Merc 165 I/O troubles (ignition?)

[Butch Ammon]

Hello there... Happy Memorial Day!<br /><br />Today I was finally, FINALLY, FINALLY, able to take my old 17' trihull boat up to the lake. My wife was busy with stuff at the neighbors, and besides with my 19yr old twin daughters, one was working, so the other went with me.<br /><br />My old classic 1975 trihull has been started, de-winterized, etc... with a garden hose flusher and whatnot. Everything so far was okay and the boat would start up on the trailer with the garden hose and run fine.<br /><br />Today, my daughter and I launched at a marina and the boat was fine. We took off, trimmed it out, and proceeded down the lake at around 25mph. All gauges are okay, oil pressure, water temp, rpm's, etc.... We were cruising around and then slowed down when heading into narrow coves and so on. Still everything was fine.<br /><br />Then it happend... BOOM - nothing! It was just like an invisible ghost reached up and turned the key off. There was no noise, no grinding, no valve tapping or blown gasket sounds. No anything... Just -click- The motor just konked out... Then for some reason the starter and/or start solenoid were acting up. You turn the key and you'd hear -click-. But yet you had lights, bildge, blower, horn, all power accessories.<br /><br />A guy stopped by and towed us to a nearby boat ramp/pier, to tie up the boat. Then while my daughter stayed with the boat, he gave me a boatride to the marina to get my truck/trailer and come back to this boat/ramp.<br /><br />So I figured, "Aw, the heck with it", and was just going to haul the boat back home. But for some reason, when I got back to my daughter at the boat ramp, I climbed back into the boat and turned the key to see if it would start. It was a totally different issue now. Instead of going "click" from the solenoid, it would turn over and the 165 IL6 would just go "Rrrrrrr", like it was trying to start but now it wouldn't catch and fire up.<br /><br />I'm extremely P.O'd now... and my daughter didn't want to say a word because of my temper. She just helped me winch up the boat onto the trailer and hook everything back up, and we took off for home, totally discouraged.<br /><br />But yet, can someone explain this to me? Just about a 1/2 hour ago, I went out to the boat (now sitting on the trailer backed into my side yard), grabbed the garden hose and motor flusher. Just for kicks, I figured I try to start it or work on it or do something.... After cranking on the water, I hopped up into the boat and turned the key. Vrrrrrrrrooooooommmmmmm!!!! The boat fired right up and ran like a top! Can someone kindly explain a cause of this? I don't want this post to get deleted or get banned or anything, so can I just use the wording.. WTF???<br /><br />This old 1975 trihull still has points, condensor, rotor, and all the old classics from '75. Were is the first place to begin to look as a reason for the boat to just suddenly konk out? Then go "click" at the starter solenoid? Could the ignition coil be going bad? I put new plugs and wires on at the end of last season, so they are still in excellent condition.<br /><br />Thanks for any help and suggestions...<br /><br />Butch A.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Merc 165 I/O troubles (ignition?)

1st Guess,............<br /><br />You have a Bad Connection, Bad Ground, Broken Wire, an Almost Broken Wire, a Sometimes Bad Ground, Bad Etc........<br />SomeWhere..........<br /><br />Other than Checking All the known Factors, <br />How Much Voltage,+ Where.....How's the Battery...<br /><br />The Only Real Test, is the Shake, Wiggle,+ Pull Test........Repeat as Nessessary.............<br /><br />Just Don't Forget the Ground Path...... Without a Good Ground,...... Nothing Works.......<br />Sometimes a Weak Ground will Fool You......<br />

Were is the first place to begin to look as a reason for the boat to just suddenly konk out?

Power To the Coil ???..... Are the Points Grounded ???.......<br /> <br />Good Luck......

 

[jeff13601]

Re: Merc 165 I/O troubles (ignition?)

I think Bondos right. Somewhere there is a loose wire or two. I had a problem similiar to that a few years ago and it was the connection at the wire from the starter to the coil

 

[Butch Ammon]

Re: Merc 165 I/O troubles (ignition?)

Thanks for the replies... See, this old boat was my dad's old boat and it needs a lot of TLC. It's a classic old 1975 trihull, that has seen better days... <br /><br />ISSUES:<br />*** The flooring near the stern and engine cowl is "spongy". My wife and I cut out a piece of plywood to fit. We first coated the entire piece down with Thompson's Water Seal, then after it was dry, I just screwed it down on top of the existing flooring with galvanized screws. It works but looks like H*LL...<br /><br />*** The wiring contacts under the dash (ignition speedo, tach, etc... are all rusted/corroded - but somehow they still work.<br /><br />*** The wiring contacts on the fuses on the side panel under the dash are also rusted/corroded - somehow the fuses still work and don't blow.<br /><br />*** All the wires and contacts are also correded (but not rusted) on the starter relay, solenoid, and starter. I've cleaned them off numerous times too.<br /><br />*** Worse yet (and the biggy I'm saving for last)... The single axle steel trailer is rusted. I don't just mean rust.. I'm talking MAJOR RUST!!! All the leaf springs and brackets are horribly, disasterously rusted! It was enough to make me hit my head on the bottom of the boat, when I got back out from under there! I just thought to myself, "OMG... I had an angel watching over me and my daughter as we towed the boat to/from the lake yesterday! Can you imagine a leaf spring busting on the highway at 50-60mph?!?! <br /><br />My gut feeling right now... It's over. I had a long talk with my wife, my girls, and a buddy of mine. I am going to try to sell the boat/trailer for whatever I can get, and put that down on a new or used Sea Ray or something.<br /><br />Question: What would you do if you were in my shoes? (example: you are a computer geek by trade and not too mechanically inclined. Put it this way, you could be dangerous with a socket wrench and a phillips screwdriver! )<br /><br />Background: This old boat was bought used down in Georgia by my dad back in the late 80's. Then he and my mom got so elderly, they no longer could use the boat, so in 1999, my dad called me up and said, "hey, I still have the boat down here and we don't use it much. So, if you want it - FREE - come on down and get it". Then, sadly, in 2002, my dad passed away, so I no longer can ask him for help with the boat.<br /><br />Sorry for the blurry picture, but this is the boat I am talking about. The classic old bowrider, trihull, 165hp Mercruiser I/O, with an equally old, white/black/primer, rusted steel trailer.<br />

 

[jeff13601]

Re: Merc 165 I/O troubles (ignition?)

Your not going to sell it for much of anything compared to the sentimental value. When you get bored you can always take wires off and clean them. Leaf springs can be replaced. I believe you could get a exterior carpet remnent for almost nothing for the floor. I lost my dad in 2002 also and I know some of our best times were in my old boat. I dont believe the decision will be very hard for you when you see what little you are going to be able to sell it for

 

[Mahoney]

Re: Merc 165 I/O troubles (ignition?)

I had the EXCACT same issue Friday after messing aroud with the alternator and regultaor. Boat would run like a champ, then boom, nothing. Seemingly like magic, it would fire back up and run and boom, nothing.<br /><br />Luckily through chance I found the bad connection. I have removed some electrical tape from the high battery lead to the alternator and when the boat would bounce around it would ground itself to the alternator body and kill everything. Taped it back up and made sure the connection was wired away from any grounds, and all was good.