1979 Evinrude 115 hp NO Spark

[RC Dillon]

1979 Eveinrude 115purchased boat, put in water and started right up, idled ruff, engine had a hard time and all of a sudden it took off like BOH, crossed the lake and stopped to idle and it died. 45 mins later re-started and lymped back to dock.
Installed new plugs @30, rebuilt carbs, cleaned all wire contacts, kill switch checked, battery charged and have power to 20 amp fuse on block, fuse good, no power at coil packs or spark plug everything else works 100%.
Emptied fuel and filled tanks 50:1. Orderd shop repair manual yesterday. Anyone got a clue? :'(Any help is appreciated
RC Dillon

[RC Dillon]

1979 Eveinrude 115I also replaced all the hoses & fuel line hoses.Any help is appreciated
RC Dillon

[tashasdaddy]

hate to say it but sound like the powerpacks

[Dhadley]

If you have no spark at all, disconnect the boat harness from the engine harness by unplugging the big red cannon plug. Then check spark again by jumping the starter solenoid. Do not try to start it because you'll have to way to shut it off except to flood it.

[RC Dillon]

1979 Eveinrude 115thank you for yoru suggestions, I will try this and get back with you later with results.Any help is appreciated
RC Dillon

[RC Dillon]

1979 Eveinrude 115

hate to say it but sound like the powerpacks

what's the odds of both power packs failing at the same time? I have a honda Goldwing for 20 years and one pwr/pck failed last week, I am no expert at boats but the odds on both going down are pretty far out there..

Any help is appreciated
RC Dillon

[AlanR]

Ill have to say Powerpack as well. I know on the old johnson 40's theres only one powerpack Im not sure there if theres more than one on the 115 but i belive its only one . And if they go bad there real pricey $300+.

[dsinger]

I would clean the grounds again before I purchased a power pack. Can not tell you how many times people say the pack is bad then I clean the grounds. Some times heat will fail the pack. This can be tested with a hair drier. I asked a local mechanic about two months ago can a pack fail, then heat and work, he said no way. I ran an 89 Merc the same way. Ran like a champ then petered out. Fired right back up but just putted around like it was missing a cylinder. Went home dame thing would not spark. Called that mechanic we heated the pack up with a hairdryer and what the hell well had slight spark. Pack was bad when cold it works both ways. I beat he went back and told his boss he came up with that. Here I will paste the response I always give . Keep in mind I am no expert.

NO fire common problem... How long has it been since the thing was running. If it has been a while I have found that if you start with the cheapest means you are best off. That is clean all grounds that have to do with the ignition. If you don t think it is a ground wire or a wire that means anything clean it. Dremel tool and small brass brush and a few hours. I even take the time to clean the coil packs. I have found a Glock poly fiber gun brush and a bit of REM oil will shin the coil pack and not to abrasive that you will creat a spark leak. If it don t help, at least it makes me feel better. I also go as far as using a bore brass brush in a drill motor and clean the insides of the bolt holes then add a little spray conductive solution. That might be over kill but several times when I am done I get the spark back. It dame sure beats the monkey crap out of spending a 100 plus on an ignition part only to find out that was not the problem.

Need spark tested, have a buddy over and give him a few beers. Tell him to hold on too the rubber part, crank her over !! He jumps, you got spark, some great fulfillment, and a complimentary spark tester. I do it all the time, what people will do for complimentary beer. Hell that would make an excellent Bud Light commercial

[RC Dillon]

1979 Eveinrude 115

Ill have to say Powerpack as well. I know on the old johnson 40's theres only one powerpack Im not sure there if theres more than one on the 115 but i belive its only one . And if they go bad there real pricey $300+.

Alan there is four power packs 1 per plug and I don't think 4 would all go at one, has to be other problem.
We are going to go back over everything starting with the neutral switch I read somewhere that if that thing (neutral switch) was not sitting high noon we would not get any spark. Do you know if this is true?

Any help is appreciated
RC Dillon

[RC Dillon]

1979 Eveinrude 115

I would clean the grounds again before I purchased a power pack. Can not tell you how many times people say the pack is bad then I clean the grounds. Some times heat will fail the pack. This can be tested with a hair drier. I asked a local mechanic about two months ago can a pack fail, then heat and work, he said no way. I ran an 89 Merc the same way. Ran like a champ then petered out. Fired right back up but just putted around like it was missing a cylinder. Went home dame thing would not spark. Called that mechanic we heated the pack up with a hairdryer and what the hell well had slight spark. Pack was bad when cold it works both ways. I beat he went back and told his boss he came up with that. Here I will paste the response I always give . Keep in mind I am no expert.

NO fire common problem... How long has it been since the thing was running. If it has been a while I have found that if you start with the cheapest means you are best off. That is clean all grounds that have to do with the ignition. If you don t think it is a ground wire or a wire that means anything clean it. Dremel tool and small brass brush and a few hours. I even take the time to clean the coil packs. I have found a Glock poly fiber gun brush and a bit of REM oil will shin the coil pack and not to abrasive that you will creat a spark leak. If it don t help, at least it makes me feel better. I also go as far as using a bore brass brush in a drill motor and clean the insides of the bolt holes then add a little spray conductive solution. That might be over kill but several times when I am done I get the spark back. It dame sure beats the monkey crap out of spending a 100 plus on an ignition part only to find out that was not the problem.

