OMC COBRA 5.7L with electronic ignition

I am having an intermittent problem with the ignition. The boat starts good all the time from cold. But having run out with no problems on a few occasions on returning to harbor when shifting to Neutral the ignition has cut out and will not restart it appears there is no spark present. I have good voltage at the coil and 12 or 7 volts at the distributor depending where the blades are on the rotor. I can only think its the sensor or it could be something stupid like the rotor is not touching the top of the distributor. Any advice much appreciated.

Re: OMC COBRA 5.7L with electronic ignition

Howdy,

It's usually very helpful if you post your engine model number and year.

Regards,


Rick

Re: OMC COBRA 5.7L with electronic ignition

I am not sure of the model and year believe the model is 240 (hp) ? and the year approx 1994. It has an ESA and electronic ignition believe it is running with the original ignition set up.

Re: OMC COBRA 5.7L with electronic ignition

When you have a hard time starting, you should try to determine if your ESA is being operated. You can look at the microswitches or just unplug the ESA to see if it starts.

If you determine that the ESA is the problem, you need to see why. Could easily be a bad shift cable that is hanging up.

Re: OMC COBRA 5.7L with electronic ignition

Thanks for the advice Bruce will look into the esa set up tomorrow.

Regards

Perry

Re: OMC COBRA 5.7L with electronic ignition

Must be older than a 94, that year was cone clutch shifting (joint venture with Volvo) with NO ESA. Find the model plate on the engine (probably rocker cover) or the drive model plate on theoutdrive.

Re: OMC COBRA 5.7L with electronic ignition

Thanks for the advice Bruce made me look a bit further than I was doing !

Having read some more into the cobra shift it was apparent that the idle was too fast and thus the shift was bogging down and grounding the coil (hence cut out).

There was a further problem just to make it that more difficult to understand and that is the ground to the ESA module was on 1 strand and was making intermittent contact. I guess when it was jolting on stall it was breaking contact so I could not restart and then when i fiddled with wires occasionally I put it back into contact although only temporary !!! (im not an electrician by the way !)

Im learning more about my boat everyday.

Regards and thanks again Bruce I owe at least a beer !