no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!

[bare3176]

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

UPDATE. I took the motor to a good friend that can pretty much fix anything, and after looking everything over very thoroughly, he fixed the engine by screwing the coils onto the plug wires as far as they would go- about 6 or 7 turns. The motor purrs like a kitten. I thought I might tell all those that helped for future reference. Thanks.

 

[BonairII]

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

he fixed the engine by screwing the coils onto the plug wires as far as they would go

Were the wires NOT screwed in in the first place? Were they just jammed in?

 

[bare3176]

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

I thought they were supposed to be pushed in because thats the way my other motor was when I tore into it. I plan to take my other 20hp apart before long and fix it right.

 

[AlTn]

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

thanks for posting back, Bare....lesson learned will definitely benefit someone stumbling upon this thread

 

[penn1974]

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

UPDATE. I took the motor to a good friend that can pretty much fix anything, and after looking everything over very thoroughly, he fixed the engine by screwing the coils onto the plug wires as far as they would go- about 6 or 7 turns. The motor purrs like a kitten. I thought I might tell all those that helped for future reference. Thanks.

I'm not following you. Are u saying to screw the plug wires onto the coil?

 

[RandyJ]

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Very glad to see you got yours fixed! I have a very similar motor which had a similar problem that I just got going yesterday.... I've also got a 1971 20 hp doing exactly the same. While swapping parts from it to my 25 electric start I discovered that the kill wire for cylinder was pinched under something which had grounded it to the ignition plate. I have little doubt that's why I couldn't get it started and keep it running.... heck of a note to discover this after putting this motor to the side and not being able to solve the problem 6 years ago! Now I wonder if that motor is worth fixing or even selling the parts off of it...

 

[bare3176]

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

I'm not following you. Are u saying to screw the plug wires onto the coil?

Yes. That's what the guy said but he also took the kill wires completely off the motor, and after reading the next post after yours I think that may have had something to do with it. But I still come out looking like a BONEHEAD!

 

[bare3176]

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Would a problem like this make a 72 model johnson hard to start? Just wondering because I know I didn't put the coils in like this on my motor.

 

[penn1974]

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Yes. That's what the guy said but he also took the kill wires completely off the motor, and after reading the next post after yours I think that may have had something to do with it. But I still come out looking like a BONEHEAD!

If I had hair I would have pulled it out by now. I'm bout ready to use it for a anchor. If one cylinder was firing shouldn't it still crank? And how much should the compression be after I pull the rope 4or 5 times?

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Re: no spark on one cylinder UPDATE!!!!!!!!

On the old 22 cube motors, 90 -100 psi on both cylinders is good. If you get more, that's all the better. You want the numbers to be as close to the same as possible.
As far as spark plug leads go, these things often loose contact, when someone shoves an old lead into a new coil, because the connection there is less than favorable. Yes, you do want to give them several turns as you put them in, but it's also good to stick a pin in there along side of the lead, to blead off the air inside of the coil as you twist the lead into the hole. Sometimes airlock can make the leads not seat all the way. I spray the end of the lead with WD-40 to help it twist easier too. Once you see that it's completely seated, then pull the pin out.

Also, when mounting the coils to the mag plate, make sure that the face of the coil perfectly matches the machined surface on the coil bosses. I use a blade of a utility knife (for a straight edge) to hold it against the surfaces to make sure there is no daylight shining through top to bottom. If you see daylight at the bottom surface of the coil face, then it needs to slide out. If you see daylight on the top of the coil face, then it needs to slide in. A prefect setting on the location of the coil faces, to the mounting bosses will give you the hottest spark delivery from those coils.