1985 SeaRay Mercruiser 165 no spark at the plugs

[glennj3]

First time attempting to crank this season. Was running good when put away last season.
What I have now. Engine turns over strong. I have an in-line spark tester, there is no spark to the plugs. I tested the coil wire going to the distributor, no spark. The points will spark if I ground them with a screwdriver. They open & close & gap should be correct.
Please help. I had this problem last year too.
Thank you.

 

[achris]

Clean and regap the points...

 

[glennj3]

Oh, I did putt a nail file on them.

 

[glennj3]

Oh, I did putt a nail file on them

 

[Bt Doctur]

if the points were glazed simply filing may not work, replace them.

 

[glennj3]

if the points were glazed simply filing may not work, replace them.

Gotch. But I didn’t see a spark from the coil / distributor wire? Maybe I just couldn’t see it.

 

[Bondo]

Gotch. But I didn’t see a spark from the coil / distributor wire? Maybe I just couldn’t see it.

Ayuh,.... It's the points, that cause the coil to fire,.....

 

[Bt Doctur]

The points close and allow the voltage to saturate the coil windings, the instant they open the field collapses and the coil produces spark

 

[glennj3]

I’m looking for something I overlooked. I understand that with the ignition switch on I should have 12 V at the starter solenoid that the purple wire on the coil goes to. I only see a yellow wire on that solenoid terminal. It does not have 12 volts.
My be I can find a picture of the solenoid diagram?

 

[CLi87]

Did you check your neutral/safety cutoff switch?

 

[glennj3]

That’s a yellow red not solid yellow.
I’m looking at the cutoff switch now. Not sure how to test it? I found a lose wire attached to the underside, color is dark possibly purple. I have the crew driver on it in the picture.

 

[glennj3]

Can I bypass the kill switch somehow to see if that’s the problem? Thank you.

 

[achris]

Which switch are you referring to as 'kill switch'? (Neutral safety, shift interrupt or man overboard)

Chris...

 

[Scott Danforth]

Yellow with red stripe is the crank circuit. There will not be power there unless the key is turned to the start position.

The purple wire is ignition

 

[glennj3]

Which switch are you referring to as 'kill switch'? (Neutral safety, shift interrupt or man overboard)

Chris...

The engine kill switch for the shifter in the photo.
Thanks.

 

[glennj3]

I didn’t post the picture of the shift kill switch. The purple wire is lose on the inside.

 

[achris]

The engine kill switch for the shifter in the photo.
Thanks.

That's the 'shift interrupt' switch.

And unless someone has messed with the wiring, it should not have a purple wire on it!

Here's you engine's wiring from factory..

 

[achris]

The engine kill switch for the shifter in the photo.
Thanks.

That's the 'shift interrupt' switch.

And unless someone has messed with the wiring, it should not have a purple wire on it!

Here's you engine's wiring from factory..
View attachment 365075