Quick Battery/Ignition ?

Hey guys! I have an 88 Four Winns I/O 6Cyl OMC

I have had trouble starting this summer. Have to crank it a while before getting it to fire. Finally got stranded last weekend and determined no spark from coil. Replaced coil and it starts fine now.

Problem I have is not getting good connection at the battery. I removed the battery and noticed a few things.

1. Wing nut screwed off hard on Neg terminal (screwed on easy when I last put it on)
2. Plastic on battery case under Pos & Neg terminal look melted
3. Plastic on Neg Wire near post looks melted.

I assume that my battery is bad (5 yrs old), but question I have is did the faulty battery cause the coil problem or is something else causing my battery problem?

Re: Quick Battery/Ignition ?

Lots of red flags in your post.
Wing nuts should be thrown away and regular nuts used so you have to use a wrench to get them tight.
Melted case means loose corroded terminals.
Melted cable insulation means loose or corroded.
After 5 years you need new batteries (your old ones are probably low on water also)
Also make new battery cables of the proper size. Longer the cable larger the cable. Crimp and solder the terminal on the end of the cable. Then cover with heat shrink.
Clean terminals at least every spring. Check the battery water frequently.
Now the coil problem, the coil tower probably cracked causing it to jump spark to either the + or - terminal which will kill your spark. A bad plug wire or dead plug will cause a coil tower to crack.
When was the last time you had a full tuneup including wire check. Compression check, timing check. All the good stuff?