Novice needs help!

[hole-in-da-water]

Brought this over from the other forum, sorry!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alright folks, you can start to berate me or tell me all that I did wrong, but I pretty much know. To start, I have an '86 OMC Stringer 3.0. As some of you may recall, I haven't been able to get it to start. In my infinite novice wisdom, I replaced the fuel pump, rebuilt the carb, and changed the fuel. Nothing, still the same problem. Engine will crank, you can hear it fire, but it will die. I pulled a spark plug and checked for spark, they are getting spark (how thick/bright should it be?) I cleaned all electrical connections, checked all fuses, nothing, same problem. Now I don't have a good guess as to where the issue might be. Can it be the starter solenoid? I was also thinking maybe the assist solenoid, since it will fire but not stay running. Please help! I have to get it running, I have stuff planned for next weekend! (Needless to say, I won't be going out on the water Memorial Day weekend?

 

[rad1026]

Re: Novice needs help!

I don't know a lot about the OMC but an 86 probably has points, right? Have you checked the points, timing? If not points then I would be looking at the electronic ignition module. Do you have a manual?

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

I don't know a lot about the OMC but an 86 probably has points, right? Have you checked the points, timing? If not points then I would be looking at the electronic ignition module. Do you have a manual?

I do have a manual, not sure if i have points or not, hence the "novice." I am at work now and won't be lookin at the boat again til tomorrow, but can you give me pointers on setting the timing for the points, if I have them? And what do I ahve to look for on the ignition module?

 

[john crowe]

Re: Novice needs help!

mine had same issue. Ended up being the coil wire wouldnt stay energized after releasing the switch. I ran a new jumper wire and all is good now

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

Hmm, that's a thought. How did you determine the coil wire went bad?

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

ttt, any help is appreciated.

 

[Coors]

Re: Novice needs help!

Turn the key on, and check the voltage on the + of the coil.

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

Well, following the directions of the manual, I was supposed to get 1.43-1.6 kohms between the + and - terminals of the ignition coil, I was getting a big fat 0. So, replacing the ignition coil some time this week. Still kinda glad I replaced the fuel pump and rebuilt the carb, that fuel was bad, and I had a lot of junk clogging the overfill hose (gelled gas I think) I also replaced the points, condensor and rotor, set the points gap... I am really learning this stuff... Crash course, obviously, but still... Thanks for putting up with me guys!

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: Novice needs help!

mine had same issue. Ended up being the coil wire wouldnt stay energized after releasing the switch. I ran a new jumper wire and all is good now

for about an hour..... take paddles....

You need to replace the resistance wire.

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

KJ, are you talking to me? Excuse me again for being a novice, but what is the resistance wire?

 

[Windykid]

Re: Novice needs help!

Well does it run now???

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

Wouldn't you know I have bad spark plug wires too? So, blown ignition coil and bad plug wires...my brother is picking up the wires for me as we speak and should have them on by this afternoon...

 

[Coors]

Re: Novice needs help!

How do you know the plug wires are bad? Did you ohm them?

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

Had good spark to one plug and wire, rotated among the other spots, I was still getting good spark. I JUST replaced the spark plugs like not even a month ago, and gapped all of them, so I didn't bother to check the plugs. My brother just called me and the engine still wouldn't start.... my god, I am pitching a fit... Now I am thinking maybe the cap is bad possibly? On visual inspection, it looks fine!!! My dad get's home around 5:30, so I will have them check the spark again and we will see. I have to stop doing this to myself, replacing crap that might not need it...

Anyone want to buy a boat?

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

How do you check if the cap is bad? Is it possible my resistor wire is bad off the ignition coil? If this is the case, why would I be getting good spark on one cylinder and weak spark on three? Along with the resistor wire, my manual says to check, you have to remove the purple wire from the alternator and measure ohms. Well, I have two different wires out the back of my alternator. One is orange and is bolted to the alternator. The other has two wires going into it, but they don't come off. It seems like it should have, but it is a rubber wire end about 3/4 in. long going into the alternator, and it won't come off. And I tried. Is the orange wire the one I am supposed to test? or one of the others? In that case, what am I supposed to do? I can't pull the wires out. It seems there is a splice that was shrink-wrapped on both of the double wires, do I need to take of the splice then resplice later? I am so lost and frustrated...

 

[gooders]

Re: Novice needs help!

I know this may sound stupid, but being even more of a novice than you.I had a simalar problem with my 1988 OMC .Thought it was the plugs, changed them.Found starter was toast, replaced it. Would it start,? NO. Checked pretty much everything. Finally before I I towed it out to sea and sank it I had a moment of inspiration. Call me Homer Simpson for this one, could not belive it.FIRING ORDER was wrong.AsI say sounds stupid but I had same symptoms as you.

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

Sorry, just thinking in cycles, how can the cap be bad if I was getting clean spark on the one good wire out of all the other cap ports? I am so absolutely lost... I will update you once I find out if I am still getting weak spark... If I can't figure this out myself, I am going to have to take it somewhere... go figure I decided to do this on my own to save money...

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

Did you also have the weak spark? Noone touched the plug wires, and I removed and cleaned the distributer and kept the rotor and cap in the exact same position as when I removed it (marked rotor position, distibuter position, etc) but as far as firing order, I don't recal the plug wires ever being moved. Even when I replaced the spark plugs, I did one at a time...

 

[Coors]

Re: Novice needs help!

You removed the distributer?

 

[hole-in-da-water]

Re: Novice needs help!

As per the tune-up specifcations in my manual... Cleaned and replaced followig the exact manual insctuctions... did I do something wrong?