Spark plug won't fire

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ROLLIE6603

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I have a 1989 88spl v4 evinrude, my engine just lost power the other day while I was fishing. I could tell I was down a cylinder because it would not turn enough rpm to get on plane. The coil packs are not that old but there is a square box that bolts on top of the port bank of cylinders. Wires from there run out to coil packs. What would be the best way to diagnose the lack of spark to that one top cylinder, on the port bank.:confused:

Thanks............
 
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Daviet

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Re: Spark plug won't fire

A couple of quick checks you can do.
Check the spark with a spark checker set to a 7/16" air gap to confirm spark on all cylinders.
You can swap the coils between a cylinder that is not firing with one that is, if the dead spark follows the coil, you have a bad coil.
If the no spark stays on the dead cylinder, you will have to do some deeper checks.
You can go to the CDI website and locate your engine and use their trouble shooting guide to help you find your problem.
 
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ROLLIE6603

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Re: Spark plug won't fire

I disconnected the orange wire from the power pack that leads to the non firing #4 coil and connected it to the firing/working #2 coil, there was know fire in the #2 hole. When I connect it back the right way it will run on the three cylinders, but not well. Also I know there is no spark to #4 because they are all new plugs and 1 2 3 are all firing with a nice light brown color while #4 looks new.I did notice that while its running, once in a while you can hear #4 kick in intermittently, the rpm comes up for a second and then goes back to the 3 cylinder deal. I checked all grounds. Could the power pack cut out one cylinder but not the others ???
 
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Daviet

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Re: Spark plug won't fire

So you are saying the powerpack will fire another coil with the wire going to the no spark cylinder?
Swap coils to be sure, but it sounds like you have a bad coil.
 
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ROLLIE6603

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Re: Spark plug won't fire

Daviet said:
So you are saying the power-pack will fire another coil with the wire going to the no spark cylinder?
Swap coils to be sure, but it sounds like you have a bad coil.
Click to expand...

No, what I was saying is the orange wire from the power pack for the #4 cylinder(the dead one) was switched over to the #2 cylinder that IS firing, but it DID NOT fire with the orange wire from the power pack meant to fire #4, which says to me the powerpack is only sending a signal to 1-2-3 and NOT #4
I am not sure if a powerpack would act like that. I thought when they go bad ALL cylinders would be effected.
 
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boobie

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Re: Spark plug won't fire

Sounds like a bad power pack.
 
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Daviet

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Re: Spark plug won't fire

boobie is correct, the way you described it in post #5, you have a defective power pack.
 
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ROLLIE6603

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Re: Spark plug won't fire

Thanks for all your help guy's. Just curious before I make a purchase, has anyone experienced a power pack that only sent a signal to some of the coils, but not all of them. ??????????
 
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