1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

[fredcombs]

Hi everyone, my cantankerous evinrude has now lost spark on all three cylinders. Started fine a couple of days ago now it cranks but no fire. Spark was tested with inline spark tester. I had this problem before and I disconnected kill switch wiring on the steering wheel side of boat. This did not solve the problem this time. I also disconnected black/yellow wire at power pack and still nothing. Is there anything obvious that I should check before I get into checking the more difficult opponents. I have read everything from possible bad key switch to power pack and stator but I don't want to throw parts at it. And I might add tracking down electrical issues sucks lol. Thanks in advance for any help you all can provide

 

[fredcombs]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

Not sure if this eliminated anything or not but tried to pull start it with spark tester installed and still no spark to all three cylinders

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

1. The starter has to spin the engine at least 200-250 rpm's to make spark. 2. Unlikely all 3 spark plug coils went out at the same time. That leaves the power pack, stator and timer base. All 3 are expen$ive items, so it will make good sense to put some of your diagnostic time into it. Check out this website: cdielectronics.com They have some excellent ignition troubleshooting info. You may wind up needing a special "peak-reading" voltmeter, or an adapter for your current voltmeter.

 

[fredcombs]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

Thanks, I am doing those reading this afternoon. If stator checks out, can I suspect power pack?

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

Disconnecting the black/yellow wire at the powerpack or the ignition switch eliminates the ignition switch as being a problem.

In which case the most likely cause is a failed powerpack... which would be a good spare item to have in your on board tool box anyway along with the necessary tools to change it in order to avoid a tow in charge just when a storm is approaching.

 

[boobie]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

Go through ALL the checks from CDI Electronics. That way you'll know what the exact problem is and won't be guessing.

 

[fredcombs]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

Great thanks for the link guys, I will report back

 

[fredcombs]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

Ok guys I don't mean to sound like an idiot here but since it says to test the wires connected to the pack, do I just pierce them with the multimeter. Does key need to be in on position or does it matter?

 

[Lenard]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

Never pierce the wires!

Test piek-voltage coming from the stator (brown and brown/yellow). Need to be around 200 volt. Next check the sensor coils, all need to have just a few volts. Check if non of these wires are short to ground. If all okay replace the powerpack

 

[fredcombs]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

Went through all the tests, I have all the ohm requirements but have no volts on any of the required tests, although I have a cheap multimeter and may not be reading correctly. Anyone care to chime in why I have ohms but no volts

 

[boobie]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

You need a dva adapter for a good multimeter or a peak reading volt meter to check cranking voltages.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

was the engine turning over when you did the voltage reading?

 

[fredcombs]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

No engine was not turning over. I was just checking voltage from stator with ignition not turned on or trying to start. Do I need to do this while engine is cranking. Sounds like I do not have the right type of meter anyway. So off the top of your guys head does the problem seem to present a bad power pack or stator.

 

[boobie]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

You always check all the way around the power pack before condeming it. Meaning cranking voltage from the stator and timer base. If they pass, then you can say you have a bad power pack.

 

[fredcombs]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

Since I do not have the right meter, is there anything else I can test/ eliminate before taking it in for a professional to look at. Puzzles me that every once in awhile it will fire

 

[fredcombs]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

Dumb question I know but to check voltage from stator, do I have to crank the motor?

 

[emdsapmgr]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

There are a couple of electrical tests that can be done on the stator. Ohms and output voltage. Ohm testing is done statically. I prefer the stator output voltage test, which is peformed while cranking the engine over.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

on a stator when you test ohms you are testing a coil (copper wire that is wound round and round) to make sure that the wire has no breaks. The test also checks to see if the insulation on the coil is bad because low resistance would indicate that the coil is shorting (the power is not going around all the coils but jumps from one coil to another reducing the amount of times it has to go around).
The trouble with just doing a ohms test is the coil is copper so the resistance is very small and most cheap meters are not sensitive enoght to measure this.
the voltage test works because the magnets under the flywheel are spinning past the stator coils which are fixed this induces a magnetic field that produces a electical field in the coils of the stator winding.
to take a voltage reading the motor must be cranked at over 250 rpm so the magnets are spinning past the stator fast enoght to produce the voltage required.
A dva meter is realy required as you are measuring true voltage not rms but in real terms a cheap meter will give you a reading then just times it by 1.4 and that will be close enoght to use as a guide to check the stator. This test will tell you if you should have enoght power for a spark.
i dont like to buy parts just to test something but like joe points out a power pack is a nice spare to have.

 

[fredcombs]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

glenn thanks for the tip. so assuming stator passes spec do i then look at power pack and timer issues

 

[fredcombs]

Re: 1992 60 evinrude has no spark on all three cylinders

do i have to do these voltage readings with the staor connected to the power pack or can i unplug it from pack and test it that way?