Logo
FULL SITE MENU

Wiring nightmare 1968 40hp

olenavygoat

olenavygoat

New member
I'm attempting to hook up a 1968 40 hp Selectashift motor into a 1976 Eldocraft Eldorado I. The motor doesn't seem to match up to the book on color codes and of coarse the boat probably had a 65 h.p. motor on it originally.

Motor colors on dash end from motor are;

White 16 ga, then 2 black, 1 green, blue, red w/white stripe, tan, gray,brown that's hooked to the choke (all 18 ga), and a green 12 ga (hooked to "GEN" side of amp gauge) and brown 12 ga (hooked to "BAT" side of amp gauge).

On the boat wiring for the motor end there's;

All 16 ga and one each of; yellow, purple (temp warning), orange, green, blue, white, black. Then there's a 12 or 14 ga red wire.

If the dashes were similar it wouldn't be so bad but the dash piece with the motor doesn't match the boat dash. The boat doesn't have an amp gauge, or choke on the dash, The choke on the boat is a button you pull out on the throttle control lever box.

The only colors I'm sure about are for the temperature warning light (purple on boat, brown 18 ga from motor).

The repair manual I have says that from the starter switch is should be;
white is the solenoid
purple w/white stripe is choke
purple is temp. warning light (turns to tan at connector)
black is magneto to cut-out switch
orange is to generator (going from 14 ga at generator to 10 ga at connector
then another black magneto

Another issue I have is that the manual I have doesn't clearly show the letter diagram on the back of the ignition switch. I appreciate any tidbits that could point me in the right direction.
​
 
Re: Wiring nightmare

You need the proper control / wiring harness for the 68 motor-------------You will have difficulties " mixing and matching "here.
 
Re: Wiring nightmare

It would be nice to find one with a connector end already attached. I believe the older gent I bought the motor from just used whatever he had in his shop. He rebuilds for a hobby and is in his 80's.
 
Re: Wiring nightmare

What year was the 65 HP if you know, or do you have a picture of the control box. Some wiring diagrams for outboard motors can be found on line.
 
Re: Wiring nightmare

The Eldorado I boat is a 1976 and the wiring looks like it's original so I'd have to say that's what year the motor was as well. I. think what I'll end up doing is back tracing the harness from the control end to the motor componants to figure it out. I didn't think there'd be an easy answer to this one but thanks anyway.
 
Re: Wiring nightmare

Well there was no 65 HP JOHNSON or EVINRUDE built in 76.----------Unless you can give proper information or a picture of the control box. I am afraid I can not help.
 
Re: Wiring nightmare

I never said it had a Johnson or Evinrude 65. The hull i.d. plate has 65 hp listed as the max h.p. and since it's a bass boat I'm assuming that whoever ordered it had to have whatever the max was if he was a bass fisherman. At any rate, as most of the wires I've undone of their electrical tape in the engine compartment have no legible color casings and are corroded it looks like I'll be rewiring the motor and boat to match. Thanks for the input gents.
 
racerone said:
Look for the proper control box / wiring on E-bay.---------------Lots of them around.
Click to expand...

I have the single Johnson control vice the dual Johnson that was on it. I've re-wired the boat according to the SELOC manual from engine to boat end as all engine wires were not only bare but also corroded.

My problem now is that the book is in black and white, the starter switch is too small to read and switch looks slightly different in book. Do you know where I could find a better diagram showing what wires should go on which lettered post?
 
Back
Top