Engine Died and Needed Tow

1stgenbird

Petty Officer 1st Class
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I was out on a big lake today in my ?73 Silverline with a 165hp Mercruiser and after about ? hour cruising along just fine, the motor just coughed once and died and I couldn?t get it restarted. It would crank but not start.
Not much boat traffic other than kayaks and sailboats so I dropped anchor and after awhile, a fisherman in a bass boat came by and gave me a long tow back to the ramp.
After getting home, I checked the fuel filters and they seemed fine. As I had replaced the plugs, dist. cap and rotor a few days ago, I rechecked and all seemed good. I did not replace the points or condenser at that time but they looked fine. Tried to start and it still just cranked and wouldn?t fire up.
I have had this boat since the end of July and have only had it on the water 3-4 times before today and all of those were on a small lake with a 10mph limit on the weekends and 35 mph during the week and with the lake?s size, I could only run WOT for about 30 secs.
However, the first time I had it out, it did the same thing, coughed and died, but it started right back up and I attributed it to 1+ year old gas. The other times it ran fine.
Any ideas of what direction to start troubleshooting?
 

Don S

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

Do you have spark?

If you pump the throttler, does gas squirt from the accelerator pump into the carb?
 

mr 88

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

My guess is your points.Looking good and actually being good along with gaped and dwell'd are two different things.If they close or gap it;s all over. Along with what Don S asked ,more info is needed.
 

1stgenbird

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

I pump the throttle and gas squirts in the carb.

I didn't test for spark but did see the points open and close when cranking with the cap off and they are gapped correctly.
 

Don S

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

I didn't test for spark but did see the points open and close when cranking with the cap off and they are gapped correctly.

Check for spark, just because the points move doesn't mean they are doing their job electrical.
 

1stgenbird

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

I'll check these things out tomorrow. I am thinking it's the coil. I think I have one somewhere in the garage so I will swap it out.
 

Don S

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

I am thinking it's the coil.

If you don't know what's wrong, replace the coil. :facepalm:
Why not, there are more good coils replaced than any other part on any engine.
 

ktbarrentine

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

+1... I thought Easter was six months ago.... I recommend getting back to basics and getting out the troubleshooting guide in the service manual.
 

skipbehr

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Sep 22, 2012
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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

[I would check or change the coil .Same thing happened to me four weeks ago trolling for about two hours engine died would not start. Changed coil and everything OK!!
 

thumpar

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

[I would check or change the coil .Same thing happened to me four weeks ago trolling for about two hours engine died would not start. Changed coil and everything OK!!
OK but how do you know that is his problem? I bet 50%+ of coil replacements are just points/condenser being bad. I used to drive a VW bug. I know points.
 

1stgenbird

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

OK but how do you know that is his problem? I bet 50%+ of coil replacements are just points/condenser being bad. I used to drive a VW bug. I know points.

Hey Guys!! I got a spare coil in the garage so why not throw it in? Right??? Sure, I could spend an hour or so going through the manuals, checking this and that so why not get the coil out of the picture since I don't have a spare set of points.
 

888

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

Hey Guys!! I got a spare coil in the garage so why not throw it in? Right??? Sure, I could spend an hour or so going through the manuals, checking this and that so why not get the coil out of the picture since I don't have a spare set of points.
Why not get your digital multi-meter out and ohm your coil(Should be 1.5). If that turns out to be ok,then head to napa and spend 10 bucks on a set of points and condenser. Tearing stuff apart that doesn't need to come apart creates additional problems
 

1stgenbird

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

Why not get your digital multi-meter out and ohm your coil(Should be 1.5). If that turns out to be ok,then head to napa and spend 10 bucks on a set of points and condenser. Tearing stuff apart that doesn't need to come apart creates additional problems

You're right. Just tearing apart that coil by taking off the two nuts will cause all sorts of problems.
 

JimS123

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

You're right. Just tearing apart that coil by taking off the two nuts will cause all sorts of problems.

If you have a spare and you know its good, go ahead. I would too. But, at the same time I'd replace the points and condenser too. Even if you don't need them now, you probably will next year.

Over the years I had more problems with points that I care to remember. Some just like you described. Switched to a Pertronics electronic ignition about 12 years ago and the motor hasn't hiccuped since.
 

1stgenbird

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

Found an old coil in the garage, took 3 minutes to swap it out for old, and the engine fired up. Thanks to all for the advice.
 

emoney

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

1stgen, you'd probably be serving yourself better to run some basic diagnostic checks on the motor before you get out in the middle of the lake again. The "coughing once & dying, like it did once before", imho anyway, would merit poking around if nothing else. Plugs & plug wires are easy to inspect. A person can get a basic compression tester for $10 these days, and the fuel system just requires your eyes more than anything. The good thing about any internal combustion motor is it only needs those 3 things to run; compression, spark and fuel. "It's not brain surgery after all" (from the Sat. Nite Live sketch, lol).

The difference between a trouble free outing and a "waited for a tow" outing is just a little bit of time and effort. Regardless of what "they" say, boats are supposed to be just as dependable as cars. They're designed so that you turn the key and off you go. Outside of that, something's amiss, but usually pretty easily correctable.
 

888

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Re: Engine Died and Needed Tow

Found an old coil in the garage, took 3 minutes to swap it out for old, and the engine fired up. Thanks to all for the advice.
Sweet....Now go figure out what burnt the other coil up,otherwise you'll be needing another tow real soon.Happy Boating
 
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