1990 Force 50hp - Power loss / Ignition Coils

[Probus]

Hi all,
My first time posting on this site. You all seem very knowledgeable and im sure you can help =)

Ive got a 1990 16' Maxum Bow rider with a 1990 50hp Force outboard. I recently took it out on the river, it ran fine for 15 minutes or so.. then i shut it off and fished.. when i started back up it was performing (smoothly) at about one third power even tho the throttle was fully open. i started eliminating problems, fuel was fine and tube/bulb fine, checked plugs both clean, battery connections fine, it ran slow like that for a while then miraculously picked up to full speed for a few minutes... i shut it off for a few and when i restarted it was at the 1/3 power again. i kept restarting and riding around for hours but it stayed slow. it did sputter an occasional "put" of more power but never "cought".. i did notice that it used the amount of fuel it would have if i had been tooling around at full open throttle. it was suggested to me that it could be the ignition coil(s).. could anyone suggest a method of diagnosing what the problem is? or how to determine if it is a coil pack problem?

Thanks all,
Probus

 

[Probus]

Re: 1990 Force 50hp - Power loss / Ignition Coils

Ive since tested the engine by removing one plug wire at a time and trying to start. With the bottom plug off it runs, with the top plug of it does not.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 1990 Force 50hp - Power loss / Ignition Coils

That could be a coil or trigger, bad plug.Try switching coils around and see if it follows the coil. Trouble shooting without a manual is very dificult.Jerry

 

[Probus]

Re: 1990 Force 50hp - Power loss / Ignition Coils

Ive replaced the ignition coil attached to the lower plug.. no go. Still no spark from bottom plug. I've also replaced spark plugs so its not that. Does all this lead to believing it is the stator? or trigger?

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 1990 Force 50hp - Power loss / Ignition Coils

It could be the pack, switch the leads around from top cyl. to bottom.If the spark changes then the pack is probably bad.If it makes no difference then the trigger is probably bad.But not testing with the proper procedures(manual and peak reading volt meter) It might be something else.Jerry

 

[Probus]

Re: 1990 Force 50hp - Power loss / Ignition Coils

When you say pack do you mean the CD pack?

I tried switching the leads from the cd pack to the coils and both the coils work on the lead from the cd to the coil for cyl1, but neither works on the lead for cyl2. So i can safely rule out the coils as being the problems...

I suppose i need to determine now whether it is the cd or the trigger. without swapping cd's, is there a way i can test if both lines thru the cd are working? maybe by switching its input leads from the trigger?

Thanks

 

[blunos]

Re: 1990 Force 50hp - Power loss / Ignition Coils

I have pretty much the exact same problem, and just swapped the leads from the CD to the coils and it did not follow the coil. Did it end up being your CD/power pak or trigger?

 

[Rich1540]

Re: 1990 Force 50hp - Power loss / Ignition Coils

I have the same problem on my 1985 just started this two days ago !