1990 Force 90 Ignition Not Firing On All Cylinders

[jerryjerry05]

The timing light isn't the right tool for checking spark.
It doesn't always work??

Please put spaces between your sentences it's REALLLLY hard to read and keep the thoughts straight.
You have a DVA meter??
A regular analog meter is good for some tests but a DVA does it all.

Post what meter you have???

 

[pnwboat]

You mentioned in your trouble-shooting that you got another CD Module and swapped it out and the problem moved. Was the replacement CD Module a new one or a used one?

Another thing that I wanted to mention is that it's really a common problem to get the wiring on the CD modules mixed up when swapping them around. If you have a wiring diagram use it and pay very close attention to which wires go to the CD modules.

Each CD Module has the ability to fire two coils. The first CD Module fires cylinder number 1 and 2 coils. The second CD Module only fires number 3 coil. That means you have and extra unused circuit in the second CD Module to test with. All you have to do is to attach the #3 trigger wires to the other set of trigger input wires on the 2nd CD Module, and use the other coil output wire from the CD Module to #3 coil and you're using the other ignition circuit on the second CD Module.

Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[Derrick Fronckowiak]

Jerryjerry and pnwboat. Thanks. Sorry about my crunched up sentences, I'll double space from now on. Yes I have a digital multimeter and I bought a set of DVA tester leads a while back. I get good DVA voltage from both the trigger (all three circuits-minimum DVA voltage should be .5 volts) and both circuits on the stator (minimum DVA voltage is 180 volts, they're all in the two hundreds). Resistance is also within range. The CD module I swapped out is used (came off of a freshwater boat), So yes there is always that possibility that I got a bad one. Yes I do have the unused circuit on the second CD module that I can use to troubleshoot, I'll be doing that., then I'll also swap the packs if using the second (unused) ignition circuit doesn't reveal anything. There is also something in the troubleshooting procedures that mentions a blocking diode in the opposite pack being bad and causing the other "good" pack to not fire. You guys know anything about that? Also, have you read anything anywhere that gives troubleshooting procedures for the packs themselves?

 

[salmonslammer]

I found that using a 1" rachet strap wrapped around the flywheel and tightened up will keep it from turning... I locked it around the leg of the mtr.

 

[pnwboat]

The two CD Modules have an isolation circuit in them to isolate one from the other. The CD Modules may be good as far as producing proper ignition voltage to the coils, however, if the isolation circuit in one fails, it may interfere with the other CD Module making the good CD Module misfire. The blocking diode is internal to the CD Modules and is located on the ignition Kill circuit (White Wire). You can disconnect the white wire from each CD Module at the terminal block to see if this restores spark to the plugs. FYI.....If you start the motor starts with the white wire disconnected, the ignition switch will not stop the motor when you turn it to the OFF position. The ignition switch grounds the white wires when you turn it to the OFF position. To stop the motor, just cover the carbs with your hands and choke it until it stops.

 

[Derrick Fronckowiak]

Gentlemen (and Ladies if there are any on this). I put the "new" (actually bought "slightly" used from ebay) pack in the pack #1 position that feeds voltage to #1 and #2 cylinders, and put the other pack in pack #2 position (feeds voltage to cylinder #3), and Viola!!!! Firing on all cylinders!!!! Strong too!! When All cylinders are firing I push the chock for about 1 second and she fires right up (even from a cold start). Amazing!!! So, it seems there was something going on in one of those packs (I've swapped those packs around to all kinds of different combinations and never got more than two cylinders firing), I didn't hook anything up differently than I ever had before. Just replaced a pack. Now I'm getting ready to do the static timing and want to be sure I am correctly identifying the timing marks. Check out this picture and tell me if I got it right. Where I've looked so far has been a bit ambiguous. Appreciate the help and thanks again for the collective wisdom, and thank you Frank, where ever you are!

 

[pnwboat]

The timing marks from left to right are 32?, 30?, 28?.

Congrats on getting your problem fixed!

 

[Derrick Fronckowiak]

pnwboat, thanks. Ahhh, so each mark represents 2 degrees...brilliant!! Where did you read that or see that? I couldn't find it anywhere, just curious for future reference.

 

[tommarvin]

You could do a Google search and find it.

 

[pnwboat]

It's in my Clymer manual. Page 156.

 

[Derrick Fronckowiak]

Just for general sharing of knowledge (with regard to ignition problems and not firing on all cylinders), before you spend a dime on new/used ignition parts, verifying the correct resistance on trigger coils, charge coils (and yes even the packs). My misfiring problem came back and I discovered two pack wires terminals had intermittent opens. When I was reading the white with colored striped wire pairs from the pack for each cylinder (checking each lead for continuity with ground- each should connect, one with higher resistance 600+ ohms and the other just a few 10ths of an ohm) I found two terminals (that were associated with the misfiring cylinder) that had intermittent continuity (depending on how you flexed the wire in the terminal). I replace the two terminals (resoldered) and everything worked great. Remember, that heat-shrink tubing that insulates and covers each wire terminal can also mask when the wire is breaking or has already broken. Like the old saying for troubleshooting goes...check the simple stuff first. This was a very simple fix that I could/should have found long ago (if I had a brain).