Power packs

[SwampChicken]

Has anyone had any experience with these going bad? My boat was running fine (50mph) and then it felt like it lost a od amount of power. It became almost impossible to get on plane. I have sent it to a local Maria and was told that one of the packs have gone bad. Any ideas? Where to buy/not to buy? Difficulty of this repair?
Thanks
Jay

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Power packs

easy to repair. Not easy on pocket book.

 

[Sunfish12]

Re: Power packs

CDI boxes are reasonably priced. Then need stator, trigger, and rectifier dva checked which I'm sure a marine repair shop would do.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Power packs

Only replace these as a pair...

 

[SwampChicken]

Re: Power packs

Thank you all for your responses. I'm gonna be watching eBay for some.
Thanks

 

[tysdad2010]

Re: Power packs

Thank you all for your responses. I'm gonna be watching eBay for some.
Thanks

This is what my boat did ...and I beleive my powerpack was bad so were replaced both powerpacks and stator...

 

[SwampChicken]

Re: Power packs

Why the stator?

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Power packs

Motor model and year?

Indeed, ask at the shop and make sure they tested compression, looked at the fuel system and carbs, and ran the whole battery of tests on the other electronics (stator, trigger, coils, plug wires, internal harness, etc.) before throwing expensive new powerpacks at it. Basically, ask how they isolated it to a single bad powerpack.

If it does come down to needing powerpacks, bite the bullet and buy new. Otherwise 50:50 chance (or worse) you're buying someone else's bad parts.

 

[SwampChicken]

Re: Power packs

I believe it's an 85-86 Merc 115. Thanks

Motor model and year?

Indeed, ask at the shop and make sure they tested compression, looked at the fuel system and carbs, and ran the whole battery of tests on the other electronics (stator, trigger, coils, plug wires, internal harness, etc.) before throwing expensive new powerpacks at it. Basically, ask how they isolated it to a single bad powerpack.

If it does come down to needing powerpacks, bite the bullet and buy new. Otherwise 50:50 chance (or worse) you're buying someone else's bad parts.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Power packs

I would spend the $95 and buy from a reputable source. Too easy to get stung and you usually can't return electric/electronic things once the package is opened.

The last one I replaced wouldn't fire when cold. I had to get it warmed up, even in the summer to get it to fire. Took awhile to find it but was certainly thrilled when I did.

Mark

 

[SwampChicken]

Re: Power packs

Okay y'all, I went down to the marina and picked the boat up. Brought it home and bought the packs online. Installed the packs myself and triple checked it all. Took it out to the river after getting a fresh load of petro. Launched the boat got on it to go and it gave a pretty good lunge for about 10 feet. After that it would not go very quick at all. It was very slow to get on plane and would not rev up and go. I took my oys to the beach and let them swim for a bit. When trying to take of again it tried to take off with a strong punch and then bog down and would not rev very high again at all. It would rev if in neutral but not when in gear.
Tonight read on here to check the plugs for spark. I did this and all 6 have spark. I did notice oil in the groves of the spark plug port. I do not know to much about how the plugs are supposed to look. I put these in last summer.
Here is a link with the pictures I took tonight.
http://s256.photobucket.com/albums/hh176/jaynalbu/boat/
Thanks

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Power packs

So you replaced the packs and nothing changed, is that right?

Did you ask the shop what other tests they ran before concluding you needed powerpacks? (see posts #3 and #8 above)

You say you have spark, and your plugs look to be fouling...starting to sound like a carbs or fuel system issue to me. But the first thing I'd be checking is compression.

 

[SwampChicken]

Re: Power packs

Okay y'all. First thanks. Merc is running really well now.
Things done:
1. Carbs gone through.
2. Replaced power packs.
3. Replaced plugs.

Found that the wrong plugs were in it as well.
Thanks again
Jay

PS, finally got the boat running and while backing down the boat launch I herd a loud pop. I got out to check it out. The left tire on the trailer floated up. Axle snapped.

 

[jigmister]

Re: Power packs

be glad it snapped on the ramp and not on the highway! you dodged a bullet

 

[leach0369]

Re: Power packs

I just had mine at the shop for the same thing.. Did you buy new power packs or used ones? If you don't mind how much did you spend..

 

[SwampChicken]

Re: Power packs

I just had mine at the shop for the same thing.. Did you buy new power packs or used ones? If you don't mind how much did you spend..

I bought the new ones. I try not to ever buy electronics that are used. I don't know if it is permitted, but I could give you the guy I bought them from on eBay. His shipping was insanely fast and was very helpful on the phone as well.

 

[SwampChicken]

Re: Power packs

be glad it snapped on the ramp and not on the highway! you dodged a bullet

Don't I know it. Scared the poop out of me about a hour later when I realized that had I gone my normal route I'd have likely been on the road at that point.