After rewiring and solving the charging problem, I took the boat out today for another test run. It was a bit chilly and overcast but she ran great....FINALLY!
Over the last four days while in a bucket in the driveway, she started right up without any priming. That was certainly a switch from previous where I had to prime the full bowl. Today, after not running several days and it being on the cool side, she started right up when in the water and idled smooth. I could tell the difference from previous performance. She definitely was running better. I took her out on the main lake with a buddy following in his houseboat as my lifeline. She got up on plane and ran like a top between 3500-4000 rpms for over 30mins pretty much straight. Previously by the first 15mins or so performance would start to degrade. There was a point where I did encounter some mild backfire at about 3500rpms but it was inconsistent. I'll double check the timing in the spring unless we have a dose of warm weather and I can take her out again.
I think I have a minor oil leak somewhere above the water line as I had a sheen on the water. It might be the steering gear area but will look into that later this winter.
I had problems getting the boat back on the trailer again due to the steepness of the ramp. What a pain!! Anyway, based on earlier experiences, I previously drafted a set of plans for a set of custom side guards. The upright braces will slip over the trailer frame and bolt tight. The braces will come up from the frame along side of the hull where a carpeted 2x4 or 2x6 of a yet to be determined length will bolt on. At the rear of each side guard I will likely mount a tall upright so that when the trailer is in the water, I'll still have something to keep the boat initially centered.
I took the plans to a local metal fabrication plant where they cut and formed a sample upright brace for me to validate by placing it on the frame per the plans. They did a great job so I took it back and ordered a set of four braces. I'm looking forward to installing them and ending the boat loading problems for good!!
The next step now that I'm no longer climbing in and out with grubby hands is to start cleaning all of the surfaces so they go back to being white and tidy. That should be fun!
-Bill
Dallas, TX
1970 Evinrude Explorer - 155 Buick V6 - OMC Sterndrive
http://www.photobucket.com/evinrude_explorer
--- On Sun, 10/4/09, BLDFW <bldfw@...> wrote:
From: BLDFW <bldfw@...>
Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] Wiring puzzle.... We have Liftoff!!
To: "Evinrude & Johnson Boats of the 1960's and 70's" <omc-boats@...mate.com>
Date: Sunday, October 4, 2009, 5:44 PM
Thanks Lee,
The good news is that I now have charging!! It's a satisfying feeling
to finally see the voltage gauge now registering 13-14v depending on RPMs.
That's a relief!
I spent late yesterday researching and today rerunning the wires to their proper locations. It wasn't really all that difficult. If I had to guess, based upon looking at all the different wiring diagrams I browsed through to be sure I had the right one, the previous person must have been operating off of a later version diagram. They seemed to have it down right for that. I tend to think they never got to the point of running the engine long enough to determine it's foibles.
Fortunately they did not mess with the yellow connector but the black one is no longer present and the wires from the harness are probably only about 3" long. Currently it has corn nuts making the connections. I'll have to investigate a replacement.
The remaining challenge relates to my temp and oil pressure gauges. The temp gauge doesn't seem to be registering any temp. It's a new gauge sending
unit and when I disconnect it at the unit, I can see the gauge flicker but it doesn't want to come up off the lowest almost non temp setting. The oil pressure gauge, on the other hand, pegs at 80lbs. if the engine stalls, it drops to zero in an instant. They both appear to be hooked up properly at the engine so I'll have to investigate my trusty wiring efforts behind the dash. Likely something is not right there.
So the good news is, the problem is 3/4 solved!! I'm sure glad of that. Maybe I can still get her out before November!
Thanks for the good words from the group!
-Bill
Dallas, TX
1970 Evinrude Explorer - 155 Buick V6 - OMC Sterndrive
http://www.photobucket.com/evinrude_explorer
--- On Sat, 10/3/09, Lee Shuster <lks@...> wrote:
From: Lee Shuster <lks@...>
Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] Wiring puzzle....
To: "Evinrude & Johnson Boats of the 1960's and 70's" <omc-boats@...mate.com>
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009, 9:20 PM
Bill,
You are correct in that someone in the past tried to "graft" on older intermediate and sterndrive into your post-1969 (late model) Evinrude.
You are going to need to use both the wiring diagrams I have posted to solve or re-construct your wiring maze.
The new version went to the LARGE ROUND YELLOW AND BLACK harness connectors and did not use the OLD separate terminal strip with exposed positive and negative high current connections (a safety no-no).
