Installing new Ignition Components

[adt2]

Well, I've just about got the carb back together, and now I'm moving on to the ignition system for a change of scenery. I've got it all torn apart and cleaned up; now I'm starting to put it back together.

I've got new plug wires installed, and new kill-switch wiring (I'm sure that's not the proper name for those wires, but that's where they go, so there you have it). Got new condenser #1 installed, and I've got breaker (point?) #1 on the armature plate....but now I'm a bit confused. Is there supposed to be a gap between the spring-loaded portion of the breaker/point thing and the mounting boss on which it sits? 'Cause I have no idea how to get a gap there; that spring is really pushing that little sucker against the boss tight.



Where, exactly, is the 0.020" gap supposed to be? I don't want to install anything else until I get that figured out so I don't have to work around unnecessary hardware to fix this. Thanks in advance.

 

[Daviet]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

You have it assembled correctly, there should be a tiny wire clip that goes on the post in a groove towards the top. There should be a flat clip that goes on the arm from the points to the base. The gap is set on the contact points, just across from the screw that holds the wires on the points base.

 

[nwcove]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

dont even worry about the point gap yet. replace all the ignition components first. once you re-install the armature plate , then its time to set the points. once you put it back together, you will see how the lobe on the crank opens and closes the points. great work!

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Before you mount the coils, be sure to install the cam wick. It will come oiled, do not add any more.

Be sure to twist the plug wires onto the coil pin, dont just push them straight in.

When you are all done, remember the oil from your fingertips will hinder spark. Clean the contact with acetone once gapped and set. When attaching the wires to the points, pull down on the condensor wire, it will want to form a high loop which will get severed by the flywheel. Same goes for the ground wire on the coil, pull it in tight to the coil before tightening it down so that the crank does not wear through the insulation. You ll see what I mean when you are doing it.

Light coat of grease beneath the armature plate ring before installing, not too much or it will get thrown onto the points.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Here's a great link that can walk you through the job. There should be a .020" gap in the points when the crankshaft cam is at its highspot.

http://www.outboard-boat-motor-repa...on 3 HP 1952-1967 Ignition System Tune-up.htm

 

[adt2]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Where/how does the cam wick get installed? I have the part, but I haven't seen but mentioned anywhere else.

 

[SeaKaye12]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Under one of the coils you will see an irregular shaped boss....hopefully with a metal clip still there with the remains of the old wick.

The link above furnished by kfa4303 shows it in a couple of his pictures. Look at the image directly above the bold text:

A simple but effective method to test the ignition timing

Hope that helps.

 

[Daviet]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Look at #'s 20,21.
http://www.ishopmarine.com/ishop/js...CatFilter=BRP&eCatSupFldr=supplier-100-005-EJ

 

[SeaKaye12]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Here's another view: You can see the wick and it's mounting clip

 

[adt2]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Look at #'s 20,21.
http://www.ishopmarine.com/ishop/js...CatFilter=BRP&eCatSupFldr=supplier-100-005-EJ

Okay, I see them in the drawing and on the parts list, but this particular exploded view is just as bad as the one in my manual. I'm probably biased, because I'm a technical writer and I produce exploded view drawings all day long, but if I produced drawings like these Johnson/Evinrude drawings, I'd be out of a job. It's frequently impossible to tell where something actually goes (which seems to be the case here; I can see the parts, but there's no indication of where to install them).

 

[adt2]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

SeaKaye12 - Thanks for the pic. I'll have to go back and check my photos, but I don't think I have the mounting clip (and I don't remember it coming in the box with the other ignition parts).

 

[AlTn]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

it wouldn't be included with the ignition parts, hope you find it or can at least find one used

 

[adt2]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Argh...another used part to track down, pay for, and wait for. In the meantime, I checked my photos and I do not, in fact, appear to have the oiler clip. Unless I'm just not seeing it:

 

[SeaKaye12]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Did you remove the second coil? It's under there.

 

[adt2]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Yes. I don't think it is (or was) there. Hard to tell in the attached photo, but you can see most of the area where the other coil was.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

The wicks tend to get really dirty over the years. It may have been lost/removed. You don't really "need" it. Plenty of motors can/do run just fine without them. By the time the cam may, or may not, wear down the pad on the rocker arm of the points you will (should) have done a tune up anyway. I'm sure someone will say that the world will end if you don't use the wick, but I would simply ask that they produce evidence that the lack of an oiler wick caused damage to their motor. Don't stress over it. Better to see to it that the points are perfectly cleaned and gapped to .020", the spark plug wires are properly seated on the coil posts and the all of the wires are tucked away neatly. This link will walk you through an entire OMC universal magneto rebuild from start to finish.

http://www.outboard-boat-motor-repa...on 3 HP 1952-1967 Ignition System Tune-up.htm

here's another good link.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=506678&page=2&highlight=spark+plug+wire

 

[adt2]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Need help quick: I just installed the two new breaker assemblies, and I can't figure out how to set the gap to 0.020". Am I supposed to set the gap between the breaker and the cam on the crankshaft (left end in the photo)? Or between the spring-loaded breaker component and the mounting boss, on the opposite end from the part that strikes the cam (right end in the photo)?



Regardless of the answer, I'm going to have another problem next: I cannot set the gap on EITHER end at the required 0.020". No way, no how. I can turn the adjustment screw so the mounting boss moves all the way through its range-of-motion, from one extreme to the other, and at no time is the gap correct. How do I deal with that?

 

[nwcove]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

the two small shiny discs on the right side of the photo have to be set to 020. the adjuster screw is somewhat oval shaped, so if its together correctly you should get the proper gap by turning it. ( it will be somewhat sensitive when you get it close to 020.) if you look closely at the pic, turning the adjustment screw ccw should close the points.

 

[Daviet]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

The gap is set on the contacts on the right side of the photo.
Remove the cam adjuster screw and see if you can close the gap, the screw is there for convience, you can set the points without it.
Did you install new points or the old ones, if new what part number did you use?

 

[adt2]

Re: Installing new Ignition Components

Okay, I got the points gapped correctly. Next problem: despite the tutorial in the link above, my flywheel has no timing marks. Either that, or I don't know what I'm looking for.