1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

S

seano

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Joined
Jun 24, 2012
Messages
6
Hi Folks: I am new to this forum but it is incredibly helpful so first I want to say THANKS for all the great info.

I got married last summer and the wife came with a boat and a motor! Its a Canadian thing :) Father in law gave me a 1989 sea ray BR 160 with a mercruiser 3.0.
It ran pretty good overall but I went to start it to do the winterization and it would crank but not start. I used a spark plug tool and there is no spark. I used the troubleshooting guide from this forum and it looks like my coil is shot. Maybe you guys can confirm it:

I get no conductivity with a multimeter between the center terminal and either of the + or - side terminals. I should get around 10,000 Ohms right? Between the - and +terminals I get 1.5 Ohms.

From this I deduce that the high voltage winding (secondary) is open and the coil is shot right?
I may have other problems too but I assume I need a new coil.
The coil is a blue streak UC-12x. Are these easy to find?
Can I just go to NAPA and get a replacement or should I go to the local Marine store to buy anew coil?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. It is getting colder here and I need to start the boat in order to winterize it.

Cheers
Sean
 
Bondo

Bondo

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70,526
Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

seano said:
Hi Folks: I am new to this forum but it is incredibly helpful so first I want to say THANKS for all the great info.

I got married last summer and the wife came with a boat and a motor! Its a Canadian thing :) Father in law gave me a 1989 sea ray BR 160 with a mercruiser 3.0.
It ran pretty good overall but I went to start it to do the winterization and it would crank but not start. I used a spark plug tool and there is no spark. I used the troubleshooting guide from this forum and it looks like my coil is shot. Maybe you guys can confirm it:

I get no conductivity with a multimeter between the center terminal and either of the + or - side terminals. I should get around 10,000 Ohms right? Between the - and +terminals I get 1.5 Ohms.

From this I deduce that the high voltage winding (secondary) is open and the coil is shot right?
I may have other problems too but I assume I need a new coil.
The coil is a blue streak UC-12x. Are these easy to find?
Can I just go to NAPA and get a replacement or should I go to the local Marine store to buy anew coil?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. It is getting colder here and I need to start the boat in order to winterize it.

Cheers
Sean
Click to expand...

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,.... Is there power at the (+) terminal, when the key is on,..??

Are there Points in the distributor,..??
 
S

seano

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Joined
Jun 24, 2012
Messages
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Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

Yes there is 10.7 volts on the + side.
Yes there are points in the ignition
 
S

seano

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Jun 24, 2012
Messages
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Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

I forgot to mention. NO Spark.
I will have to get back to it next week. That is the soonest I can get to it.
 
Oshkosh1

Oshkosh1

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Jun 8, 2009
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Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

seano said:
It is getting colder here and I need to start the boat in order to winterize it.
Click to expand...

Not if you're subscribing to the "ADF"(AirDon'tFreeze) method.

The "High Points"(Minimalist)
Drain the block, manifold completely.(I also use compressed air to push any excess out)
Drain and replace the sterndrive lube/engine oil.
Pull/check/replace the water-seperator.
You're done.

No starting required.
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

seano said:
Yes there is 10.7 volts on the + side.
Yes there are points in the ignition
Click to expand...

Ayuh,... Then change the points, as they fire the coil...
 
Don S

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Messages
62,321
Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

I get no conductivity with a multimeter between the center terminal and either of the + or - side terminals. I should get around 10,000 Ohms right? Between the - and +terminals I get 1.5 Ohms.
Click to expand...

Yes, your coil is dead. You need to replace it. You should have around 10,000 ohms as you stated.
 
G

generator12

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Jul 9, 2010
Messages
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Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

Congratulations....on the boat!

Hope the wife works out too.
 
S

seano

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Jun 24, 2012
Messages
6
Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

generator12 said:
Congratulations....on the boat!

Hope the wife works out too.
Click to expand...

Bought a Clymer Manual for the Mercruiser; can't find one for the Wife!

Can anybody help me find one for her?

Seano
 
M

MarkSee

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Sep 10, 2010
Messages
1,172
Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

seano said:
Bought a Clymer Manual for the Mercruiser; can't find one for the Wife!Can anybody help me find one for her?
Click to expand...

Well, ah, you made 2 mistakes in your statement.
1-buying a Clymer Manual which you should know is a no-no so check out the Adults Only section for a real Merc manual
2-even thinking there might be one for a female Newfie.......

BTW: my mom is from Newfoundland and I have several Aunts, Uncles, cousins, etc. that still live there so maybe in some weird way we might be related in which case, I'll never mention about you buying the Clymer.

Mark
 
A

airshot

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4,331
Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

HMMMMM all the wife manuals that I have found have been in laguages that NO one can read, I been lookin for 45 years. The boat problems will be much simplier!!

Airshot
 
A

Another retired guy

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Jun 17, 2012
Messages
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Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

Maybe the Clymer manual will work better for a wife than it does for a boat !? :D
 
achris

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

Since nobody else is being very helpful (guys!!!).... I'll help solve one of your problems... (in 2 ways :D)

Engine manual (assuming the engine and the boat are the same year. you need to clarify that with a serial number engine and drive). -> https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1TAvwZ3TjhfUVREOHFDUGZRR1NDelg5blYybmNRdw

Drive manual -> https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1TAvwZ3TjhfOVRUNEk0anBUR3lQYTkwcUh5RElUQQ

As for the manual for the wife? I used the opposite technique... I gave the wife a user manual on me... Works a treat!

Humor: Mens Rules for Women

Good luck,

Chris........... :D
 
achris

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
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Messages
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Re: 1989 Mercruiser 3.0 Coil is apparently shot. Where can I get a new one?

MarkSee said:
LMAO....and how long were you on the couch....er, I mean camping??????

Mark
Click to expand...

She saw the humour... (but it has been very helpful since, as when there is a misunderstanding, I just direct her the 'The rules') :D
 
S

seano

Cadet
Joined
Jun 24, 2012
Messages
6
Just reading some of these posts now :) Very funny Guys! I must be doing something right cause we are still married! Life got very very busy and I did not do anything more with the boat since those old posts. I am bringing it to a guy who is a wizard with Mercruisers today. I think the coil was shot. I replaced it and it measures the correct Ohms. The points were new but I suspect there is a problem with them as somebody mentioned. Cheers
Sean
 
S

seano

Cadet
Joined
Jun 24, 2012
Messages
6
Just reading some of these posts now :) Very funny Guys! I must be doing something right cause we are still married! Life got very very busy and I did not do anything more with the boat since those old posts. I am bringing it to a guy who is a wizard with Mercruisers today. I think the coil was shot. I replaced it and it measures the correct Ohms. The points were new but I suspect there is a problem with them as somebody mentioned. Thanks for the helpful and funny posts, I'll let you know how I make out. Cheers
Sean
 
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