Did the hack leave any parts of the LARGE round connectors on the boat side? You might want to try and
acquire a used post 1969 OMC engine harness, just to get these Yellow and Black round connectors.A picture of my 1971 retro fit shows them. I did have the boat harness from my donor boat so I rewired my entire boat and a year later installed a new dash.You can see the two ROUND connectors at the rear of the starter motor.
http://hhscott.com/evinrude/images/SBC/large/DCP_0191.jpg
Old (pre 1969):http://hhscott.com/evinrude/images/wiring/68_v6_ALL_WIRE.jpg
New (1969 and newer):http://hhscott.com/evinrude/images/wiring/73_OMC_V8_all_big.jpg
On your alternator the small terminal is (F) for field and the large terminal is the 8 ga (B) terminal OUTPUT that was later fused. My Alternator is only externally grounded thru the case and mounting points.
There are so many things wrong in your picture, that aren't your fault, I know. But if it were mine I would just rip it all out and start over. Here's what I spot wrong (I'm sure there could be more):
a) Never use wire nuts. They are prone to coming loose due to shock and vibration, especially in marine applications. Learn how to use the proper crimping tools and SEALED MARINE connectors to make safe, reliable butt connections.West Marine has good tech articles on this. Notice how the OMC
connectors are sealed, but all the "hacked" ones will allow moisture in from the wire side collar? Eventually that wire will be exposed to the elements and it will travel up inside the insulation where you can't even see it.
b) All of the visible connectors and fasteners have visible corrosion/oxidation and most likely have measurably high resistance. Yank those crappy old tilt relays and get brand new ones and use stainless fasteners. While you're at this winter yank the starter assist relay (same as tilt relay) as well. I'll bet it's terminals are corroded as well.
c) Go thru the entire engine area, one wiring subsystem at a time: a) Stater and assist relay, b) Alternator and regulator, c) instrument senders, d) Coil/ ballast resistor/Distributor, e) Battery supply and all grounds, and of course our favorite, the tilt motor and it's relays.
d) Like I suggested
above. Start searching for a 1970 to 1977 OMC engine harness. I wouldn't even be picky about it coming from a Buick V6 but that would be plug and play as far as fitment. But one could fairly easily modify a I-4 or V-8 harness to extend or shorten the lengths to reach various electrical components, but at least you have those big round (SEALING) connectors.
Bill, I really admire you attitude. Hang in there, man. We've all had the challenges of bringing back someone else's mistakes. It will make next season on the more rewarding!
Lee
On Oct 3, 2009, at 6:54 PM, BLDFW wrote:
A continuation of my charging problems.......I've already figured out where most of the problem is. And I'm beginning to see why someone else's restoration efforts were abandoned years ago. But, I'll not be deterred....just stymied by my own ignorance! ;-)
Check out the attached pic. Anyone care to hazzard a guess as to what is wrong with this picture?? It pays to have a good wiring diagram (and a good mind......well....maybe). The problem appears to have been staring me in the face all along....but I wasn't quite "ready" to experience it......yet. Jeesh!
First off.....the boat was repowered at some point with an earlier vintage engine. The wiring harness that came with the engine does not match the boat's main harness leading to the front. Now it would have been nice if they had
replaced the engine harness with the original one. It might have gone right back together without a sweat but nooooo. Oh well, no accounting for amateurs (uh....myself included).
I can see several jury rigged spots already. The green 8g wire in the pic is supposed to feed the tilt solenoids 5 inches away but nope, it ends right there. Rather they ran the red wire direct from the starter where, coincidentally by design, the other end of the green wire originates too. Ain't ignorance bliss.
The brown 8g wire also goes nowhere....well guess what!!....that is the feed directly from the alternator so no wonder why it is not charging the battery! It had no where to go too! JEESH! I'll have to match it now with the correct wire in the boat harness to get it to the dash where it's supposed to go.
And Finally, the black 8g wire also goes nowhere. That's a ground wire.
The two black wires attached via the screw to the right which holds the block down are supposed to be attached to the black ground wire.
Once I get all that figured out and double check the dash stuff, I'll go back and check the alternator again. Ain't it just grand....or is that just "another grand"?
More later.
-Bill
Dallas, TX
1970 Evinrude Explorer - 155 Buick V6 - OMC Sterndrive
http://www.photobucket.com/evinrude_explorer
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