Help! is this repair estimate unreasonable?

[waunakoenig]

I have a 1969 Mercury 100 hp inline 6
Last time tried to start it it would turn over but not fire.
Local repair shop diagnosed the problem as a bad rectifier and electric ignition control box-most likely caused by hooking up the battery terminals wrong, ouch!
I take personal responsibility for that error. Ouch again.

Total estimate to fix= $926! $600 for parts alone.

If I pay them the $162 I owe for the diagnosis and take it home is this something I might be able to do by myself, or with the help of this forum or a mechanic friend?

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Help! is this repair estimate unreasonable?

You need to make sure the troubleshooting got the correct damaged parts. If parts are $600 they are having trigger repaired and a new switchbox and rectifier installed. Price is about right for parts and labor.

 

[KurtG]

Re: Help! is this repair estimate unreasonable?

I think I might also check the used market first. '69 is pretty old to start with, how is the rest of the condition? I could pick up a good runnig 85 to 115 HP late '80s here for ~$850 if I looked a bit.

 

[duff]

Re: Help! is this repair estimate unreasonable?

I had a very similar isue with my old boat it had a 1979 80hp motor on it. I replaced the stator trigger and switching box and rectifier and starter for under 500! just spend some time looking online and you can find the parts. youmight have to order from 3 or 4 different places but if it saves you a ton it is worth it. if you do not already have one buy the manual for your motor it will save you a tone of heart ache!

if you list the part #'s needed might beable to help you out

Duff

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Help! is this repair estimate unreasonable?

Switch box $150
Rectifier $60
Distributor/Trigger $300

Get a detailed report of exactly what needs to be replaced.
Shop around and you can find used parts for much less. Sometimes best to buy complete motor for parts. As mentioned, you need to determine the overall condition of the motor before deciding to invest in the repairs.

 

["G"]

Re: Help! is this repair estimate unreasonable?

Very seldom does a wrong hookup result in this many parts. Rectifier may need to be replaced but that is usually a charging problem not an ignition problem. Triggers do go bad but they, like switch boxes, are not usually the culprit when there is no spark. That's not to say they can't be the culprit however. Your manual will help you chase down electronic problems.

The old motors were pretty simple. I'd be careful. What if all these parts were purchased and it still won't run. Then he'll be asking for more bucks for more parts to fix the real problem. Can he rest assured these parts WILL beyond any doubt fix the problem? If so... is the motor worth the dollars spent?

If I were you I'd pay the piper and take it home. Be looking over that distributor cap real carefully and check the wiring. I'd bet the mechanic is a parts replacer and has not diagnosed the problem correctly.

As already spoken; even if you did need these parts, how tough is it to buy them from Sierra or ??? and put them on yourself?

 

[reelmess]

Re: Help! is this repair estimate unreasonable?

On a motor that old, I'd look real close at the wiring and connections. I picked up a 1973 Merc 500 which had a new switch box, stator, trigger, and a new rectifier and the guy gave up. I rewired the thing and it's been fine ever since. The harness had turned green and broken in several places within the wire insulation and the harness to the controler was missing several pins from corrosion. The guy showed me reciepts for having spent $1200 trying to fix the motor and gave up, I got it for $250. It had good compression and looked new to I took it, several hours and some new wires later it was running fine.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Help! is this repair estimate unreasonable?

Switchbox= 325.00 part# 114-2986
Rectifier=31.50 part # 5707
Trigger = Repair and return item only as NLA.

Battery reversal usually kills switchbox unless key was on ,if so then trigger will die also.Removing cables while running usually results in instant death to trigger and and damage to box.

 

[duff]

Re: Help! is this repair estimate unreasonable?

I just took 5 mins and the parts # from the last reply and found this info just to show you can find the parts for less than average cost. I know I could find them for way less if I took more time and so can you the internet is a wonderful thing. best of luck and let us know what you do and ow it turns out!

duff

Switchbox= 325.00 part# 114-2986 http://www.marineengine.com/newparts/part_details.php?pnum=CDI114-2986 same part for $223 save over $100

Rectifier=31.50 part # 5707
http://www.georgiawatersports.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=2277&idproduct=176 same part 24.50 save $7

Trigger = Repair and return item only as NLA
did not look for this as no part # but should beable to find it on the used market.

 

[emckelvy]

Re: Help! is this repair estimate unreasonable?

You should be able to find a decent deal on a complete distributor on eBay.

If they were also going to have to replace the trigger assy (basically rebuilding the entire distributor), their labor charges might seem not too unreasonable. You have to pull the flywheel and dismantle the old dist and that can take some time.

But, if their $300+ labor charge was just to replace rectifier and switchbox, they are ripping you off! Especially considering it doesn't take that long to replace a switchbox and even less time for the rectifier.

And it doesn't take that long to troubleshoot the ign problem, either.

Here's a few links which may help:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=271774

http://www.myoutboardengine.com/distributor_1.html

http://www.seilermarine.com/rapair/mercury-mariner-100-hp.htm

http://www.boatfix.com/searchcdi.asp

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/i.html?...owrance+-johnson+-evinrude+-OMC&_osacat=26443

Here's the ign testing procedure if you want to check it out yourself:

MERCURY BATTERY-POWERED CDI TEST FOR DISTRIBUTOR MODELS

This test is for the 332-2986 switchbox used from 1967-1978 on all the inlines.

This test assumes your coil is good (problems with CDI coils are rare).

DISCONNECT BATTERY

1. Turn off ignition;

2. Disconnect all 3 distributor wires on the Port side of the switchbox (and the ?mercury switch? if present);

3. Remove the HV lead from the ign coil to the center of the dist. cap (remember it unplugs from the coil and unscrews from the cap);

4. Reconnect the HV lead to the COIL only;

5. Position the free end of the HV lead approx. 3/8" from ground (block, shrouds etc), and find a way to hold it there;

6. Jumper the brown and white terminals on the dist. side of the switchbox to each other.

RECONNECT BATTERY

7. Check that you have +12V at the red terminal (even with the ign off);

8. Turn on ignition and verify +12V at the white terminal (same side as the red terminal);

9. Ground the black terminal on the distributor side of the switchbox - this should cause a spark each time you touch ground.

If you get spark with the distributor bypassed, and it won't fire with the distributor connected, the trigger is bad and the entire distributor housing assy must be replaced.

If you get no spark using the test, the switchbox is probably bad. In that case, be sure to check for correct power on the switchbox, check all connections, and check the coil's resistance to make sure it's OK.

HTH & G'luck............ed