please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

[Wellcraft170]

I put in the pertronix electronic conversion kit but i have a standard sierra coil..i tried starting the boat again and while cranking i give it some throttle and sort of backfires in a way then smokes. is this because of the standard coil not supplying 12v? i didnt think it was cause the engine to not turn over though. is it because the timing is off? please help folks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:facepalm:

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

engine turning over means its spinning but not running. was it in running condition before the conversion?

 

[Wellcraft170]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

it turned over before the conversion but as weird as it sounds, turns over a lot cleaner and stronger now...just wont start. i also read that the firing order can start anywhere on the distributor, as long as the rotor is facing the #1 wire..is this true? i'm just completely stumped on this one

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

the firing order of any motor can start anywhere on a dist. has nothing to do with the rotor facing anywhere.
did the motor RUN before the conversion?

 

[Wellcraft170]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

the guy who i bought it from said he ran it last summer, which i fully believe because the oil was clean, had gas in it, all fluids were normal, and the engine would turn over so it had to be running. a common problem with the 170 not turning over is bad points, but i wanted to do the conversion regardless so theres gotta be some reason why it isn't starting? will not having the flamethrower coil cause the engine to backfire and smoke?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

Establish #1 on compression stroke, line up timing marks on balancer, remove dist cap and see where the rotor is pointing.
your going to call that post on the dist cap #1 .Then install the wires as 1,3,4,2 in a clockwise motion
improper firing order will do that.

 

[Wellcraft170]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

i had a feeling that could be it….ill be back at it tomorrow with your advice and see how it works out, thanks a lot!

 

[MikDee]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

First, You must be on Compression stroke on #1, Not on exhaust stroke! TDC will line up both times, you must use your finger in the spark plug hole, to find which is compression stroke. If need be you can crank the engine over one turn to TDC again, if you happen to be on the exhaust stroke. This will this now be compression on #1!

Your better off if you can set the Dizzy base so that the new rotors (sensor) is on the highest point of the nearest lobe to the rotor (just as you would do with points), as it's facing #1 pole on the cap, and then snug it all up, and move your Dizzy one way, or the other, as you're using a timing light to get the initial timing right.

 

[Wellcraft170]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

dont hate on me guys lol but i dont have a whole lot of knowledge about engines, im 20 and this is my first own boat...i have the firing order correct now and it still wont budge....but regarding the timing, i know if the timing is off then it'll cause the engine to not start..remember i have the electronic ignition, how do you set the timing with that? cause i dont have the points anymore

 

[Bondo]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

dont hate on me guys lol but i dont have a whole lot of knowledge about engines, im 20 and this is my first own boat...i have the firing order correct now and it still wont budge....but regarding the timing, i know if the timing is off then it'll cause the engine to not start..remember i have the electronic ignition, how do you set the timing with that? cause i dont have the points anymore

Ayuh,.... Timin' is set the same way, regardless whether points, or not,...

 

[MikDee]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

There is a spool that goes over the Dizzy shaft, in that is a sensor, line that sensor up with the electronic pickup unit on the Dizzy plate.

Then continue on with what's been posted here before. Just make sure you're engine is on #1 Compression stroke.

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

Well.....electronic converstion sounds appealing......... I tried it,, went from a perfect running 3.0 on points, to crap with conversion,, back to points plate.........tried it... was not worth the aggravation.. I'm suddenly good with spending $15 yearly on points tune up kit

 

[stonyloam]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

Yeah, sounds like you were 180 out. OK on to your Petronix. If you are using the stock coil that uses the resistance wire you must use a second wire to the Petronix that will supply the full 12 V to the module. Easiest is way is to splice (solder is best, with a couple of coates of Liquid Tape) a stranded copper wire to the purple wire going to the choke module and connect that to the petronix red wire. So you are pulling 12V directly from the ignition, rather than reduced voltage from the coil +. Ignitor or Ignitor II?

 

[Wellcraft170]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

1146A model? just ignitor not ignitor ii

 

[Wellcraft170]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

and so you're saying solder a stranded copper wire to the purple wire that connects to the choke module and connect that to the pertronix positive(red) wire where its bolted to the coil? if i got the flamethrower coil then i wouldn't have to do this right?

 

[dubs283]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

the engine would turn over so it had to be running. a common problem with the 170 not turning over is bad points

no

turn over does NOT mean run

turn over means the starter motor engages the flywheel and the crankshaft turns, i.e. the engine "cranks over" or "turns over"

bad points have nothing to do with the engine turning over, they have everything to do with the engine running

did your electronic conversion kit come with instructions??

 

[stonyloam]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

and so you're saying solder a stranded copper wire to the purple wire that connects to the choke module and connect that to the pertronix positive(red) wire where its bolted to the coil? if i got the flamethrower coil then i wouldn't have to do this right?

No, the red wire is connected only to the new wire, (to supply 12V directly to the Petronix) not to the coil at all. Like fig. 2 here http://www.pertronix.com/docs/instruction-sheets/91146A.pdf (same as 1146A). The difference between the Ignitor and Ignitor II, is that the ignitor will work fine with the stock coil, and the II ia designed to use the flamethrower II coil. Your setup should work fine. If you got the flamethrower coil you would remove the purple resistance wire and replace it with the new wire THEN you could attach the red wire directly to the coil +. I edited this, you would go with the flamethrower using these instructions http://www.pertronix.com/docs/instruction-sheets/40501.pdf

 

[Wellcraft170]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

okay then that solves my problem in a way lol. i shouldn't be having any problems then and i tried starting it again and it does the back fire thing and smokes....ill be off to my family friend mechanic in 2 weeks. thanks everyone for your input and advice! i've definitely learned a lot in the past couple days lol

 

[MikDee]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

Yeah, sounds like you were 180 out.

Yes, it sounds like your Dist. is 180 degrees out (firing on the exhaust stroke). With the crank on TDC, Take out your Dist. and give the rotor exactly 1/2 a turn, then put it back in and try it (it should be on the compression stroke then).

What happens is, With the crank on TDC, it could be on #1, or an opposing Cyl #3, Your cam will determine which one. So, Cyl #1 will come up every other turn, Cyl #3 will come up on every turn in between.

 

[Wellcraft170]

Re: please help, mercruiser 170 starting problems, wont turn over

Yes, it sounds like your Dist. is 180 degrees out (firing on the exhaust stroke). With the crank on TDC, Take out your Dist. and give the rotor exactly 1/2 a turn, then put it back in and try it (it should be on the compression stroke then).

What happens is, With the crank on TDC, it could be on #1, or an opposing Cyl #3, Your cam will determine which one. So, Cyl #1 will come up every other turn, Cyl #3 will come up on every turn in between.

what are you referring to by "TDC"? and then ill go out there and try it out again haha