1947 5H.P. Sea King Coil Problems

[randyfish37]

Gentlemen: 1947 Sea King/Clinton K500 5 H.P. air cooled power head. Replaced coil twice. When coil is replaced it starts immediately, then shuts down after 10-15 minutes running time. Will start before this if you shut it down and then try again. Points new and adjusted properly and open and close as they should. New Condensor and Plug with proper gap. Since this shuts down after reaching operating speed and loses spark could it be a heat problem. I lose continuity between the spark plug wire and the two leads from the coil which have continuity between them.

Any suggestions before, out of shear frustration and lack of patience, throw it in next weeks trash.

randyfish37@yahoo.com

 

[F_R]

Re: 1947 5H.P. Sea King Coil Problems

'Tain't a 1947, Randy
No matter, it's a Clinton so this will apply. Is the water pump working? Yes, it DOES have a water pump to cool the midsection. If the water pump is not working, the midsection gets stinking hot. Since the powerhead sits on top of it, it is as if it were sitting on a hot stove and the powerhead gets stinking hot too.

 

[randyfish37]

Re: 1947 5H.P. Sea King Coil Problems

Dear Admiral:

The owner's manual given to me with the engine states it was purchased
May 27, 1947 from Montgomery Wards. Could it be an older model?

Water pump appears to be working when you check for water coming out of the holes in the lower unit.

I have a junker Clinton (what is left of it in some ones trash).

Clinton K750 3106B
Serial Number: 980791
Type XTV 52275

A quick cursory observation implies the power head of the junker may be identical or extremely close to the 5 H.P.

I noticed on both coils that shorted out that the magneto of the 5 H.P. rubbed against the coil where the spark plug wire is inserted and produced a small very shallow cut in one edge of the coil. Neither is deep enough to expose any wiring. This rubbing appears to be caused by a small narrow ridge on the inner surfacr of the magneto. This ridge does not appear on the magneto of the junker. Can I carefully grind down this ridge with out harming the magneto or can I switch magnetos with the junker.

The new coils are larger than the original Clinton Coils and the square opening for the stator smaller. The hole is small enough that it requires some carefully filling of the insulation inside the opening. The parts guy assured my I could do this as long as I did not take off too much. To avoid this I carefully ground down both sides and top of the stator so it would fit the coil opening. Could I be receiving the wrong size coils?

I would be eternally grateful for any further advice you or anyone else could provide could offer. I really hate to scrap this engine.

randyfish37@yahoo.com

 

[F_R]

Re: 1947 5H.P. Sea King Coil Problems

Hey, I can't explain the owner's manual. But they didn't make Clinton outboards that long ago. A K500 would be from the 1970's. There were some Sea Kings from the '40s made by Mercury (Keikhaefer) but those were a totally different animal.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: 1947 5H.P. Sea King Coil Problems

Ooops, my bad. Old thread.:redface: