No Spark at all

[rodsteal]

I have been floating around this site for a little while trying to find any info regarding my problem. This one has been wracking my brain for a few days.

Here's the deal, I just bought my first boat, an 88 Bayliner Carpi 1750, with the 2.3 liter four banger. I am pretty sure the old owner left the drain plug in during the rain and it filled up the rear end with a few inches of water. I have replaced the bilge pump, hydraulic pump motor for the trim, blower motor, both batteries, and the starter.

The starter was the last thing I replaced. I tried to start the motor and the starter turns, the engine cranks, but the engine wont fire. I cleaned out the carb and checked the fuel pump. With the fuel line off I can see the fuel pump works because it pumped fuel all over the inside of the boat. I pulled a spark plug and it was slightly moist from the fuel in the so I know I am getting fuel. I grounded the spark plug and I am not getting any spark. I puller the wire from the coil to the distributer cap and grounded that to the engine black as well and cranked the motor and no spark as well. I replaced the coil and still nothing.

I have a mechanic looking at it, he says it might be the points so I have a new set of them coming tomorrow morning. This is really driving me nut, I have general knowledge of motors but not marine application. I feel like this is something totally simple and stupid that I am over looking, any help would be great at this point. Thanks

 

[cr2k]

Re: No Spark at all

Points would be the first thing I would check. They corrode with moisture, and you had some moisture.

This is why the Summerization includes a tune up. To replace the rusted corroded points right before seasonal use.

 

[rkilpa]

Re: No Spark at all

Is this a continuation of the same story?

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=362926

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: No Spark at all

Do you have the saftey lanyard hooked up?

 

[searay3]

Re: No Spark at all

What is the voltage at the + side of the coil. Both with key on, and then while cranking?

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: No Spark at all

And i have seen several of those 2.3 Mallory distributors shear the roll pin holding the drive gear to shaft. If it was mine I would pull it and check it. 'nutcase

 

[cr2k]

Re: No Spark at all

Before pulling the dist. you can pull the cap turn the engine over and see if the rotor is turning. Then try turning it by hand. It should have a little play which is the centrifugal advance but it should not be turnable past that.

 

[rodsteal]

Re: No Spark at all

No, this isn't a continuation from another thread, this is the first time I have posted on any boat forum. I just bought the boat three weeks ago.

The kill lanyard is on, and I have power going to both poles on the ignition coil. When you disconnect the kill lanyard you lose power to the poles on the coil. That's what kills the power to the motor if you bail overboard.

The points looked great, very little wear, no corrosion. I am replacing them anyway tomorrow as well as the condenser. I know the connection points are just a switch, if they don't get power, they don't get power, so I don't know if it will help to replace them. Since I have it all apart anyway and the parts are so cheap, it makes sense.

There is slight play in the rotor but only 2-3 minutes of play, the motor spinning does spin the rotor, I don?t think the pin in the rotor in broken. I will do the points tomorrow and I guess just start checking the ignition from the key back. I have an old mechanic who works for me to help figure this out, I was hoping it was a switch or crank sensor that boats have but cars don't. That was why I was thinking you boat guy might point me in the right direction. We will see what tomorrow brings.

 

[dubs283]

Re: No Spark at all

head up to the adults only sticky and read over some of the how to's on points ignition systems

how they work and troubleshoot

some good info there

 

[Grumman59]

Re: No Spark at all

There's no crank sensor on your engine. That would only be part of a fuel injected system but you have a carb.

I would have said points too, but you can check the coil easily enough. You should only have power going to the + side, from the ignition. The other side goes through the points to ground, causing the spark when the points open.

So if you disconnect the wire going to the points and dab it on a ground, you ought to see a spark off the coil HT wire if it's held near a ground. Or, you ought to see a spark on the HT wire simply by opening the points, once you've put the wire back.

I've needed to change the points quite often over the years on my Merc 3.0.

 

[searay3]

Re: No Spark at all

Remember that only one side of the points grounds. The side that is wired to the coil is insulated. Check where the wire passes thru the dizzy body. Meter the points as well. If you have power to the coil, the points are installed properly and not shorted to ground, cap and rotor in good shape, it will spark.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: No Spark at all

There is slight play in the rotor but only 2-3 minutes of play, the motor spinning does spin the rotor, I don?t think the pin in the rotor in broken. I will do the points tomorrow and I guess just start checking the ignition from the key back.

You have to determine why the rotor is not rotating when the engine rotates.

 

[fishinpa]

Re: No Spark at all

Quote:
Originally Posted by rodsteal
There is slight play in the rotor but only 2-3 minutes of play, the motor spinning does spin the rotor, I don?t think the pin in the rotor in broken. I will do the points tomorrow and I guess just start checking the ignition from the key back.

You have to determine why the rotor is not rotating when the engine rotates.

I think hes saying the rotor is spinning !

what is he gapping the points at and how ? ? ?

was there spark and was it running ok before , longer than just to fire it up ??? was it run on the lake before this happened ?

what all was taken apart when we changed the starter ?

fish