Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

[boone258]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

Still nothing.???

 

[dubs283]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

make sure all the wiring in the distributor is correct, especially that no wiring is grounding on the distributor housing, sometimes the casings for the points/condenser can touch ground before the stud connection on the points

also make sure the coil (-) wire isn't grounding on the distributor housing, there should be an insulator as it passes through the housing

 

[Gettinther]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

Connect DVM as don suggested to neg side of coil, (prefer test lite)
Have an assistant crank engine while you watch. The DVM should pulse (lite flashes) if circuit is functional, steady DVM reading or lite would be an open circuit, no reading or light would be shorted circuit.

But i'm an auto mechanic.

I hope you get to enjoy your boat.

 

[boone258]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

I put the test light on - and turned the engine over and i get a steady light...no pulsing, which you say is an open circuit, what does this mean and what do i look for.

 

[boone258]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

Can i run a wire straight from the battery to the + side of the coil or would i damage something?

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

Can i run a wire straight from the battery to the + side of the coil or would i damage something?

You can, but why? You have voltage to the coil when cranking or you wouldn't have a steady light in the above test.

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

I put the test light on - and turned the engine over and i get a steady light...no pulsing, which you say is an open circuit, what does this mean and what do i look for.

That means the points are not closing.

Remove the distributor cap and crank the engine over. Is the rotor turning?

If so, remove the rotor and watch the points. Do they close completely between lobes on the dist. cam?

 

[boone258]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

I just checked the power at the + side of the coil and all i got is 6volts, so i changed the starter solenoid, only because i had 12 volts going into it and only 6v coming out to the smaller tan wire which runs to the coil but new one is the same voltage output as the old one.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

It sounds like you have your resistor wire running to the positive post on the coil.

 

[boone258]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

I'm really confused with this thing, i intermittently get 12v at the + side of the coil then i don't know what happens it just suddenly drops to 6v. But when it's on 12v i also have 12v at the negative terminal on the coil, i also noticed that i get 12v at the points on one side and nothing on the other side of the points, so i took the points off and they are pitted, so i'm going to replace them and see what happens. Still have to figure out power drop at the coil...if i have any hair left by then.

 

[Don S]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

so i took the points off and they are pitted,

You said early on in this thread that you replaced them..... I guess we should have asked WHEN you replaced them.
New points don't get pitted when they haven't been used.

 

[Gettinther]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

I put the test light on - and turned the engine over and i get a steady light...no pulsing, which you say is an open circuit, what does this mean and what do i look for.

With test lite on - term./ solid lite-points not contacting - reset point gap
To spec while the rubbing block of points is touching one lobe
(Point) of distributor cam. Recheck with test lite . When point are closed and making contact as they should the lite will go off and when they open lite should come on.

 

[Pete104]

Re: Mercruiser 1977 888, 302 Ford..no start

As you crank the engine the points open & close rapidly. If the points aren't getting a good ground, you won't get spark!