Could I have pooched a part of my ignition system?

[MaxGlide]

1977 Mercruiser 140 with Pertronics Ignitor II points.

So we jig for salmon and while trying to stay on top of bait ball, we started the engine probably 40 times in a row to try and stay in one place.
On last start my brother said it did a "wugga shugga, whacka CHOW!" and stalled. Tried turning it over and just a "clunk", engine not turning over. Battery was dead. Got it home, charged battery and now it just turns over, not firing at all. Got fuel to the carb (can smell it).

It is possible we burnt the points or the ignition coil with all those successive starts? The points MAY have some discolouring on the back (indicating possible overheating), can't quite see there.
I know I can test for spark with a timing light and test the coil with a multimeter. Just wanna get some input before I dive in

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Wayne

 

[Scott Danforth]

every pertronix conversion i tried had failed. I went back to points every time. the conversions were just iffy.

2 had dead modules that I replaced and they failed again. 1 had the wires come off the module in traffic (coming to a stop in the middle lane on I94)

based on my experience, yes, I would look at the module

if you are running points. make sure to set them with a dwell meter. also make sure that you are running a ballast resistor or you will burn up the points

 

[MaxGlide]

every pertronix conversion i tried had failed. I went back to points every time. the conversions were just iffy.

2 had dead modules that I replaced and they failed again. 1 had the wires come off the module in traffic (coming to a stop in the middle lane on I94)

based on my experience, yes, I would look at the module

if you are running points. make sure to set them with a dwell meter. also make sure that you are running a ballast resistor or you will burn up the points

Have had this system in n for three years. Just wondering if the repeated starting in a short period of time coukd cook points or coil?

 

[alldodge]

Have had this system in n for three years. Just wondering if the repeated starting in a short period of time coukd cook points or coil?

It shouldn't

 

[MaxGlide]

It shouldn't

I read leaving key on for too long can cook points. Thought maybe many starts, like 30+ in an hour might do it. Anyway, will test them today

 

[alldodge]

If points are closed, leaving key on will heat up the coil

 

[Scott06]

I read leaving key on for too long can cook points. Thought maybe many starts, like 30+ in an hour might do it. Anyway, will test them today

If you installed pertronix you no longer have points

would use a spark gap tester to test spark strength

 

[MaxGlide]

Well, got it started. Rotor tip was crusty so cleaned that. Shined up the distributor cap contact points, fully charged battery. Took one plug out to check spark. While doing so it sputtered. Plug back in, turned it over, sputtered a bot and off she went! Ran rough a bit then idled smoothly. Started up three more times, right away.