Trying to track down ignition coil for 1980 Evinrude 4hp

[porchlight]

Hello,
I am having issues with my 1980 Evinrude 4hp, and I isolated the problem down to one of my coils. I think I've found a few candidates but I just want to make sure they're correct and ask a question.

When I look up my engine (E4WCSS), I get the old coil (which is what I have, and it's discontinued) and then all of the parts that have replaced it. MOD EDIT - No one home at ************.com





Which appears to have two boots. Is this the right coil? Since it has two boots, does this coil power both of my plugs somehow? Like, I'm planning to replace the other coil anyways, so should I buy one or two of these?

Then, I guess my other question is, is there a better option out there? This seems to be the "official" coil the directly replaces my old coil, but when I look it up online, I get a ton of other options that say that they fit a 1980 4hp. Some of them are cheaper, some of them are more expensive, and they all look different. Are ignition coils closer to, like, car batteries, where you can get different models with the same specs, but you want to buy the right one just because it'll be easier to fit? Or is is closer to spark plugs or something, where they're actually different internally, and it's more than a matter of fit?

I guess my question is, can I just just any ignition coil, so long as I can make it fit? Like do they basically all do the same thing on the inside, and you're basically paying to ease of fit? Or is this Evinrude 4HP coil special and will only work with this (or related) models, and so other coils won't work for this motor, even if I were to build a bracket or whatever to fit it?

​​​​​​​Thanks!!

 

[hardwater fisherman]

To me it looks like a single coil.. The two boots are one for each end off the high tension lead. I think if it was a dual coil it would say so. The CDI equivalent says for all 2 stroke carbureted models 2 to 6 cylinder 1978 to 2006.

 

[Vic.S]

To me it looks like a single coil.. The two boots are one for each end off the high tension lead. I think if it was a dual coil it would say so. The CDI equivalent says for all 2 stroke carbureted models 2 to 6 cylinder 1978 to 2006.

The info about the kit containing this coil says "Fits Most: 1978-2006 (Carbureted 2 Stroke Engines)(Except 60 Degree models and engines using dual output coils.)"

 

[flyingscott]

That is a single coil. You can tell because there is only one orange wire.

 

[hardwater fisherman]

The info about the kit containing this coil says "Fits Most: 1978-2006 (Carbureted 2 Stroke Engines)(Except 60 Degree models and engines using dual output coils.)"

Okay. I should not have for all models.. BUT I think it's a single coil if you say otherwise that is your opinion..

 

[flyingscott]

It is obviously a single coil.

 

[racerone]

Agreed it is a single coil.----Orange wire from powerpack goes to the wee post.---Sparkplug wire goes to the jumbo sized post.

 

[F_R]

Single coil for one cylinder, a boot for each end of the spark plug wire.

 

[porchlight]

Great, thank you all. So I have to buy this one, no other coil would work for this little outboard? Seems like a bummer to spend almost $100 on coils for such a cheap motor, but if there's no other option, that's fine

 

[racerone]

These coils are very common and used on many motors , for many years.------There are places where you could find good used ones for reasonable price.----Your location ?----How did you determine one coil is bad on your motor ?

 

[porchlight]

These coils are very common and used on many motors , for many years.------There are places where you could find good used ones for reasonable price.----Your location ?----How did you determine one coil is bad on your motor ?

Thank you. I tested my coil two ways: checking spark, and with a voltmeter. My coils have three connections: One cable that goes to the spark plug, one ground, and one that gets input from the powerpack.

I checked spark by grounding the side of the plug and turning the motor over: one sparked, and one didn't. Then, I got out a voltmeter, and checked the resistance.

When I put one terminal inside the spark plug boot and the other to the connector that gets power from the powerpack, one side has resistance: when I set my meter to 2k ohms, it shows about .3, which seemed low until I realized that I was using resistance spark plugs. When I load the plug into the boot and measure to the electrode, I get about 6ohms @ the 20k setting, which seems more reasonable). The other coil (the one that doesn't get spark) doesn't register any resistance from the boot to the connector that gets input from the powerpack, either with or without the plug in the boot.

So basically, one coil gets spark, and has resistance, and the other one doesn't. So I feel pretty confident that one coil is bad.

However, your comment made me go down and double check, and I noticed something else. When I was originally looking at this, I realized that there was no spark on one coil, so the first thing I did was check the coil resistance, and when it came up empty, I assumed the problem was with the coil. But when I was down there, I thought that I should check the power from the powerpack, just in case. My powerpack takes in current from the stator, and it outputs to the coils (two tan wires). One tan wire goes to each of the coils.

When I ground one terminal of my voltmeter and plug the other terminal into one of the tan wires (the one that goes to the working coil), I get about 3 volts coming out of the powerpack. However when I check the other terminal (the one that goes to the not-working coil), I get about .4 volts coming out of the powerpack. Should these readings be the same? I assume they should be the same, but then, this implies that I'm having an issue with my powerpack, as well.

So I feel confident that one coil is not working, because I'm not getting any resistance through it, but what are the odds that my powerpack crapped out at the exact same time? The motor was working great and then all of a sudden it wasn't... seems too coincidental that the coil and powerpack would have gone out at the same time... Or maybe it's normal to have different readings coming out of the two tan wires from the powerpack?

Thanks!

 

[racerone]

I do not use an ohmmeter to test coils.----Just reach into the parts box for a good used one.

 

[tblshur]

switch the brown wire to the good coil and see if you have spark

 

[porchlight]

switch the brown wire to the good coil and see if you have spark

Duh... I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't think to switch them both. I switched the wires to test the coil, but not to test the powerpack :/

Will report back!

 

[porchlight]

Interesting... so when I switch the wires coming out of the powerpack, I get spark out of the coil that I thought for sure was broken. So maybe I should feel pretty confident that the powerpack is the issue, rather than the coils?

tblshur I appreciate the suggestion to switch the wires... so obvious, yet I completely overlooked it