OMC 4.3 Electronic Ignition Swap

[Robobrainiac]

This question may be beat to death but I am inquiring mainly about the new Pertronix Igniter 2. There does not seem to be alot of info on it. I have waited 2 weeks and have been emailed twice from pertronix claiming they were going to reach out to me over phone and they have never called.

Here is my rundown.
I have a 1988 Four Winns 200 with an OMC 4.3L 4 barrel connected to a cobra drive.

I am tired of messing with the points and condenser. I want to go electronic.

I have the original prestolite distributor.
I have the original OMC ESA.

I want to use the CDI ESA module. I want to install the Pertronix electronic ignition.

My understanding is the ignitor 2 requires a low impedence coil. Something around 0.6 as far as I know the CDI module is not compatible with a coil that uses that low of a resistance. My understanding is that I need to use the original pertronix ignitor with the 1.5 ohm flame thrower coil and keep my resisted coil wire.

Long story short, Pertronix thru email recommended the ignitor 2 because of the improved dwell capability that works great in a marine application. When I questioned this, I was told they would call me over the phone because I told them what I have stated above.

I am open to hearing suggestions from everyone. Thank you!

 

[Scott Danforth]

I personally would never use pertronix again, because every one failed on me.

I would stick with points. While yes, you are looking at a file/gap/dwell set service every spring, that is 5 minutes worth of work, and a set of points should last 20+ years

your setup is exactly like @Lou C

I would go with a delco voyager distributor before considering pertronix.

 

[Lou C]

Yep I left the points, as long as they don't leave me stranded, I'll keep em, now I have spares so I keep a point plate with the points and condenser already installed so if I have to change em on the water, it's not hard, yes I have a tach/dwell meter on the boat too with feeler gauges lol.
Comparing systems:
Delco HEI igniton on 2 cars we owned, each one had one failure
Points, on cars I owned same thing but yes they need a bit of maintenance.
So it's not a big difference.
Honestly I like the fact that I can check the Total Timing Advance on the old mechanical Prestolite distributor, I'm not sure I trust the electronic advance built into the Delco EST (Voyager). Plus there are no new OEM modules for them, they are all aftermarket now.

 

[Robobrainiac]

I personally would never use pertronix again, because every one failed on me.

I would stick with points. While yes, you are looking at a file/gap/dwell set service every spring, that is 5 minutes worth of work, and a set of points should last 20+ years

your setup is exactly like @Lou C

I would go with a delco voyager distributor before considering pertronix.

What would you consider to be a good dwell meter? I am currently using math equations with my fluke 87 using a duty cycle to calculate the dwell.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Borrow a dwell meter from the local auto parts store.

Or buy one from a yard sale. I bought two last October. Spent $3 on one and $5 on the other. I now have a out 6 or 7 dwell meters displayed on the garage wall.....starting with the one my father had when he was in highschool, the one I had in highschool, on to the two I just acquired

 

[Lou C]

The other thing that you need is a good advance timing light. OTC sells a nice one. That tells you if your spark advance is working as it should (centrifugal, with weights and springs). That part of the distributor needs to be lubed once a season, there is a wick inside the distributor shaft, give it a few drops of oil at the start of each season.

 

[Bondo]

What would you consider to be a good dwell meter? I am currently using math equations with my fluke 87 using a duty cycle to calculate the dwell.

Ayuh,...... Welcome Aboard,...... I bought an Inova timing light a few years back,.... I love it, as it does everything, timing, advance, 'n dwell,....

 

[Robobrainiac]

I was able to borrow an equus dwell meter from my dad. I installed new Sierra points and condenser, new standard motor products ignition coil (all from O'Reilly) then drained the old fuel. It was nasty orange. Put fresh fuel in, timed it to 6 degrees, and I can currently Rev off idle and hold RPM while on the water hose. Previously I could not run barely above idle in the water. I didn't want to push the water impeller too far on the hose so after a couple of minutes of running I feel confident I should be able to run out on the water now. I will try to get out on the lake in a couple of weeks and see how it does.

