Mercrusier 233 351w Ignition craps out at 3200 rpm?

Capt Matt

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Aug 11, 2010
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1977 16.5 Century Arabian, hasn't seen water in 6 years, really close to dunking this puppy. Finishing up restomod, switched out the 2bbl for a 4 with Edelbrock performer intake, new pertronix igniter, II I think electronic upgrade to old Dizzy including matching Pertronix flame thrower Coil. Have worked through the resistor wire issue. Starts good, got the idle down to 650-700 and 10 BTDC, idles nice, lags a little on throttle up then quickly kicks in runs good and strong up to around 3200 and craps out. You can see the spark go away on the timing light so I don't think it is carburation comes back ok with rpm drop? Plug, wires, filters etc. new. Got me baffled, any ideas anybody. I looked through lots of others postings but all thought carburation but could find only one fellow who actually followed up his thread with what fixed it and his was new distributer. Doesn't seem anyone has the machines to test these old dizzies and yes it advances out to around 30. Thanks for your replies.
 

NHGuy

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It sounds as if when the distributor gets to 30 the ignitor does not see the trigger point any more. I wonder if it's due to speed or angle or position. Perhaps the distributor shaft is pushing up as the engine speed increases? See if the bushing/bearing is good. Does Pertronix offer any troubleshooters?
OR, and this just occurred to me. There could be an rpm limiter that's not set. Pertronix might have those, I can't remember.
 
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NHGuy

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When you get a chance put up some pictures. Arabians are so good looking. I almost bought a clapped out 1976? 454 19 footer at one point. It had good bones, but everything soft needed replacing. We have a dark maroon one around here that makes me ache when it goes by.
I'd want a Coronado, Arabian, Resorter or a Donzi Classic sometime.
 

Capt Matt

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Aug 11, 2010
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Thanks RHGuy, there seems to be a consensus on the Dizzy being Dizzzzzy, I do recall the timing advancing to 30 you might be on to something, a friend also suggested issues with the Dizzy, I wish now I had replaced the whole thing. Im going to change out the coil with another I have and replace the coil to dizzy spark wire and give it one more look see before I pull it. Have been trying to get time to query Pertronix on it.

Re: Arabian, I know how you feel, when I first saw it I said to myself that was a very handsome boat totally loved the lines. I learned sometime later that this was some of the company's first foray into fiberglass boats and were still using the same hull form as the last wooden models. I saw a utube video of the PO running it on a lake in Utah and it ran like a champ and was well worn but for around $4k I had to have it (2008). I usually like to do rewire jobs on used old boats, cars or motorcycles I have bought. So dove into this one right off, got a little anal about upgrades so it was taking longer than I figured. Mean while old father winter caught up with me. Were not in an area where it freezes but did somewhat of a winterization unfortunately come spring when I was starting to open her found numerous freeze plugs in the bilge and ended up with a cracked block, woe was me!

Well long story short took another couple of years to find a suitable replacement engine and shared the best of both with the good block which included the 4 barrel setup and a larger aluminum oil pan, god only knows why someone would put one on a marine engine but hey I had it so I used it. Mean while after removing the engine I dove head long in to a better restoration. Went right down to the stringers one I could repair the other I replaced. New floor, new carpet, restored the teak, and built a new box that sits under the teak in the center of the floor, new gauges, lots of new wiring, new floodlight, misc. everything, repaired or replaced all the wood behind the gauges and in the couch seat, kept the replacement chairs but new posts, NOS dash from the old Century factory in Michigan as well as a NOS glove box door which I am still installing, rigged up a lock for it and designed a new glove box and had it built with its own box within for the head unit for the sound system, a wired remote for the rear seat, 4 speakers, Sub woofer and a box to hold it, 2 amps, a large capacitor for the sub., Blue Sea fuse box for the front and smaller one for the rear for lights etc. Most lights were converted to LED's, Optima Battery, stainless tray, Fumoto oil drain valve, had the old upholstery used as patterns Kopy Kats in Florida,for covers and did the rest myself. Re made the whole trailer and so much more, PLEASE SOME ONE STOP ME! LOL Enjoy the photos. Belay that, photos reduced to under 200 KB look awful and its saying anything I try to upload is corrupted? Get back at ya on this one?
 

