I just got a 1978 Mercury Black Max 200. The engine runs, but it's
missing the mercury kill switch. I bought and installed a new kill
switch. However I'm not sure if I installed it correctly (I do not
have a spark).

There are two wires that lead from the switch. The short wire is
grounded by the bolt that holds the kill switch itself. There is
another black wire coming from the alternator that is also grounded by
the switch bolt. Is this correct?

The second wire is attached to a terminal block with two other wires
from the switch boxes. The wiring diagrams claims they should be
orange wires. However they look brown to me. Is this correct?

Pictures:
http://www.davisonfamily.org/john/me...0Starboard.jpg
http://www.davisonfamily.org/john/me...0Starboard.jpg

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

-- John

According to my handy dandy Merc color code chart it is the black with yellow
tracer and you ground it to stop the engine.

(Greg) wrote in message ...
According to my handy dandy Merc color code chart it is the black with yellow
tracer and you ground it to stop the engine.

Does it say were the wire is suppose to go?

-- John

According to my handy dandy Merc color code chart it is the black with
yellow
tracer and you ground it to stop the engine.

Does it say were the wire is suppose to go?


It goes to the normally open side of the kill switch. The switch grounds out
that wire to kill the motor. If it is not connected to anything the motor runs,
assuming everything else is OK.

(John Davison) wrote in message om...
I just got a 1978 Mercury Black Max 200. The engine runs, but it's
missing the mercury kill switch. I bought and installed a new kill
switch. However I'm not sure if I installed it correctly (I do not
have a spark).

There are two wires that lead from the switch. The short wire is
grounded by the bolt that holds the kill switch itself. There is
another black wire coming from the alternator that is also grounded by
the switch bolt. Is this correct?

The second wire is attached to a terminal block with two other wires
from the switch boxes. The wiring diagrams claims they should be
orange wires. However they look brown to me. Is this correct?

Pictures:
http://www.davisonfamily.org/john/me...0Starboard.jpg
http://www.davisonfamily.org/john/me...0Starboard.jpg

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

-- John

To answer my own question; yes, that is the correct way to wire a
mercury kill switch.

-- John