little or no spark

[CENTRALCARO]

new to this so bare with me. I own a '90 bayliner capri, with ford/omc motor/outrig. I am a new boat owner but have done plenty of work on my mustang in the past. i have no or little spark coming from coil. the only time that it sparks while cranking is right when u let go off the key, only one little spark. i gave the boat the normal tune up, rotor, condinsor, points, plugs. i just got the boat back after having the expensive throtle cable replaced and don't want to send it back. i looked at the wiring and is it not true that if the coil is getting power it should spark?(the coil is new too) could it be something wrong in the distributor that i did? please help asap

 

[CENTRALCARO]

Re: little or no spark

also is there an ignition box on this thing like on a car? could that be the problem. any tests i can run. i am getting a reading on both positve and negative side on coil. have not tried jumping batery to coil yet. it got dark to darn early.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: little or no spark

CENTRALCARO... Sounds like a bad resistance wire or ballast resistor (which both do the same thing) depending on which resistor your engine uses.. Like you said, try a jumper wire from the battery to the pos. side on the coil..<br /><br />If it has a resistance wire it would be a purple and red 20 gauge wire that runs from the positive terminal on the coil to the alternator..<br /><br />If it has a ballast resistor it would be in the same circut, But it would be a small tan/gray colored box (1" square x 3" long)..<br /><br />Your engine may have an electronic shift interrupter which grounds out the ignition for a split second when you shift into gear (ESA Module and a couple switchs) which could also cause the problem you're having...

 

[CENTRALCARO]

Re: little or no spark

is there a ignition box on there like on a car? and where would the ballast box be locatied(anyhwhere from coil to starter?)

 

[CENTRALCARO]

Re: little or no spark

also where would the eas module and switches be.

 

[CENTRALCARO]

Re: little or no spark

any comments that can be posted tonight and in the morning would be appreciated because im going to try to fix it in the morning. night for now

 

[DJ]

Re: little or no spark

centralcaro,<br /><br />Snapperbait is right on.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: little or no spark

Do you have a service manual for your engine? If not, GET ONE... It'll be the best money you ever spent on a book... <br /><br />No ignition box...<br /><br />The ballast resistor would be in the same circut as the resistance wire... This wire runs from the alternator to the positive side of the coil..