1968 55 hp Evinrude Amplifier Problem

mables

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 17, 2010
Messages
92
Hello all, well I'm stumped. I got the boat from my dad and it hasn't ran in about 13 years so i re wired everything and the amp that was on it wasn't getting power to the points and when it was cranked it wasn't pushing the ~250v to the coil.
I found a replacement at a local repair guys house who said he didn't know if it would work but was honest and said he would guarantee the part. So i put it on and still no fire to the points when the key is on and when cranking it isn't pushing power to the coil. So I took it back and got another and same thing, so i got my money back.
Now what i was thinking of trying was using a universal car coil I have. It is a bosch and works on old volkswagens but should do the same as the amp and coil together right? Money is tight and I would rather have it running sooner than later so does anyone see a problem with this or? It also has the points under the flywheel instead of the sensor.
 

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,195
Re: 1968 55 hp Evinrude Amplifier Problem

You need to study up and figure out how that thing works. I don't know what kind of "power to the points" you are expecting. But I don't think you are ever going to find what you are looking for.

Also, you say you are getting 250 volts to the coil. How are you measuring that? Do you have a DVA or peak-reading voltmeter? Whatever, that is more or less what it should be.

Keep messing with those amplifiers with unorthodox tests and you will blow one. I'm surprised the guy gave you your money back.

Many people have tried converting them to car coils. Not one person that I have ever heard of has reported long term success.
 

mables

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 17, 2010
Messages
92
Re: 1968 55 hp Evinrude Amplifier Problem

Well the tests aren't unorthodox according to the manual, and yes i'm measuring in dva. And the problem with all 3 was that they weren't pushing any voltage to the coil as they should have been and points need a hot wire and a ground they work by shorting the system and that tells the coil or in this case the amplifier to tell the coil to fire. The tests I did were straight from my manual connect the ground lead of the multimeter to a ground on the engine and the red lead to the blue wire from the amplifer to the coil and while cranking it should read ~ 250v which none of them did. Thus the reasoning for my getting a car coil and seeing if it would work, I can't try anything right now as I am at work but plan on getting it runing with the car coil tonight.
 

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,195
Re: 1968 55 hp Evinrude Amplifier Problem

Well, ok. However, the amplifier won't discharge to the coil unless the points are doing their job, making and breaking zero ohms to infinity. And the amplifier is receiving battery voltage. I suppose you checked all that?
 

mables

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 17, 2010
Messages
92
Re: 1968 55 hp Evinrude Amplifier Problem

Yeah, the guy had one in his shop that he said he knew worked when he got it but that was quite a few years ago. The first one I got was off of a motor in his pasture that he wasn't sure about, but the wires were good so i tried it first, so when it didn't work he let me swap it for the one in his shop. I had to silicone the base where the wires came out and then rewire it with what little bit was left, and it was still a no go. the only reason im doing the car coil is so I can have it running and enjoy it while i save up for the replacement cdi unit, and I was wondering if someone knew that wouldn't work or if there would be any issues that I would come across that someone had dealt with before.
 
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