How important are those mesh ground straps?

[djcamera]

I noticed that on my old project motor (1986 Mercury 75hp) there should be TWO short mesh copper grounding straps on the back of the motor, running from the block to the cowl bracket...on either side of the spark plugs. (See photo below). One of them (left side) was missing, rusted away if the condition of the terminal end was any hint, and the part of the cowl support it attaches to is broken. I got a new wire and attached it to a different spot on the bracket.

I've been having some weird electrical behavior and wondering if it's because that mesh ground wire was missing. And are there other ground wires like this one that I should look for (and might be missing?)

Are these wires important?

 

[faztbullet]

The straps bond the cowls and midsection together in a ground circuit. There are small one on underside of lower cowl(cover mounting bolts) that tie midsection into circuit. Yes they can cause choke and trim solenoid issues if missing

 

[fastjeff]

You wouldn't believe the electrical HELL that can happen if a single ground is missing!

Jeff

 

[djcamera]

Yes they can cause choke and trim solenoid issues if missing

Trim solenoid issues? Funny you say that: the same day I noticed white smoke coming out of the cowl when I was trimming the motor down to work on it. Definitely from under the cowl, not from the trim motor area. After I replaced that ground strap, I trimmed it up and down a few times with no smoke. Possibly related?

 

[Docksidemarineservices]

The ground strap should be replaced with the oem style strap....