Logo
FULL SITE MENU

Help with a few wires need a home

G

gman206

Member
Hello !
Well, 60 now, was time for my first used boat. 1973 Glastron V156 with a 1973 Evinrude 50hp. Was stored in a garage, hasn't been run for at least 5 years. Needed some inner floor work finished, done with that, now onto hoping the motor will be sound. I've fogged it, will do a compression check, etc. soon.
But my real question is about a few unconnected wires, and seeing if someone for sure knows where they hookup ?
Bundled in with the battery cables there is a red, black, and white wire , the white being my question.
And, coming out of the power control , there is a single tan looking wire just hanging out ?
Also, it has a factory Tach in the dash, with a yellow and a black wires coming from it , but not connected ? Where do they go to ? Thanks !
 

Attachments

  • Boat wires 1.jpeg
    Boat wires 1.jpeg
    329.1 KB · Views: 84
  • Boat wires 2.jpeg
    Boat wires 2.jpeg
    212 KB · Views: 64
Last edited:
On wiring in a 50 year old boat, anything is posssible and your best action is to trace things out. Its very possible much of the wiring is due for renewal.

For the RED/WHT/BLK cable, somebody probably added an accessory and that cable was the direct to the battery feed for it.

Getting the factory service manual for the engine will give you insight into the original wiring...and help you get a decent baseline for those details...
 
Thanks for the help and reply !! I'm thinking its for lights probably, the wiring surprisingly looks good, no sign of random hacks or anything.
Hooked up a new battery, turned key.....nothing. But when I hook power direct to starter , turns over and was able to get compression tested, 90 in both cylinders, so that's a relief, tells me internals are worth the continued troubleshooting.
Looking deeper today, maybe a fuse somewhere, maybe the solenoid is bad, also gonna investigate the control lever box ....
I was really hoping it would just crank when I turned the key...lol...
 
may just be the neutral safety switch not being seated...rock the main control lever in and out of the detent a couple of times...
 
You were right on the red , black, white wires ! Traced back, just for the lights, white is also positive power hook up. Rocked the control lever , that didn't solve , still no crank over using key. Gonna go ahead and order a $40 starter solenoid, to eliminate that before I dig deeper into the control box. Found one 20amp fuse on the motor, it was fine, cleaned all the grounds I could see on the motor also.
I did pull the easy outside cover on the RC lever box, the strange one wire hanging out of the bottom in the picture....starts out Gray color in the box .....any idea what that goes to ?? I have a feeling it belongs to something that could be my issue ?
 
the ABYC color standard, for marine wiring, uses GRAY for the tach signal...so I'd say maybe, but not likely.

Do you have battery voltage between the RED wire, at the key switch (usually marked with a B), and GROUND? If YES, see if you get battery voltage between the S terminal (usually a YEL/RED wire) of the switch and ground. If YES, see if you can trace the YEL/RED wire back to the solenoid and due the test there.

The start wire may also be WHITE, but could appear GRAY if it is faded/dirty...
 
Last edited:
You are really helping here, love it. I'm hoping that gray wire is tach sender, as there is a tach in the dash with a yellow and black wire coming out, cut, and rolled up under the dash. I would guess yellow to gray, black to ground ? Has other screw terminals, but a faded sticker says to use those for motors with more than 2 cylinders ? Back to the RC box, the colors/function/testing info you gave will help, when i get there. I ordered the solenoid, should be here 4-8 days, i probably will wait and try first before I open the scary RC box. I get power to the incoming top terminal on the solenoid from battery, just nothing beyond that on any other terminals on the solenoid. Work keeps getting in the way of my fun too.
Just had to add a pic of the boat, even with it not running yet, not bad for ......$250 !!
 

Attachments

  • Boat 1 small.jpg
    Boat 1 small.jpg
    233.4 KB · Views: 49
  • Boat 2 small.jpg
    Boat 2 small.jpg
    263.3 KB · Views: 40
I'd be inclined to look at the tach real good to see if the terminals are marked before just hooking up wires...

Need battery voltage at the key before anything happens...may just be a fuse blown (look inside the engine's cowling).

wouldn't hurt for you to get a manual for the engine either...
 
