CDI Powerpack dies after 45 min

[skyguy59]

I was leery about the powerpack on my 72 100 hp Johnnie so I replaced it with the CDI pack & coil.It cured the hard starting and idle problems I was having so I felt pretty good. It kind of bugged me when I checked the timing while doing link & sync because it really bounced around alot.I attributed that to the borrowed timing light. First trip out with the new boat today and everything was beautiful for about 45 min then it died.I put alot of effort into cleaning connections and grounds etc. New battery, charging system showing 14v at the time of failure. Engine temp was running about 140 or so. It quit with no warning just like you had turned the key off. Troubleshot per CDI instructions and it looks like its the pack. Now I'm really leery about this motor. Could it be possible that I got a defective pack? I'll call CDI tomorrow and see what they say. Any comments?<br /><br />Russ In Texas

 

[OBJ]

Re: CDI Powerpack dies after 45 min

Hi Russ.....one thing about those pulse packs...sneeze and they go out......well....not really....but stuff like a low battery will do it. That's the first thing I would look at. Make sure ya' got rated voltage outta the thing. Soon as it drops below 10v's...yer done. I know...your post says new battery...but ya' never know.<br /><br />Check all your grounds to. They should be clean and tight.....as well as all the connections. <br /><br />Yeah you could have got a bad pack. But make sure of the other stuff first. Don't hurt to double check.....those suckers are expensive!!<br /><br />Just one other thing...under the flywheel around the points is a gadget called a reverse cut out spring. Supposed to stop the engine if for some reason it gets started backwards. Take a peek at that and make sure it ain't broke and laying against the cutout point.<br /><br />Keep us posted....thanks.

 

[skyguy59]

Re: CDI Powerpack dies after 45 min

Thats what aggrevates me. I did alot of research trying to keep this from happening.I was careful to get the right size battery, replaced the reverse spring ( I've already looked at it again and it's fine) Took alot of time cleaning grounds and checking connections trying to make it perfect and I still get bit. I've got 11.8 volts cranking when warm and no output from the pack. By passed the sensor per the troubleshooting instructions (reverse spring ground was disconnected for this test) and still nothing.<br />Maybe the Mercury gods are ticked at me for getting an OMC.<br /><br />Russ In Texas

 

[JB]

Re: CDI Powerpack dies after 45 min

Hi, Skyguy.<br /><br />One thing I learned from messing with semicondcutor devices over the years is that they are more likely to fail in the first three hours of operation than in the next 300 hours.<br /><br />Soundss like the "likelys" got you.<br /><br />Good luck.

 

[seahorse5]

Re: CDI Powerpack dies after 45 min

The CDI/Rapair folks are very good at troubleshooting and with customer service. Give them a call, you have either a 1 or 2 year warranty on a new pack from them.

 

[skyguy59]

Re: CDI Powerpack dies after 45 min

Well I talked to a very nice technician named Debra who decided after asking several questions that it was probably a defective pack. She said the erratic timing sounded like a weak transistor.Long story short CDI preapproved the warranty and Palmer Power in Houston already has one on the way. They even apologised because I had to get towed in! That was kind of refreshing in this day and age. Only thing is that I will be nervous now until I get some time on it and some trust in the motor.I guess I should take the wife's advice and look at the bright side; when it quit all I had to do was relax and drift to shore. If I was persuing my other hobby I would have been looking for a place to land!<br />Stay tuned.<br /><br />RussIn Texas