trouble with my Mercury 135

leach0369

Cadet
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
13
I have a 1988 Sea Ray Seville with a Mercury 135 on it. About a month ago I noticed that I wasn't going as fast as I normally did a WOT. It was ask starting to smoke more the usual. I took it to the shop and was told that one on the power packs was bad. He told me I wasn't getting any firing on #3. So it was Replaced with a new one. I had a few other things done and got the bill of $600.. Found out owning a boat is costly.

Since I had it at the shop I haven't taken it out. I have ran it on muffs and it sounded better..

Yesterday excited about it being AMERICA's birthday decided to go to the lake. Boat started perfect and no smoking at all. I couldn't wait to open her up. Finally getting threw the NO WAKE zone I hammered her.. PROBLEM she wasn't the same at all no power and took me forever to get onto a plane. Finally got up on a plane and it was maxed out at about 3k RPM and 20 mph. She normally runs 40mph no problem.. As you can image I was pretty up set having my family there with me and my boat in worse shape than it was.. About 30 sec( WOT the whole time) later she came alive and started running fine. I didn't have a issue until I stopped and started going again.. It was better but not the same. It seemed to get better the longer I ran it.

So this morning I took the boat out again to see if the problem was the same and sure enough it is..

From what I have read on here: I should have replaced both power packs(switch boxes)..

Now my questions are as follows:

Since it's the whole shot that is what is weak could this be my STATOR going bad or is bad?

Or has the other pack went bad?

I am new to iboats.com and love this site so any help would be a blessing

I have contacted a local shop that sells both parts. I am pretty good with car motors but my boat motor looks to advanced for me.. Can I do this swap my self?


Thanks Guys/Gal
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,994
Re: trouble with my Mercury 135

Leach, That motor has six coils, two switchboxes and three triggers. Each switchbox provides spark for three cylinders (1,3,5 or 2,4,6) each trigger provides spark to two cylinders. If you had one cylinder that was not firing, it could be a coil, however coils are pretty reliable. I am not sure if a switchbox could fail to spark a single cylinder. Go on the CDIElectronics web site and find the troubleshooting procedure and run the tests. Check the wiring over as well.
 

leach0369

Cadet
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
13
Re: trouble with my Mercury 135

Chris Thank you for your response I found the web sight and did the test.. looks like it maybe the Stator.. Weak hole shot and the no spark is jumping from #3 to #5 now.. Awesome I just love this boat right now.. I will keep you updated
 

leach0369

Cadet
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Messages
13
Re: trouble with my Mercury 135

Well not being a bot Mech, I took it to a Sea Ray OB mech here in town.. $500 later I have a perfectly running boat.. Turns out both switch boxes were bad. #3 was completely dead and #2 work when it wanted to.. It was also out of tune.. So For $500 I got 2 new switch boxes, compression test and a tune-up I think that a pretty good price to have a outstanding running 135 now.. It's running better than when I bought it.. Thanks for your help Chris

PS: the first Mech replaced my old switch box with a used one which shorted out the other one.. Good Times
 
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