No spark troubleshooting

[dpatzari]

!986 Merc 170 in a Thunder craft

Fresh charge on battery
new points (set at 22 thou)
condenser
rotor
coil
Tach disconnected
New primary wire

12 volt on both side of coil
12 volt to points

Tried disconnecting purple resistance wire and putting twelve volts to coil

points are opening
Coil field does not seem to be collapsing

Any help would be appreciated

 

[stonyloam]

Re: No spark troubleshooting

Bad ground on distributor?

 

[Don S]

Re: No spark troubleshooting

Are the wires connected to the points correctly? Do you have the Delco or Prestolite distributor?

You did set the gap with the points on the high spot of the cam lobe didn't you?

 

[dpatzari]

Re: No spark troubleshooting

It is a delco distributor

points open and close (verified)

verified wiring by diagram

I will verify the engine ground

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: No spark troubleshooting

sounds like .022 was on the flat side not the high side

 

[stonyloam]

Re: No spark troubleshooting

pull the center wire from the distributor and lay close to grounded metal on block. Bump till you see the points open (or put a piece of insulating material between them), turn on the key and with a insulated wire briefly jumper across the points, should get a spark from coil every time you remove the wire, try the same between coil side of the points directly ground. Should see spark either way.

 

[dpatzari]

Re: No spark troubleshooting

thanks for the help.. i put the booster on the battery and it started. It had twelve volts but no capacity...dead die hard

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Re: No spark troubleshooting

So is the boat not charging or is it just a dead battery? I am not a fan of Diehards, Have had good luck with the Interstate.

 

[searay3]

Re: No spark troubleshooting

Use a meter and check the points. With the points open, the side that comes from the neg coil should not see ground. The wire that goes to the points needs to be checked for chafing. Needs to be insulated all the way to the coil. The other side should have little to no resistance to ground. If both sides see a ground, the points have not been installed correctly and it will not spark.

 

[Don S]

Re: No spark troubleshooting

Didn't read the replies did you searay3, been there myself. He found the problem, the battery was almost dead.