Mercury Laser 220 XRI EFI V6 One dead cylinderbank, no spark

**Tobias** · 08-01-2020, 02:11 PM

Hi guys,

Yesterday it was my turn to be stranded by the boat ramp with a non start condition. ☹️

When I got home I started some troubleshooting and found out that the right cylinderbank was stone dead. No Spark at anyone of the three cylinders. The engine has run a bit rough from time to time but now it wouldn't even attempt to start at all. If one cyl was without spark it could be a ignition coil but when all three is dead it must be something bigger.

What could cause this issue?

Best regards

Tobias

**nitro_rat** · 08-01-2020, 02:58 PM

go to cdi electronics website and download their troubleshooting guide. most likely a switch box, there are two. each controls three cylinders. they should be changed in pairs. don't be tempted by the cheap chinese ones on ebay. get good ones from mercury, cdi, or sierra. stay away from the cdi blue "racing" stuff.

**Tobias** · 08-02-2020, 02:35 AM

That seems like a very good possibility, I will try to switch places of these switchpacks and see if the problem moves to the left cylinder bank instead. If so, we can be sure.

Thanks for the advice Nitro_Rat🙂

**Tobias** · 08-09-2020, 11:08 AM

Now I'm starting to get worried. The new switchpacks havn't arrived yet so I switched places between the two switchpacks. No difference! The engine still only fires at the left cylinder bank.

What now?

**FUJIMO** · 08-09-2020, 11:15 AM

...if your sure of your diagnosis, cancel the order, since it hasn't been processed...

**Tobias** · 08-09-2020, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by FUJIMO

...if your sure of your diagnosis, cancel the order, since it hasn't been processed...

I think I will receive them this week and they are already payed for so I guess I'll keep them. It wasn't all that expensive anyway.

My biggest concern is what causes the no spark condition

**TEXAS20225** · 08-09-2020, 01:32 PM

trigger maybe but since its a 220 it must the very early 2.4 laser not a 2.5 mota with those things it could be a lot of stuff ask me i had my vaccination on them

**Tobias** · 08-09-2020, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by TEXAS20225

trigger maybe but since its a 220 it must the very early 2.4 laser not a 2.5 mota with those things it could be a lot of stuff ask me i had my vaccination on them

Correct, it is a 2,4, atleast for all I know. The powerhead has a casting date "94" so I assume it has been swaped sometime during mid 1990's.

It seems like I have to take it step by step, i downloaded a troubleshooting manual so I will try to take it step by step to see if I can narrow it down a bit.

First step will be to unscrew the yellow/black killswitch cable from both switchboxes. Perhaps it can give me the spark back on both sides.

Texas, what kind of Issues has your engine given you?

**Dave Strong** · 08-09-2020, 04:27 PM

If you switched the switch boxes and all the wires between the 2, sounds like a stator to me.

Dave

**Tobias** · 08-16-2020, 11:56 AM

Unfortunatly the the switchpacks havn't arrived yet.. I did a little test today. I switched the Blue/White cables between the switchpacks. Guess what, I now got spark on all three cylinders at the right cylinderbank! The spark is now gone at the entire left cylinderbank.

What conclusion can we draw from from this?

**rock** · 08-16-2020, 12:32 PM

The blu/wht wire is a power supply from the stator. Also no 2.4s that I know of after 1990. If your build date is 94 you have either a 2.0 or a 2.5. Post a picture of the powerhead with the cowling off.

Rock

**Tobias** · 08-16-2020, 02:20 PM

I will try to get to my boat and take some pictures during the week.

So, if the Blue/White cables are power from the stator, could I make the conclusion that the stator needs to be replaced?

Another thought, would it be possible to put a jumper cable between the Blue/White cables and get the engine to run or will the ignition timing be out of sync then?

**FORBESAUTO** · 08-16-2020, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by Tobias

Unfortunatly the the switchpacks havn't arrived yet.. I did a little test today. I switched the Blue/White cables between the switchpacks. Guess what, I now got spark on all three cylinders at the right cylinderbank! The spark is now gone at the entire left cylinderbank.

What conclusion can we draw from from this?

Bad stator, gotta replace, wouldn’t run em both off a single leg.