Need spark tested, have a buddy over and give him a few beers. Tell him to hold on too the rubber part, crank her over !! He jumps, you got spark, some great fulfillment, and a complimentary spark tester. I do it all the time, what people will do for complimentary beer. Hell that would make an excellent Bud Light commercial

thats funny! bought boat, put boat in water, rough idle, gased on it and it dogged and then took off like a BOH, crossed the lake, ideled and it died. Sat 45 mins, fired up and did the same thing. brought it and re-wired the entire boat, rebuilt carbs, emptied gas, filled gas 50:1, replace all hoses in boat and motor except pump hose and now no spark, I am going back over wires on motor are all original but cleaned ends one by one. No spark.
Any help is appreciated
RC Dillon

[RC Dillon]

1979 Eveinrude 115

I would clean the grounds again before I purchased a power pack. Can not tell you how many times people say the pack is bad then I clean the grounds. Some times heat will fail the pack. This can be tested with a hair drier. I asked a local mechanic about two months ago can a pack fail, then heat and work, he said no way. I ran an 89 Merc the same way. Ran like a champ then petered out. Fired right back up but just putted around like it was missing a cylinder. Went home dame thing would not spark. Called that mechanic we heated the pack up with a hairdryer and what the hell well had slight spark. Pack was bad when cold it works both ways. I beat he went back and told his boss he came up with that. Here I will paste the response I always give . Keep in mind I am no expert.

NO fire common problem... How long has it been since the thing was running. If it has been a while I have found that if you start with the cheapest means you are best off. That is clean all grounds that have to do with the ignition. If you don t think it is a ground wire or a wire that means anything clean it. Dremel tool and small brass brush and a few hours. I even take the time to clean the coil packs. I have found a Glock poly fiber gun brush and a bit of REM oil will shin the coil pack and not to abrasive that you will creat a spark leak. If it don t help, at least it makes me feel better. I also go as far as using a bore brass brush in a drill motor and clean the insides of the bolt holes then add a little spray conductive solution. That might be over kill but several times when I am done I get the spark back. It dame sure beats the monkey crap out of spending a 100 plus on an ignition part only to find out that was not the problem.

Need spark tested, have a buddy over and give him a few beers. Tell him to hold on too the rubber part, crank her over !! He jumps, you got spark, some great fulfillment, and a complimentary spark tester. I do it all the time, what people will do for complimentary beer. Hell that would make an excellent Bud Light commercial

Where does the power packs get their juice from?
Any help is appreciated
RC Dillon

[ezeke]

You have two powerpacks. Each supplies two spark coils.

Someone said that chances of both going at the same time were small. I agree.

At $65. per, I would think that you would want to run your diagnostics before you start playing parts roulette.

The ignition system gets power from the magneto capacitor discharge system. CD for short. That just means that the ignition system does not get power from the battery.

The only function the battery serves for ignition is to turn the starter motor. After that the motor runs on its own.

http://www.iboats.com/mall/index.cgi...view_id=173719

There is a troubleshooting guide that will help you:

http://outboardparts.com/omc/trouble...lshtinghlp.htm

[dsinger]

I coulde be wrong but I don t think the neutral switch has anything to do with spark. I know pre 77 on that motor it did not, All it did was kill current before the selinode.

[RC Dillon]

1979 Eveinrude 115

I coulde be wrong but I don t think the neutral switch has anything to do with spark. I know pre 77 on that motor it did not, All it did was kill current before the selinode.

Cool then all I have to do is for juice at the silenode and I know the nuetral is in the correct position.
Thank youAny help is appreciated
RC Dillon

[RC Dillon]

1979 Eveinrude 115

1979 Eveinrude 115

Ill have to say Powerpack as well. I know on the old johnson 40's theres only one powerpack Im not sure there if theres more than one on the 115 but i belive its only one . And if they go bad there real pricey $300+.

Alan there is four power packs 1 per plug and I don't think 4 would all go at one, has to be other problem.
We are going to go back over everything starting with the neutral switch I read somewhere that if that thing (neutral switch) was not sitting high noon we would not get any spark. Do you know if this is true?
I was drunk with lack of sleep there are only two power packs. sorry!!
Any help is appreciated
RC Dillon

Any help is appreciated
RC Dillon

[Joe Reeves]

That neutral safety switch is simply a disconnect switch to the starter solenoid, when engaged makes it impossible to engage the electric starter and has nothing to do with the ignition.

Now.... Getting back to Dhadley's reply which states:

"If you have no spark at all, disconnect the boat harness from the engine harness by unplugging the big red cannon plug. Then check spark again by jumping the starter solenoid. Do not try to start it because you'll have to way to shut it off except to flood it."

Did you do this.... I saw no mention of a reply to Dhadley. If you did not, do so and let us know what you find.

[dsinger]

Joe is right the plug test will say alot

[KYHunter2]

I am not an expert . But it amazes me how people ask a question.

Get replies from , experts , and don't follow their advice.

Why even ask ?

Dhadley , Joe, and others here are experts.

And when they give you a procedure to try , it is what you need to do.

Their replies are , from experience , the best way to trouble shoot your problem.

It will save you time, and in most cases money......

To follow their advice, and report your findings.

Instead of beating a dead horse, repeatedly, until the replies quit coming.

KYHunter