Please Help 1969 85 HP Johnson No Spark

bigbadjim

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Jun 7, 2010
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I know its in the ground side of the points and I have discovered from reading the posts that my anti reversing spring was missiing. So I ordered and got one but I don't know where it goes anybody got a diagram- and is this enough to make the motor not run? I am always showing a constant ground when I turn the flywheel to check the points never seems to break contact,gap okay, points look ohay though. Has CDI ignition. :mad:
 

Joe Reeves

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Re: Please Help 1969 85 HP Johnson No Spark

NOTE! Use what is called "Type D" lube (grease), also know as high temperature grease on the anti reverse spring and the related portion of the crankshaft. To ignore this step will result in a extremely short life of the spring and possible damage (a groove) to the crankshaft.

The anti reverse spring should be sitting so that the high portion of the coil is facing up. It simply sits alongside of the fiber block on the port side of the timer base that has a metal contact.

When the engine is turning in a normal clockwise diredtion, the anti reverse spring is drawn away from that metal contact due to the friction between it and the crankshaft. A counter clockwise movement of the crankshaft will force the spring up against that metal contact and short out the ignition.

Point setting:

(Point Setting Of Battery Capacitance Discharge)
( Ignition Models - 1968 thru 1972)
(Some have points - Some do not)
(Joe Reeves)

The points must be set to .010 but no wider than .010..... BUT in some instances due to a possible slight inaccurately machined crankshaft lobe or a slight offset of one set of points, a setting slightly less than .010 would be required as follows.

Whether the crankshaft has two or three lobes, when setting the points, check the setting of the points on each individual lobe by rotating the crankshaft by hand.

You may find that setting one set of points to .010 on one lobe, then turning the crankshaft to the next lobe, the gap measures .011 or .012 (too wide). This is where you would need to close that gap down to the required .010. A gap too wide can result in a ignition miss when throttle is applied.

Bottom line, (3 cyl example) pertaining to the point setting at the various lobe locations____ .010, .010, .009, is okay____ .010, .010, .011 is not!
 

bigbadjim

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Re: Please Help 1969 85 HP Johnson No Spark

BTW I got a Seloc Marine service manual online and it doesn't show nothin'
 

bigbadjim

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Re: Please Help 1969 85 HP Johnson No Spark

Joe thank you I havent had it running yet and the guy I bought it from couldn't figure out why it wouldn't get spark. I got further than him. but it is like a piece at a time. Is this spring enough to keep the spark from happening and grounding out the system?
 

bigbadjim

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Re: Please Help 1969 85 HP Johnson No Spark

Forgot to ask where do I get this Type"D" grease?
 

Joe Reeves

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Re: Please Help 1969 85 HP Johnson No Spark

Any automotive parts type store would have th high temperature grease (same thing).

(Voltage Drop To Battery Capacitance Discharge)
( Pulsepack When Electric Starter Is Engaged)
(J. Reeves)

On the older Battery Capacitance Discharge ignition systems (1968-1972), the electric starter reaches a point, even with a top notch battery, whereas the starter will draw excess voltage/current/whatever which results in a voltage drop to the pulsepack. The cure is to purchase a diode which is capable of handling 12 volts and installing it between the starter terminal of the starter solenoid (NOT the battery cable terminal) and the wiring terminal that supplies voltage to the pulsepack.

The diode must be installed so that the current flows from the starter terminal of the solenoid to the pulsepack... NOT vice versa. When that diode is installed in this manner, when the key is turned to the start position, the voltage that is applied to the starter is also applied directly to the pulsepack via the diode effectively eliminating the voltage drop and energizing the pulsepack with the required voltage needed for its proper operation.

********************
(Battery Capacitance Dischage Powerpack Test)
Various OMC Engines - 1968 to 1972)
(J. Reeves)

Purchase a small 12v bulb at your local automotive parts store (the 12v bulb is to look like a flashlight bulb, not a headlight bulb). Solder two wires to that bulb, one to the side of the bulb (ground), and the other to the positive point. You might use a bulb of a somewhat lower voltage to obtain a brighter glow... just a suggestion.

Remove the spark plugs. With the key in the on position, make sure that you have 12v going to the pack at the terminal block (purple wire). Now, connect the ground wire from the bulb to any powerhead ground. Connect the wire from the positive point of that bulb to the powerpack wire that is connected to the coil wire on the terminal board (blue wire).

Crank the engine and observe that bulb closely (CLOSELY!). If that bulb glows even the slightest bit, the powerpack is okay. It may be a very dim glow... just so it glows! If it doesn't glow, the pack has failed.

Keep in mind, that type powerpack (Battery Capacitance Discharge) demands a top notch battery of at least 70 amp hours. Any less will, in time, cause powerpack failure.
 

bigbadjim

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Re: Please Help 1969 85 HP Johnson No Spark

So I will try both of these tests as you have outlined- I especially like the diode idea as one of the ideas that I had was that current may be flowing the wrong direction somewhere in the system ground fault etc. I tried converting the engine over to an automotive type system and using a standard 12V coil w/ ballast also using a condenser in line on the breaker side of the points. I also ran a seperate line to run direct voltage to the coil in order to maximize my voltage on start up- to no avail. Again I'm sure due to the grounding of the points. However when testing the positive side of the coil to the positive on the starter post I was still getting enough ground that it was lighting the test light. When I touched the terminal block, again with the clip on the positive side of the starter still had enough ground that all of the terminals that had wires on them lit the test light. Wierd? The only post that did not light up on the terminal block was the red wire which is constant battery. Beginning to wonder if I have a faulty ignition switch though I changed that last year. Anyway I figured that the points issue must be the cause because they dont make and break contact properly. So I stripped everthing off that I had put on and put it back to factory spec. Still cant figure why points would always be grounded. What is used as insulation between the crank shaft, motor and the points plate? I noticed there is a plastic ring that goes under the points plate is that the insulator and if so is it supposed to have a split in it? it looks factory in order to fit over points plate. Also on the CDI The grey wire attaches to the blue wire via the terminal block. The pur/yel goes to terminal 8 of the terminal block - not counting end mounting screws. I am using a Delta CDI it also has a solid lavender wire and a solid purple wire. Can you confirm which terminals these go to? These components came off a running 85 HP but I broke the thermostat housing and did not want to seperate the exhaust from power head due to condition. I switched over my complete harness and CDI and points plate and repaired wires on points plate as they were in terrible condition. Sorry this post is sooo long but wanted to give you the full picture. Thanks for your help. Jim
 
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