Distributor or electric ignition

[Thoughtshurt]

I have a late 60s model evenrude 75hp outboarde and the distributor went bad. My question is can I or should I put an electric ignitoin in it what woild be cheaper and or easier to do. Im new to boat motors and not sure if it would work but i do have a bucket of old distridutors in very states of disaray and i think i could get ine working ine out of the lot. But if it would be easier and more reliable can i go electonic

 

[F_R]

I say run what it came with. That could be a magneto, or it could be automotive battery/coil ignition. They both were good, but the battery/coil kind was simpler. BTW, the plug wires come out the bottom of the magneto, or out the side of a distributor cap on top of the automotive type

 

[Thoughtshurt]

Then it would be the magneto bc they come out of the bottum ok and ty i guess il prolly ahve to do more research on how they work i know how they work but to the point i can peice one back together

 

[jimmbo]

Just for your info, 1965 was the last year for the V4 75 hp.

 

[racerone]

What " went bad " on this unit ?-----Coil is a little spendy, but other than that it is a wonderful and reliable unit.---Spin a good one by hand and you will see a small electrical storm.

 

[Thoughtshurt]

All i know is that they said it lost spark and my main thing is im not sure if i can get it timed right. I did find one that i could spin and it put out spark but it is almost compleatly striped and bearings are rust but im goin to try to put the coil in the one that came off the motor ty for ur guys' help hopefully it works

 

[racerone]

Intall the good coil.---Clean and set the points to 0.020"-----Spin it by hand and check for spark.---If good intall the magneto.-----Then ask for procedure on timing magneto to the crankshaft.

 

[F_R]

The belt timing is simple.

 

[Thoughtshurt]

So i got the one that is complete i jumped from the outer caseing to the post on the coil spun it a few times and git a couple little sparks so i spun it faster and it gave me a jolt finger tips still little numb boes that mean it is working and i can put the rotor and cap on it and install it then on the motor now ? Or is there something else i should check first

 

[F_R]

It should knock you right out of your skivvies if you do what you did. It should throw a spark across a 1/4" gap at 60 RPM (that's one revolution per second). Check the breaker points. Don't just check them, take them apart and polish each contact shiny bright. Reassemble and set gap to .020" at widest opening. While you are at it, make sure the terminals on the wire connecting the breaker plate to coil (and also coil ground lead) are also shiny bright and tight.

 

[Thoughtshurt]

Kk i have cleand and gaped the point and when i jump from coil to case there is a blueish red spark (ark) that jumped about 1/2in very audiable aswell. I then put a rotor ( im not sure wich to use bc there was a couple of styles in the bucket of parts one narrow with straight blade and one with a wide curved blade) on it and replaced the cap. I believe I got the springs pulled up enuf to touch but when i put a plug on one of the wires and grounded it out i rly didnt see much of a spark at the plug am i useing the wrong rotor or do i need to do some work on the cap. And i also noticed the cylinders are marked on the motor. But not on the wires. So what would the wire order be? Ty you guys for ur help i am geting alot farther then i was trying to find info online lol

 

[racerone]

One style of rotor is for the battery ignition and one is for your magneto.----Not to be mixed up.----Look on the distributor cap as cylinder numbers may be on it.

 

[F_R]

True, there are two types of rotors. I would have to look in the book to remember which is which. If you have the correct one in there, the symptoms point to possible arcing through an almost invisible pin hole to the shaft. I've seen lots of them do that.

 

[Thoughtshurt]

So how would i correct that the spark juming to the shaft that is. And can anyone point me in the right direction to gettin a fuse box for this motor it goes in the boat but it has the voltage regulator and starter solenoid in it but it is completly coroded

 

[F_R]

Only cure for a rotor that is arcing through is replace it.

Once upon a time, there were junction boxes seemingly everywhere you looked. But they are getting harder to find, especially in good condition. Do you feel like you really need a generator & regulator? Many motors were sold without the accessory generator kit. The regulator is almost no longer available and over $100 if you can find one. And no, before you ask, you cannot just plop a car regulator in there. An option is a solid state regulator made for Harley Davidson motorcycles part number 381-309 from JP Cycles. About 50 bucks Most people are just hard wiring the rest of the system.

 

[Thoughtshurt]

Ok so i can just disconect the generator and put in a basice fuse box for the rest but what about the starter solenoid is that hard to find or can i use one from another from something else that would be easyer to find

 

[racerone]

Johnson / Evinrude have used the same solenoid ( one that will work for you ) for 40 years or more.----Should be easy to find new and used.

 

[F_R]

Available right here at iboats. What you do not want to do is head off to the auto parts store and buy a car solenoid. They look exactly alike, but are different inside. If you try to use it, you will instantly destroy the safety switch.

 

[Thoughtshurt]

Now can i just disonect the wires drom the generator and leave it attached with the belt on just in case i wanna add a regulator later or would i have to completly disasemble it?

 

[boobie]

Take the belt off of the generator so it's not spinning and leave it along with the wires off.