1970 60 HP evinrude no spark at plugs

nc222

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Jul 18, 2011
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Hello all,

Bought a boat last year and now working on the motor. The big issue is that we cant a spark at the spark plugs, let me tell you what has been done so far.

First off, we are trying to start this beast from a truck battery. The starter turns and high voltage sends power to the flywheel no problem. (testing with an ohms and volt meter). There is also return power to the high voltage and the saftey switch works correctly. We have replaced the rotor cap under the flywheel and verified all cables and parts for cracks and cant seem to find any. We checked all spark plug wires and voltage wires with the voltage meter and they all pass. Both points inside the flywheel are opening and closing and creating circuits as well. There seems to be a problem from what we can see from power being sent to the distributor to the rotor but when testing with tin foil in between to see if a circuit can be done the test worked. We can test form the distributor on and there is a circuit and from the rotor backwards there is a circuit. Could it be a bad distributor cap? If you need more info let me know as im out of ideas.

Nick
 

nc222

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Re: 1970 60 HP evinrude no spark at plugs

1970 evinrude 60hp 60073B
 

Will Bark

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Aug 1, 2010
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Re: 1970 60 HP evinrude no spark at plugs

Not familiar with that type of engine but I assume that any and all wire connections are shiney and bright? Good luck, someone with knowledge should chime in.
 

jbjennings

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Jul 18, 2007
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3,903
Re: 1970 60 HP evinrude no spark at plugs

Have you cleaned all corrosion off the 3 contacts in the distributor cap? Your high tension lead coming off the coil will jump a 7/16" air gap? Here's a link that might be helpful: http://www.cdielectronics.com/downl...1972 55-100 HP (With 113-7123 Power Pack).pdf

I'm working on the exact same motor now. It's all good except for a slight surging at 3/4 throttle.

If you're getting good voltage from the coil to the distributor, it has to be points or distributor cap. I was getting crappy intermittent spark on all cylinders on mine, until I found and cleaned the contacts in the distributor cap.
Good luck,
JBJ
 

nc222

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Jul 18, 2011
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Re: 1970 60 HP evinrude no spark at plugs

We have cleaned them off pretty good but will try again, there is a gap between the 2 points they seem to alternate which keeps the circuit going but I do at some point have them both open...strange enough. Ill keep cleaning them and see, would anything else be an issue do seem to get good to excellent voltage

Nick
 

nc222

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Re: 1970 60 HP evinrude no spark at plugs

Will the spark jump across the rotor to the distributor cap since they dont seem to be touching...maybe its time for a new distributor cap
 

jbjennings

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Jul 18, 2007
Messages
3,903
Re: 1970 60 HP evinrude no spark at plugs

Will the spark jump across the rotor to the distributor cap since they dont seem to be touching...maybe its time for a new distributor cap

That's what happens..... the current jumps the gap from the rotor to the cap, then from the cap to the plug wires. You'll see 3 little strips of copper in the inside lip of the distributor cap. They build up corrosion over time due to the arcing. Clean it off with a little 400 grit sandpaper--ONLY remove the corrosion, don't take the metal or plastic off.
You say you have good voltage. Have you tried putting a spark air gap tester between the high tension lead from the coil, and the coil itself. That will tell you what's getting to the distributor assembly. If it's good there, it's either the cap, the points, or the rotor.
JBJ
 
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