And now what?!?!?!?!?

[macr6]

Okay guys and gals,

98 3.0L merc

BACKGROUND:
Boat was just turning over and not firing. Plug wires were in the wrong order(cost me money for the shop to tell me that). They put them back in the right order and said it was running.
Local shop told me I needed a new manifold so I bought one.
Left the drain plug in and drowned the starter so I bought a new one of those.


TODAY: I installed both the starter and the manifold and now my boat just turns over and wont fire just like it was before I took it into the shop. I promise I didn't touch the spark plug wires. I am so fried from a long week at a funeral and I am missing something. Don, Bondo, or other genius guys, what am I missing? I know it's something.

Can I pull a plug and hold it to the block to check for spark?

I am so lost in where I should start. Help guys. thanks

 

[Don S]

Re: And now what?!?!?!?!?

Did you hook up the emergency kill lanyard?

 

[Don S]

Re: And now what?!?!?!?!?

Can I pull a plug and hold it to the block to check for spark?

Do this, it's a lot easier. Remove the coil wire from the center of the distributor cap. Hold the end about 1/2" from a good clean ground and crank the engine. You should get a bright blue spark that easily jumps that 1/2" gap.

 

[macr6]

Re: And now what?!?!?!?!?

Do this, it's a lot easier. Remove the coil wire from the center of the distributor cap. Hold the end about 1/2" from a good clean ground and crank the engine. You should get a bright blue spark that easily jumps that 1/2" gap.

This may sound like a dumb question but can I hold that wire with my hands or should I use an insulated pair of pliers? And is the block a good ground?

 

[Don S]

Re: And now what?!?!?!?!?

can I hold that wire with my hands or should I use an insulated pair of pliers?

I usually just use my hand to hold the wire. If it bites me, the wire is bad. Just hold the wire back from the end an inch or two.

And is the block a good ground?

It is if it's unpainted and isn't all rusty.

 

[Wotknot]

Re: And now what?!?!?!?!?

I usually just use my hand to hold the wire. If it bites me, the wire is bad. Just hold the wire back from the end an inch or two.

I use pliers...... Having been bitten before by 480 3 phase, I DON'T like getting bit.....DC won't kill ya but it'll sure make ya hurt yourself and cause ya to lose your religion.....

 

[mcleaves]

Re: And now what?!?!?!?!?

I usually just use my hand to hold the wire. If it bites me, the wire is bad. Just hold the wire back from the end an inch or two.

Don I knew you were hardcore but Geesh. I've been bitten a couple times by being stupid enough to get close to the end, but I'd be in no rush to do what you daily and subject myself to that as part of my routine! I ***** out with pliers!


Now we know why you are so grumpy

Back to the OP.. This may sound crazy but have YOU personally confirmed the firing order is correct? That should only take the same time as checking for spark (which you should still do). You state the shop "said it was running" but have YOU seen it running?

M

 

[macr6]

Re: And now what?!?!?!?!?

Okay, I know what I did. And I hate when people do this to me as a network engineer. When they tell you a problem but don't tell you exactly what they did right before the problem but here it goes.

I "forgot" to mention that while I had the manifold off I changed out the throttle lever on the carb. The old one had the nut and bolt part "torqued off" by a very strong brother-in-law. Well when I put the new one on it had a different type of screw and I hadn't turned it enough. I was starving the engine of air.

Once I got that part fixed I fired it up and it ran good. Thanks for the help Don and all.

I did do what you said Don and did get a powerful spark. So then I started thinking what was missing from the fuel/air spark mix and found the problem.

THanks again.