mercathode connections

[banfield]

Hi,
I've had my 22 classic for about 1 month, and started noticing a bit of white spots developing on the drive. Unfortunately, I am storing it in the water this summer until I get a lift built for next year. The white spots made me question the mercathode's function.... I finally looked at it, and found it isn't connected!

Would someone post or email me a factory manual page showing where I should be connecting the R and A wires from the mercathode?

If it matters, I have a 89 454 carbureted and a 89 bravo I drive. The drive has some old anti-fouling paint on it (but the gimble housing doesn't). Will the paint screw things up (I'm a fresh water kind of person, so I'm not used to the paint).

Also, the mercathode is located just above the fuel pump on my engine. Is this the normal location?

Thanks alot!
Don Banfield

[MOP]

This may help you out, its a decent site to book mark.

http://www.marinemechanic.com/site/page200.html

[GeneD]

The location you describe for the Mercathod is correct.
The thing to look for is that all your outdrive components are grounded to the engine. There are little SST braided wires that connect all your components to each other for grounding purposes.
Start at the drive and work your way forward. Often times, the ground is not connected from the inside transom plate to the engine. There is also a wire coming off the steering arm and connecting to the transom plate.
The Mercathod system is great when it's working, but as most things with Merc, when it's not working, it's a mother bear to figure out what went wrong.

[Donzigo]

Interesting, Gene, I called my Mercury mechanic and he said almost word for word what you said on your post.

Bottom line is that the system works well, when it's working; but, it's a bear to make sure all of the parts are grounded; therefore, most Mercathode systems don't work. So, I disconnected mine on the 2 454;s on the 33, ripped everything out and since I'm a neat freak, me "likie". Of course, my boat stays on a lift. An "in water" application might be different.

Check out the other boats in the slips beside you. They can be giving off huge amounts of electrolysis. When I lived in the marina on a 41" Chris Craft for three years, I had what's called a "slave" piece of lead that I hung over the side into the water to help out with this. It was connected to the ground of the boat. That thing ate up pretty fast, depending on who was beside me.