TOPIC: Merc 50 hp. Switch box (Contd..Hidden wire damage)

Don't you just love the professionalism of our outboard repair industry?
So after paying$111.00 to a well known repair shop in my area, He claims I need a new switch box($539.00 installed!). I figure it's not worth it. At home after contacing you guys I start to test things and I decide to open up the internal wire harness to trace down the leads. Suprise! Dah! did the shop ever do this(NO!) would I have put in a new switch box to have it Blow out too?

So now I'll re-wire or find new/used harness and proceed to try and get spark or put in a new/used box. Thanks fpor your advise guys.
gene

All of my 1968 to 1972 Merc 500's had wires that looked like that.. I cut them back as far as I could and re-wired, Hooked it all up and the switch box's all worked again.. maybe you will be as lucky. Best of luck!

Thanks for the encouragement> thats what I'm going to try!Hey it can't hurt.I'll keep you all posted on the results.
gene

This is the sort of thing that boils my blood. I have been a Marine Mechanic for 40 plus years now and if one of my customers ever got treated like that at my shop I would fire the individual responsible and repair the damage for free with apologies. Bring it back, complain loud and long and demand reimbursement. There is absolutely no excuse for bad workmanship like that, none. They should be ashamed of themselves, they give the good mechanics in my trade a serious black eye that is totally undeserved.

Thanks for this thread! After reading it, I looked at mine and I have the exact same thing. I'll be rewiring today. Thanks.

I'm just glad I decided to trace the wire harness back. Could have wound up paying big bucks and had a new switch box short out as soon(or after a little use)as I tried to start it again(then what more $, more time wasted etc.). Thanks to this forum and guys like you, we can keep these old boats/engines still running.
I rewired the harness taped and used heat shrink I'm finishing hook-up today and then we'll see if that original switch box is still good. At least now if I have to buy a new switch box, it won't short out.
Thanks for the encouragement and helpful tips.
Delvel

I had a couple of wires like that , I soldered and heat shrinked them .. Bang zoom .. ready to go !!

Thanks guys: I re-wired harness and she started right Up! Thanks for the encouragement.All it cost was time,new wire,heatshrink & tape.

Nice! Glad to hear it, now you have that much more knowledge of your engine if you have other issues with it.