what does this wire do ?

[bigtom1960]

The orange wire I am talking about is on the bottom of the square box you see I think someone put it on and ran it outside of the motor and then they just cut the wire does anyone know why they would do that or what it is for ? even how do I hook it up if it needs to be hooked up to something ? The motor was not originally on this boat I pulled the old motor off purchased this motor and I am trying to hook it up

 

[sam am I]

The orange wire I am talking about is on the bottom of the square box (Is a Rectifier) you see. I think someone put it on and ran it outside of the motor and then they just cut the wire. Does anyone know why they would do that or what it is for ? (Ran it to a Tachometer), even how do I hook it up if it needs to be hooked up to something? (You can just take the wire off) The motor was not originally on this boat I pulled the old motor off purchased this motor and I am trying to hook it up

 

[bigtom1960]

Thank you ! I will remove it !!

 

[sam am I]

You're very welcome

 

[Chris1956]

A standard Mercury wiring harness would normally have a wire for the tachometer. This wire would run to the control and therefore be available to connect to a tach on the dashboard.

I am therefore not sure why someone would need to install that orange wire. That motor looks like an 80's or earlier inline six. The tachometer wire would be brown on motors up to about 1979. On newer motors the tach wire would be grey.

Your wiring harness looks real new. Maybe someone didn't know the new wire color(grey), when they replaced the harness.