Will an I/O Mercury control box work on an outboard?

[freeisforme]

I picked up a 1988 Mercury 50hp 3 cylinder outboard, the motor runs great but has no control box. It was wired up direct to the dash on the boat it came from and had flush mounted controls. I can't use those on my boat and was wondering if a set of controls I have from a 1985 I/O boat would work?
The ignition switch is in the box, it's got tilt and trim controls on the handle, which I just won't use, and 'trailer' and choke buttons. Can I rewire these to make these work with the outboard?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Will an I/O Mercury control box work on an outboard?

A lot of the controls for mercrusier and merc OB are interchangeable. If they still make the control, look it up in a marine catalog or at the manufacturer website and see if it lists the OB as an application. If that info isn't avail, connect it up and see if it shifts the motor all the way. Then see if the throttle is opened and closed all the way.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Will an I/O Mercury control box work on an outboard?

You WILL have an ignition problem.

An I/O uses an ENERGIZED ignition, the switch turns ON 12 volts to the ignition.

Your O/B uses a 'ground-to-kill' system. Putting 12 volts to an outboard ignition will KILL the ignition module in a heatbeat!

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Will an I/O Mercury control box work on an outboard?

Charlie is correct. You need to look for a wire that is grounded when the ign key is turned off. If the control is universal, it shoul dhave one. Look for a black/yellow wire.

 

[freeisforme]

Re: Will an I/O Mercury control box work on an outboard?

I don't have any striped wires, only solid colors. I've got:
Red, Black, Brown, White, Gray, Orange, & Yellow.
I have to change out the harness anyhow so I figured I'd just wire it up as needed. Is the cable throw all the same? What do I do about the 'Trailer' button on the controls?
The one thing that I'm not sure of is how the choke button will now be wired in. I'm used to that function being part of the ignition switch.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Will an I/O Mercury control box work on an outboard?

Those are the old wire colors. Orange is the wire that grounds when the key is turned off. Test it to make sure. All the other functions can be adapted to the OB.