Gray wire is for tachometer and not the issue.----Looked for a safety switch on the ENGINE BLOCK , with just one white wire?-----And it only needs 1 white wire.-----That switch prevents cranking if throttle is open too much.-----Perhaps bypass that switch by grounding the white wire.----Perhaps clean internals if switch is the issue.----Done that more than once.
 
Fellas....I got good news !! Although I am the proud owner of a shiny new $40 solenoid , that wasn't the problem, but it looks good on the motor ..LoL......It was ...that "one white wire" that goes to that switch. Cleaned the terminal/connector, but that didn't do it. Grounded it ......Cranking with the key !!!!
Checked spark, got it on both coils, although they look rough, apparently looks aren't what they are cracked up to be, thought they would be toast.
Carbs may need cleaning /rebuilding still.....but I may get some fresh gas and see if she will fire tomorrow.....
 
I'm sure carbs need cleaning & water pump needs replacing.
Most likely those cracked coils may fail as they get hot.
The '73 & '74 50s were really good and used the 14" gearcase. Later 2 cyl engines used a smaller gearcase & prop. Less thrust available but potentially a bit higher top speed with the smaller gearcase. (Earlier 50s had the hydro-electric gearcase. Not a deal killer but parts and Type C oil are harder to find).
That 156 trihull was at one time the world's best selling boat. And now people can't have fun in a 15' boat!
 
Type C oil and parts are not hard to find.----Agreed the early 50 HP had a robust gearcase.-----Testing / understanding how thing work can save you a lot of beer tokens.----Test your overheat warning horn if you want to chance running with an old impeller !!
 
I've never owned one but have worked on a few. I have some NOS parts for them from my old days. Shift pistons come to mind.
I always thought that gearcase should have become the 1978 400 series I/O and they never would have had to deal with all the monkey motion.
Of course they would have needed to create a larger version 800 series also.

Here in WI, no one typically stocks Type C. I have bought 5 gallon pails a few times from Summit Racing.

Now electric shift Fossil Drives (77 & earlier) I've owned plenty of. Both DU & 14" versions.
 
Gentlemen......She runs !!! ....Started right up with a little choke, and away she goes. Peeing like a Russian Racehorse , but I will order a fresh impeller anyway. Idles a little high, but went on you tube, saw how to adjust the cable. Also, heard I won't get true idle speed until she's in the water ?? , as opposed to just muffs. (boat even came with them).....did I say a pair of Ski's too :)....$250...I need to be locked up for stealing ...LoL.
Back to this Type C gear case oil ? It does say Type C on a sticker inside the motor cover ? I can not use the marine 80w-90w I bought already ??
Damage ? Fill me in ? I have included a couple pics of the motor, the rust on the coils was my first thought, should i dare clean ? or just leave it alone ? Yes, I bought new plugs, just hadn't put in before the pic :) Thanks for all the help, she runs because of this forum.
 

Attachments

  • Motor 1.jpg
    Motor 1.jpg
    229.7 KB · Views: 43
  • Motor 2.jpg
    Motor 2.jpg
    113.3 KB · Views: 42
  • Motor 3.jpg
    Motor 3.jpg
    226 KB · Views: 38
It is not electric shift and does NOT demand type C oil.----Use the oil you bought.--- ----Do not worry about the rust either.-----++ on the new impeller and test the overheat warning horn.
 
Thanks again for all the help with my first boat. Now completed the 4th test run / launch, and I am keeping the boat :)
Why wouldn't I you ask ? 1-3 launches were rough, due to my never backing a trailer in my life, resulted in wife co-pilot (code name Gilligan) and I almost in divorce court ...lol. On the 3rd test, although it ran fine opened up, died at idle 50ft from dock on return, and getting docked was, well fun. So I went ahead and removed the carbs, cleaned/rebuilt with OEM kits. That was it, 4th test run was grand, and 4th backing of trailer is getting much better. I heard you need 20, and it will click...I believe it.
Thanks to racerone for that "one white wire", inside tank air leak, and telling me all along to clean the carbs.............I was just too eager to get it in the water :)
 
Last edited:
Back
Top