Unconnected wire help

[rgreenwell8962]

I found a random wire not connected to anything today and need some help identifying it. I have looked through the Mercruiser manual everywhere and have no clue.

When I remove the engine cover and flame arrestor there are three wires on the starboard side, 2 black, and one brown. The brown wire and one of the black wires are connected to a piece on the side of the throttle body. The 2nd black wire has a male connector and the length puts it somewhere close to where the others are connected but I cannot find a female connector anywhere in proximity. I am assuming this is a ground but have no idea where it would go. Everything seems to be running just fine. I also found two main ground wires to the lower unit, NOT connected to the engine block after having a new long block put in this summer so I have little confidence that this wire should not be connected somewhere.

Any thoughts? I would call the mechanic that did the work, Olympic Boat Fife, but they are no longer in business and I really have no clue where they moved thier records.

Thanks all.

RIch

[seapuppy]

rick..
it may be an extra set of wires for a different efi unit or maybe the auto choke on a carb unit..I'm only guessing at this point...


call my buddy jim at everett searay..he might be able to help out

425-349-6000

he's pretty good at chasing down stuff..

SP

[rgreenwell8962]

Thanks seapuppy! Will do. I figured it must not be a big deal since I just noticed it and have put well over 75 hours since the rebuild. Wish I would have noticed the lower unit ground wires earlier as I am sure that helped to facilitate some corrosion.

Oh yeah, I gave in and had Mercer Marine do my impeller. They are having 50% off labor right now and after spending two days stuffed in the bilge like a sardine, flushing the coolant, cahnging the oil, and changing the h20 separating filter I threw the towel in on the impeller. I am sure I could have done it but it seemed like quite a task and one that needs to be done right. Good thing I had it replaced. There were several cracks forming and it was pretty stiff.

Have a good weekend.

Rich

[seapuppy]

glad you got your impeller changed...easy to do...we could have done it in about an hr....

SP...

[Gazjen]

Is that the wire that you ground for setting the static timing?

[hawkip]

I have the same wire coming out of the wiring harness on the starboard side of my 2bbl carburetor. I have two wires (B/Br) going to my choke, and just one random black wire with a male connector that is zip-tied back on to itself just sitting there.

I can find no missing female connector, and by looking at it, looks to have never been connected. I was chasing wires during my lunch hour today, and remembered your post, so I took a look.

[rgreenwell8962]

Hmmm. Maybe it is an extra. Thanks for looking. Must be for something that we dont have. OR, maybe if we connect it, we will gain an instant 200 hp. Yeah right.

[Brit Rider]

Just to throw it out there... my engine is covered in unconnected wires.... NO idea what they're for and don't really care... If there's no fault on the boat then I'd just assume all is fine

You could chuck a multimeter on to it when electrics are off/on/engine running etc to see if it does anything but it'd be for curiosities sake more than anything if it were me...

[Gazjen]

Originally Posted by Gazjen

Is that the wire that you ground for setting the static timing?

[BayBoy]

That should be the wire used for static timing as suggested by others. You just plug into it and ground to the block and it disables the distributor advance. Ususally they have a rubber plug in the end to keep out dirt and moisture but the plugs sometimes fall out or are not re-inserted if someone checks the timing.

[rgreenwell8962]

Thanks for the info. I am glad to know what this wire does.