Got electrocuted when touching cylinder?

[Kranjack20]

Hey guys I now have another issue with one of my other outboards. On my fishing boat I have a 25hp Mariner tiller and it runs and idles and does everything great. I was on the lake and had it running and took the cover off and noticed there was water everywhere in the bottom of the cowling so I was looking around trying to figure out where it came from and I don’t know how familiar anyone is with the 25hp but the cylinders lay horizontally you know and so I noticed water dripping down from the spark plugs but above the drips it wasn’t even wet so I couldn’t find out where it was coming from. And the pee hole tube wasn’t wet anywhere either. I saw a drip of water on the cylinder head away from the spark plugs and I went to wipe it to see if it was leaking there so I swiped the drip with the my finger and I got completely electrocuted the worst in my life so bad I just about ended up in the water the shock literally just threw me down onto the ground half of my body is over the edge and my girlfriend looks over like I just got hit by a train. What the F*** happened?!! I should be able to touch the cylinder head without getting shocked right!? I didn’t touch any spark plugs or spark plug wires.

 

[jimmbo]

I see you learned about the Shocking Truth of Electricity. The Voltages going to the Plugs is very high, and the Only Thing Electricity wants to do, is complete the Circuit, and It doesn't care How or what Path it takes to do so. All it takes is a crack in the Wire Insulation, or a bit of Damp contamination(dust) or a carbon Track on the Ceramic Insulator on the Plug and that High Voltage is waiting to jump, and when you went close to the Block, which was wet, and while Distilled Water cannot conduct Electricity, any Contamination, turns it into an Electrolyte, It took advantage of the Path

 

[Kranjack20]

I see you learned about the Shocking Truth of Electricity. The Voltages going to the Plugs is very high, and the Only Thing Electricity wants to do, is complete the Circuit, and It doesn't care How or what Path it takes to do so. All it takes is a crack in the Wire Insulation, or a bit of Damp contamination(dust) or a carbon Track on the Ceramic Insulator on the Plug and that High Voltage is waiting to jump, and when you went close to the Block, which was wet, and while Distilled Water cannot conduct Electricity, any Contamination, turns it into an Electrolyte, It took advantage of the Path

Yes but I should be be able to touch the cylinder head without getting shocked right? So something must be getting shorted out with the coils or spark plugs?

 

[dingbat]

Yes but I should be be able to touch the cylinder head without getting shocked right?

Depends on where you touch....

The high voltage in the ignition system has no problem jumping a 1/2" air gap. Get your hand within 1/2" of a high voltage component (coil, plug wire or spark plug) with a ground issue and all bets are off.

It's a good practice to stay clear of any and all high voltage components while the circuit is energized.

Don't forget that capacitors retain voltage even after the power is removed from the circuit. Capacitiors will retain voltage until discharged to ground

So something must be getting shorted out with the coils or spark plugs?

Not necessarily... In this case you where the short.

 

[jimmbo]

Yes but I should be be able to touch the cylinder head without getting shocked right? So something must be getting shorted out with the coils or spark plugs?

As I said above, all Electricity wants to do is complete the Circuit, and that it doesn't care how, and you put yourself forth as a Conductor

 

[silverbul]

You know what the doctor says, if it hurts when you do that, don't do that. lol

 

[Kranjack20]

Depends on where you touch....

The high voltage in the ignition system has no problem jumping a 1/2" air gap. Get your hand within 1/2" of a high voltage component (coil, plug wire or spark plug) with a ground issue and all bets are off.

It's a good practice to stay clear of any and all high voltage components while the circuit is energized.

Don't forget that capacitors retain voltage even after the power is removed from the circuit. Capacitiors will retain voltage until discharged to ground

Not necessarily... In this case you where the short.

I obviously don’t know much about electricity. You think there’s a ground issue like you mentioned?

 

[jimmbo]

If the Plug wasn't firing, and it wasn't because of a short, then there would be a Ground Issue

 

[dingbat]

I obviously don’t know much about electricity. You think there’s a ground issue like you mentioned?

High voltage is generated in the coil and transferred to the spark plug via the plug wire.

If a coil is shorted to ground, it can't generate high voltage.

If the plug is shorted to ground (cracked insulator) the plug would misfire and the motor would not run properly, if at all

If the plug wire is compromised (dry rot / wet), you get shocked.
How old are your plug wires?

 

[brodmann]

To take care of the water leak, you probably need to replace your cylinder head covers. Not the head gaskets, just the cylinder head covers.

 

[Kranjack20]

High voltage is generated in the coil and transferred to the spark plug via the plug wire.

If a coil is shorted to ground, it can't generate high voltage.

If the plug is shorted to ground (cracked insulator) the plug would misfire and the motor would not run properly, if at all

If the plug wire is compromised (dry rot / wet), you get shocked.
How old are your plug wires?

I just got this boat with the motor a couple months ago but I’m guessing it’s all old. The motor runs and idles great. I’ll have to take a look at the wires but I’m guessing that’s the most likely option is that they’re old.

 

[tpenfield]

Try touching the cylinder head of a lawn mower or similar engine while it is running . . . same thing . . . a shocking experience (ouch )

 

[dingbat]

Try touching the cylinder head of a lawn mower or similar engine while it is running . . . same thing . . . a shocking experience (ouch )

And here I thought it was a right of passage to have your older sibling (me) tell you (my little brother) hold the spark plug lead on the mower while I pulled the rope...lol

 

[silverbul]

And here I thought it was a right of passage to have your older sibling (me) tell you (my little brother) hold the spark plug lead on the mower while I pulled the rope...lol

Did you know my older brother? lol

 

[dingbat]

Did you know my older brother? lol

And my middle brother did it to my youngest brother....lol

The things mom but up with having three boys....

 

[silverbul]

July 24th, 1968 at 2:26 pm. wednesday. Haven't been the same since. lol

 

[Kranjack20]

Try touching the cylinder head of a lawn mower or similar engine while it is running . . . same thing . . . a shocking experience (ouch )

I have and I’ve never got shocked before.

 

[1975oday22]

title should read as follows. I Got Electrifried! or Its Electrifying! lol.... in all seriousness , dont touch !

 

[BWR1953]

Reminds me of this:

 

[tphoyt]

Try running the motor at night and see if you can see any arching from the plug wires.
I used to have a lawn mower that you had to ground the plug to shut it down. Sometime the ground strap wouldn’t make a good contact and you had to push it a bit further. It was always a dance to see which one of us would win. The mow won more than I did. I once took 35,000 Volts from automotive coil and will never forget that moment. And I learned the hard way about capacitors holding juice from a commercial cloths washer. Yet another moment I’ll never forget. Live and lean as they say.