minutes it died about a half mile out on the lake. The squeeze bulb didn't want to fill up and expand. So I loosened the gas cap but that didn't help.
I managed to get back to the boat ramp dock by using the trolling motor and I tried to start the motor again to see if I could load it onto the trailer.
It wouldn't remain running long enough to get the boat on the trailer and the squeeze bulb was collapsed.
I led the 18 foot pontoon boat onto the bunk trailer with a long rope and winched it up. Got my shorts wet up to the pockets attaching the winch rope.
Pulled up into the parking lot and started stowing ropes and bracing the motor for the trip home.
Just for the hell of it I started the motor and it ran. The fuel bulb was no longer collapsed. Looks like I have a problem getting fuel and it is ahead of the squeeze bulb. So I have to figure that out now.
In a way I feel lucky that we managed to get back to the boat ramp and load the boat on the trailer.