 

[Robobrainiac]

Put the boat on the water today and it is not fixed. Same issues as before. I will try to find some time for some more diag

 

[Scott Danforth]

Are you sure your issue is ignition?

Could be fuel or other

What are the compression numbers?

 

[Robobrainiac]

Are you sure your issue is ignition?

Could be fuel or other

What are the compression numbers?

Compression has not been checked. My original issue was no spark. Even with the points being gapped. Found out thru testing it seems the points grounded themselves to the base plate. There was no "disconnect" just constant ground signal. I replaced the points. Still no spark. Replaced the coil. I have spark.

Took it out to the lake. Will not rev above idle. I can push the throttle above idle to almost any RPM, it holds it there for about 3-5 seconds and then dies in a way that mimics running out of fuel. I could spray starting fluid into the top of the carburetor and basically keep it running infinitely.

After dying, the engine immediately fires right back up. At idle it will run without issue. At that time, all I had access to was my fluke meter and gap guage set. I was using duty cycle and a Ln online equation to calculate dwell. Messed and messed with different gaps on the points thinking that might help. Never changed it.

Got it back home. Redid the dwell with an actual meter. I was able to get 39 degrees. Set timing to 6 degrees. Drained the fuel. Replaced the fuel filter. I was running on the water hose like it should. I could idle no issue. I could rev up no issue. I let it sit at 2000 RPM four about a minute. No issue.

Took it back out yesterday and I could not even get it off the trailer. Fires up instantly. Once off idle, it dies within 5 seconds.

When it dies, it slows down in RPM, once this happens, changing throttle position will not stop it. It just slowly comes down in RPM to 0. Acting as if it is out of fuel. It is NOT an immediate "off" mimicking cutting ignition.

My next step in my mind is to verify fuel pressure. I have a gauge ordered and I will try to get to Westlakes and find some brass fittings so I can T off the line for the pressure gauge. If fuel pressure checks out well, I am looking into a carburetor rebuild kit.

 

[Lou C]

Fuel pump pressure, volume and vacuum
Anti siphon valve & fuel pick up tube.
All should be checked

 

[Robobrainiac]

Fuel pump pressure, volume and vacuum
Anti siphon valve & fuel pick up tube.
All should be checked

The anti siphon valve was working when I messed with the tank. I pulled out the board cover and used the sending unit hole to empty the fuel. The rubber line itself is original. Kind of junky in appearance but internally intact. From pump to carburetor is a formed metal line.

What are you referring to as vacuum?

I assume volume is confirming flow versus pressure. I plan on checking fuel flow and pressure when I get the gauge setup.

 

[Lou C]

There is a spec for how much the pump can pull at cranking speed (approx 10” Hg vacuum) and for volume I’d have to look up the exact spec in the manual.

 

[Lou C]

There is also another test that can be done that measures restrictions in the fuel delivery system using the vacuum gauge. There is a section in the forum that details how to completely troubleshoot the boat fuel system; it is described there.

 

[Lou C]

HOW TO: Testing your boats fuel system.

Note, this was originally posted courtesy of Don S. Minor edits and pictures added by CaptJason A lot of you folks out there seem to be tearing into carbs quite a bit. Before you choose to open up a carb, you really need to look at what's feeding the carb first, and that is the boats fuel...

forums.iboats.com

 

[Robobrainiac]

There is a spec for how much the pump can pull at cranking speed (approx 10” Hg vacuum) and for volume I’d have to look up the exact spec in the manual.

So you are referring to a vacuum pull from the fuel pump? Not a vacuum from the carburetor?

 

[Lou C]

Yes

 

[Lou C]

Here are the fuel pump specs from my OMC shop manual:
5.5-7 PSI
Volume at cranking speed: 1 pint in 45 sec or less
Vacuum at cranking speed: 9-10" of mercury
Mine passed all of these tests, it took me a while to round up the fittings to do the tests safely due to the metal fuel line between the pump and the carb.
BTW you have the same boat and engine as I do.
Yours has a 4bbl Quadrajet correct?

 

[Lou C]

Here's what it looks like when you have it apart
it is a bit tricky to get the air horn off and the choke linkage on the side
properly cleaned out and adjusted they are good carbs