How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

glennj3 · Nov 2, 2012

Some of you have read and given good advice on my 470 mercruiser. I want to thank you for that.
Tomorrow I want to attempt to crank her up sitting on the ground, while strapped down.
Today I turned the engine over with the starter but had no fire from the coil, assume there was no voltage to it.
What do I need to do to assure voltage at the coil? Do I need to place a hot wire from the battery to the Poss terminal on the coil?
Thanks,

Glenn

Lyle29464 · Nov 2, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

Yup. That should start it. Be sure it is well straped. Bunch of torque

Bondo · Nov 3, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

Lyle29464 said:
Yup. That should start it. Be sure it is well straped. Bunch of torque

Ayuh,.... Battery to coil jumper wire works,....

Nope, NO torque at All, with no load attached...

tpenfield · Nov 3, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

This guy (below) has the same sort of question going, so you can also check out this thread.

http://forums.iboats.com/mercruiser-i-o-inboard-engines-outdrives/502-mpi-bench-test-584346.html

glennj3 · Nov 3, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

OK did the battery + to the + on the coil, turned over looking at the coil wire to the distributor, pulled out placed next to metal engine. No spark.
Guess I need to check the points gap next. It actually should spark at the points if I ground it while 12 volts are connected?

I think she does have torque with no load, just turning over she shifts, and the ones I see on you tude definitely torque over!

I do not have the wiring harness that plugs into the 10 pen but I do have the female end in tact.
Should I do as the other video says do and join those two and two other pins?

Thanks,
Glenn

Don S · Nov 3, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

You can use either method to hot wire it. The reason I suggested using the harness plug on that thread was because he can't jumper to the + terminal of the coil like you can, and you have easy access to the starter and slave start solenoid where he doesn't.

stonyloam · Nov 3, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

glennj3 said:
It actually should spark at the points if I ground it while 12 volts are connected?

If you jumper across the points it should spark when you remove the wire (or when the points open).

glennj3 · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

Thanks, with battery connected to the coil, it will spark at the points when grounded with a screw driver. Did not see an arc at the coil wire while grounding close to the grounding of engine (engine turning over). Possibly I need to check the timing, but is should spark when the points open even if it is out of timing, corrects?

By the way, how do I ID my outdrive? I see the hydraulic cyllinders are smaller in diameter than the ones on my boat?

Glenn

Don S · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

http://forums.iboats.com/mercruiser...cellaneous-mercruiser-information-329915.html

glennj3 · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

Thanks, the one I purchased is an MC one. Not the alpha 1.

I have a spark at the points when grounding, but no fire from the coil. I am doing this correctly? Coil wire out of the distrubutor cap (cap is actualy off the distributor). Almost grounded to the engine, turn engine over with starter, should have a spark at the coil wire?

Thanks so much for you effort and time!
Glenn

Don S · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

What do you mean when you say you have spark at the points?

glennj3 · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

I mean with the coil wired to my battery, use a screwdriver and ark the points with the distributor shaft, I have a spark.
To see if the coil has fire, I almost ground the coil wire while turning the engine over. I have no spark at that point.

Don S · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

Do you have spark from the coil wire near a good clean ground while arching the points with the screwdriver? If you do, then you need some new points.

glennj3 · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

With points open, coil hot, arching points with screwdriver I see sparks, none at the coil wire to engine block.

Bondo · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

glennj3 said:
With points open, coil hot, arching points with screwdriver I see sparks, none at the coil wire to engine block.

Ayuh,... With the coil hot, tap quickly it's (-) terminal with a grounded jumper wire, there should be a spark from the coil tower,...

If not,... try another coil...

glennj3 · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

Coil GOOD !

Don S · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

Could be nothing more than a bad coil wire.

Fishermark · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

glennj3 said:
none at the coil wire to engine block.

To repeat Don's question - is this clean, bare metal on the block you are trying? It will not work on a painted area.

glennj3 · Nov 4, 2012

Re: How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

I used a small area of no paint, eye bolt used for lifting the engine.
I felt a mild tingle in my hand once, while the points were sparking and I was holding the coil wire. Not sure which hand jolted, the one with the screw driver and points or the one holding the coil wire.

How to wire, to crank her up on the ground?

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