1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

[Therman]

Hi, I have a 1985 Evinrude 115 bubbleback that won't get spark to the Number 4 cylinder. I've checked plugs,coils, powerpack, and replaced the timmerbase with no change. Finally, when i swicthed the stator conections it sparked so i replaced the stator it worked momentarily now its gone again. Whats going on any help would be great, thanks.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

THere are 2 sensors within the timer base. One sensor fires the starboard bank, the other sensor fires the port bank. The fact that cylinder coil #2 fires (spark) proves that the original timer base sensors were okay.

The orange wires that leads from the power pack to the coils on the port bank (#2-#4)..... temporarily switch the #2 orange coil wire to the #4 coil. If you now have spark on the #4 coil, then obviously the coil is okay which no doubt proves that the powerpack is either faulty or you have a poor connection in one of the rubber plug connectors somewhere..... BUT if still no spark to #4 coil, then consider #4 coil faulty.

You could also simply switch powerpacks if you care to..... If the problem follows the powerpack, then obviously the powerpack is faulty.

 

[Therman]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

Thanks alot for the reply this has been taking me forever. I swicted the number 2 cylinder working coil to number 4 and still no spark. I replaced the 2 and 4 power pack recently with a brand new one. Also, wouldn't a defective power pack kill spark to both the 2 and 4 cylinders.

 

[Therman]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

Also, i used the number 4 igniton coil on the number 2 cylinder and got spark so that proves coil is good.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

Okay, so you've got good timing base sensors, good coils, and new (hopefully good) powerpacks.

That leaves the wiring, pins and sockets within the rubber plug connectors that can get pushed back that would result in poor connections... OR... wires that normally attach to those pins/sockets that have been know to break but stay stuck in those rubber connectors due to pure friction. Check those rubber connectors out thoroughly.

 

[Therman]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

Ok i looked quick at the connecters, its getting dark. To start i know the 2-plug connecter from stator is good because if i switch sides it fires the number 1 and 3 cylinders. So, that leaves only the four wire powerpack connecters. Looking at them the males are brand new because they come off the powerpack thats new and i can see the metal inserts in the female end. Excpet the "d" female terminal on both the 4 wire connecter(i think its the ground) have been rerouted but the other side is the same and it works. So the pins and sockets dont look shoved back. But i dont really get how to chack if the wires broke.

 

[Therman]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

So, still no spark to number 4 cylinder. Like above states good stator and timerbase. When i swicth the orange wires from powerpack to number 2 coil coil they both will fire the number 2 cylinder. I also proved both coils are good by swicthing them. So spark is getting down through the powerpack and through both the orange wires off powerpack but for some reason stoping at clinder 4 coil which is good. Plug and wire are also good. Can someone tell me if what im saying sounds right or if theres somthing im missing and any suggestions would be great. Thanks

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

Are you actually getting a spark out of "all" four coils that will jump a 7/16" gap?

From what you're saying..... you can make all four coils fire from either primary wire of the powerpack BUT NOT when you wire everything up properly. I'm wondering if you're speaking of the 7/16" gap spark OR simply that you get no response from that #4 cylinder even though you have spark to it.

 

[Therman]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

I get spark from the number 4 coil when i change the number 4 coil to the 1,2,or 3 cylinder so all coils are good. I dont know how to check for a 7/16" gap but i just pull the plug and have someone turn the key while i look for a blue spark. But both primary wires fire the number 2 cylinder so the packs good. So when everthing is hooked up and i pull the number 4 plug and look for a spark while the key is turned nothing happens even though the stator, timerbase, powerpack, coil, plug wire, and plug all work. to further answer your last thing im speaking of the actuall spark to the plug.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

You can check for a spark that will jump a 7/16" gap by using a philips screwdriver that will fit into the wire spring that grabs the spark plug.... the spring connector that is inside the rubber boot, then simply hold it approximately that distance away from the block.

Without actually being there, I can't think of anything else to tell you EXCEPT since you're saying that everything in the ignition system is good..... the one thing that you change back to normal in the wiring has to be the faulty area. What would that be... one of the rubber plug connectors... a coil ground point?

Do this... DO NOT remove coils to physically switch them around. Simply temporarily disconnect the orange wire from the powerpack that leads to the non firing #4 coil and connect it to the #2 coil. If that fires the #2 coil BUT does not fire the #4 coil.... then obviously something is wrong with #4coil. Let us know what you find.

 

[Therman]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

It was the coil ground point. There was some kind of debris stuck to the ground I scraped it off and it sparked perfectly. Thanks alot and sorry for your trouble.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 1985 Evinrude 115 Spark troubles

No trouble, weird things happen. Just keep it in mind for next time.