Engine not starting

[Maclin]

Re: Engine not starting

No voltage at the coil when ignition is in "On" but voltage at the coil when ignition is in "Start" (cranking) is a classic symptom of a bad (open circuit) ballast resistor or ballast resistor wire. Most ignition circuits that use a ballast system have a bypass of the ballast resistance when cranking.

I believe it is a wiring problem, or bad component in the ballast resistance circuit.

 

[DeputyMike]

Re: Engine not starting

OK, the pump is replaced and I'm getting fuel to the carb. Still no spark when I crank with the ignition alone. When we run a lead from the battery to the top terminal on the distributor and then crank with the ignition, then we get spark. But, the engine STILL WON'T FIRE UP!!!???

 

[Don S]

Re: Engine not starting

22 posts, and no one has even asked what engine you have. We know it's a 91 350, but is it Mercruiser, Volvo, OMC?????

 

[DeputyMike]

Re: Engine not starting

OK, the engine is running!!! the distributor wasn't quite turned right and the wires weren't correct on the kill switch. Now, the trim will not work. Once I had everything hooked up and the engine running (today), I hit the trim switch to try and lower the outdrive and I heard a noise like it was trying to work, then nothing. Now, everytime I hit either the up or down button, all I hear is a click back where all the wires from the trim connect to whatever those things are they connect to. I've come so far, yet as soon as I fix one problem, another one pops up. What do I do now???!!!

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Engine not starting

Relax, and welcome to boating.

Until you go through all the problems with your boat and fix them one by one, then maintain the boat on a regular maintenance schedule, you'll probably find a lot of these sorts of issues. Only brand new boats have very few of them, or boats maintained by a careful owner. Sadly, it's part of boat ownership, especially of used boats, to find a pile of problems due to maintenance that wasn't done, wasn't done right, or was deferred.

If you haven't done maintenance on an item yourself while you've owned the boat, you have to assume it hasn't been maintained and is going to break. Make time to check over the entire boat, including checking for hull problems.

Just be aware that once you plow through these inherited problems, you'll have a boat that is reliable as you expect, provided you keep up on the maintenance. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Take things one step at a time, post here with descriptions of the problems, pictures if possible, and people will try to help you.

Boats are expensive and require a lot of work. The only exceptions to this are rowboats and boats you don't own.

Erik