Spark question........................?

[firemedichunter]

Hi. I am new here but maybe I can get some help....I have a late 70's Johnson 50hp outboard with a powershift II shifter. I just bought it. Both coils and the pack are brand new. I was out lake testing it yesterday and she was running perfectly for several hours. At one point while at full throttle I pulled back on the throttle quite abruptly. The engine immediately quit and now will not start. Carbs are clean and she gets fuel just fine. Plugs look great. Battery is great. It will turn over just fine. When I try to ground the plugs to the head to get an arc I get no spark from either plug or either coil. It appears that I have no spark. All wires have firm connections. I have done lots of reading in the iBoat forums and have heard a lot about a "kill switch." This seems like it might be what's wrong. Where is the kill switch? Some have said it is in the outboard? Is there a "kill" circuit in the shifter itself that, if faulty, could allow the engine to turn over but not provide spark?

Any suggestions would help. Thank you

 

[ezeke]

Re: Spark question........................?

The kill circuit works by grounding the powerpack using a black wire with a yellow stripe.

The following link includes the troubleshooting instructions: http://cdielectronics.com/InstallSheet/113-2453.pdf

 

[firemedichunter]

Re: Spark question........................?

OK, I will try disconnecting that wire and then go from there. So, there is no actual "switch" that needs resetting or replacement? Is it all built in to the shift switch?

 

[F_R]

Re: Spark question........................?

Does your control have a lanyard that you are supposed to clip to your life jacket? It is supposed to kill the motor if you fall overboard. It does that by yanking the lanyard off the control.

All that to ask---is the lanyard attached to the control???

 

[firemedichunter]

Re: Spark question........................?

No, there is no lanyard or any type of external safety switch.

 

[F_R]

Re: Spark question........................?

OK, I will try disconnecting that wire and then go from there. So, there is no actual "switch" that needs resetting or replacement? Is it all built in to the shift switch?

There is no "shift switch". Other than the lanyard switch, the only other means of killing the motor is by turning off the ignition key. Disconnecting the black/yellow wire will disable that as a test.

 

[firemedichunter]

Re: Spark question........................?

Well, isn't there something built into the shifter itself that kills the ignition if you try to start in forward or reverse?

 

[ezeke]

Re: Spark question........................?

Well, isn't there something built into the shifter itself that kills the ignition if you try to start in forward or reverse?

The standard side mounted controls after 1973 have neutral safety switches that prevent the starter from activating unless the control is in neutral. That will not prevent the engine from firing if you jump the starter and it does not use the kill circuit.

 

[firemedichunter]

Re: Spark question........................?

The standard side mounted controls after 1973 have neutral safety switches that prevent the starter from activating unless the control is in neutral. That will not prevent the engine from firing if you jump the starter and it does not use the kill circuit.

So there is nothing in the side mounted shift mechanism that can activate the kill circuit? If I take the kill wire off the pack and now the engine fires, where would I look for a fault in the kill circuit? Thank you

 

[ezeke]

Re: Spark question........................?

Look for a short to engine ground anywhere on the black w/yellow stripe wire. You could also have a bad ignition switch.

 

[firemedichunter]

Re: Spark question........................?

Will try all this Sat morning and let y'all know what I come up with..Thanks again

 

[firemedichunter]

Re: Spark question........................?

So I disconnected the yellow n black wire and there is still no spark. I disconnected both yellow wires to the rectifier and still no luck. There are no loose connections anywhere in the shifter box. Don't know where to go from here

 

[firemedichunter]

Re: Spark question........................?

So, I'm still messin with this....I looked under the flywheel and noticed that the insulating material for the stator coils(?) appears to have melted and dripped around the top of the engine. This can't be good. Could the stator be bad? Maybe caused by a bad rectifier?

 

[firemedichunter]

Re: Spark question........................?

Just an update,,,,I did change the stator and that solved the spark issue. Runs like a champ now. thanx for the help