Capt Matt

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Well I had posted a few pics on the start of this thread, their not showing up. This is a test to upload a photo- Well for what ever reason this site says all my photos are corrupted? Just sent one to myself, works fine, have uploaded to numerous other sites no problem? Anyone else having issues? Went and tried to do an avatar, wont do that either?
 
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NHGuy

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I think you have to use one of those hosting sites. But it sounds like your boat will be fantastic. Congrats, you are in the final stages...
 

Capt Matt

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Great News! Took the boat and launch on Folsom Lake, depth is less than 4' away from the whole reservoir becoming a 5 mph zone. Figured I better do it now. Took a buddy of mine who's not much for water but he's a marine, a buddy and always there for me. Launch went well after we helped some poor fellow who for got to latch his winch line and promptly dropped his boat on the concrete ramp when I put his brake on. Funny ramp stories, ah yes got a million of the as many of you must also. Had to familiarize the controls somewhat, later slowly increased the throttle until, yes you got it, 3200rpm ignition drops out? Played with it for awhile to no avail. Eventually shut her down. Put my buddy in the drivers seat, went back and pulled one of the covers off disconnected one extra wire on the negative and 1 on the positive except the red and black to the dizzy. Gave it some thought and realizing I needed a power source so reconnected the other red wire leaving off the other wire that went to the neg of the coil.

Started her back got her going and going and going and gone, puppy jumped up on step and next thing I know I was looking for a sweet spot to clip the 1 foot chop on the lake! Wooooo Weeeeee Much joy and happiness in the house this day. Took a little trip up the North Fork of the American River, did some exploring around the lake and successfully returned to the dock for recovery. Maiden shake down cruze July 20, 2014! Mission accomplished. I want to thank you all for your input. I love it when a plan comes together, 6 years in the making.

So I get back and start figuring out why the wire was killing the ignition, I had noticed the Tachometer had ceased to work without that wire? Looked at four schematics including the one from Pertronics and all show running the black wire from the Tach to the negative terminal of the coil? What up with that. Anyone want to lay into this one?

Re: photos. So I need some sort of hosting site? Strange on my motorcycle forum we just upload them from the computer? I'll give it a try though, I certainly checked out many others over the last six years so would like to give some back.
 

NHGuy

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OK now it gets expensive...fuel, lunch,dock lines, bumpers, swimsuits, insurance, trailer parts, sunblock. missed work. Congrats to you.
 

Capt Matt

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Aug 11, 2010
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Great Idea, working on something on Photo Bucket, will post a link in a couple of days
 

Capt Matt

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Aug 11, 2010
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Hi all, Kinda new to some of this stuff hope it works. Below (I think) is a link to a photo story line and at the end is a video of the shake down cruise. Its not very good, spur of the moment sort of thing. Just wanted something of the occasion. Some of it appears washed out. Some was from cell phones and some from a gopro. I think that has something to do with conversion that go on in order to have a format that is recognized by were it is posted? Can't we all get along? What I mean use just one LOL wishful thinking. Bit of a synopsis. 6 years in the making for lots of reasons, the boat hasn't seen a polish in a long time. No sense in polishing something that may end up in a wreckers yard. The swim step needs to be refinished, again. Vinyl is dirty, when I put in the new dash I also had found a new burl decal strip the goes below the switches even though it was NOS it was old and has not held up very well. Which brings to mind I am trying to source some material likely something plastic looks like burl and is somewhat thin, anyone knows of any such thing please drop me a line. I documented as much as I could in order to be able to get something's back the way they had been and I have hundreds of photos. I tried to provide a little compilation. FYI old boat adage, hole in the water you throw money in. Lots and Lots of Money but most of you are likely very aware of that. I just want to get it wrapped up before I die. Enjoy and thanks all!
 
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