Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

[Manipulator]

5.7L OMC has points. Seems that after I shut it off it floods after being shut off for a while. I was wondering if I got a beefy coil if that would help. Would it bake the points? Blow the capacitor? <br /><br />Was thinking of going with the pertronix II but I have the OMC where it won't work right unless you build some goofy circuit. I'm capable of doing that but someone told me the igniter can get real hot and possibly fail.

 

[mkast]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

Instead of trying to put a bandaid on the problem, find out why the engine is flooding.<br /><br />

Originally posted by Manipulator:<br /> <br /> unless you build some goofy circuit

Never saw it described like that before.

 

[Friz]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

First, I'd look at the flooding problem. maybe your floats are too high or you have a sticky needle inside.<br />Second, instead of trying to make the old ignition do something it's really not designed to do, why not put a basic electronic ignition in, such as GM HEI? It is really simple and very reliable.

 

[Manipulator]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

Well I think part of the problem is because of the increased heat in the engine box causes the fuel to bubble out of the carb. If you do it just right it typically will start right off. But then sometimes its cranks for a little while before firing. I figured maybe a hotter spark would do the trick.<br /><br />I considered doing the petronix electronic ignition conversion but question reliability because of the ESA fix (goofy circuit). Has anyone done this with a OMC and if so, how did it perform?

 

[rbezdon]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

If you get the Pertronix 2 they fixed the over heat problem. It mainly happened when the key was left ON when the engine was not runnung. As far as the "fix", there have been a lot of posts in the past that people successfully wired in the goofy fix just fine. There is always the CDI/Rapair ESA which just plugs in and cures the issue with out any extra wiring. Just swap the ESA and the points at the same time. I had an issue with the ESA and did this and it just plugs in and works.

 

[Manipulator]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

vatter41, thanks! Hey where do I get the "CDI/Rapair ESA " I have a 1983 5.7L

 

[fendersfender]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

i have twin omcs that i converted to pertronix and built the "goofy circuits"...i have had no problems at all

 

[Richard Petersen]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

Don't race around at 3/4 to wide open and then stop the boat engine. Let it fast idle till the engine temperature is the same as it is before you floored it for a while. That will stop all flooding restarts. Pertronix did earn the bad reputation they have.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

See: http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=24;t=014324

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

actually you can run 2 mega bucks monster super flame spitting coils and its still not gonna start. if you put a KV tester on your super mega bucks blaster coil you will find that it still typically makes 7-10 KV just like the point system. trust me I do it daily. once the plug tips are fuel fouled it will make maybe 2 KV as the spark path is now down the saturated and hence conductive insulator and not across the electrode gaps.<br /> I read about split fires and petronix and all sorts of magical motor mods and giggle. never actually seen many make more ponies below 5500 RPMthan a well maintained point system. we ran G stock on some 390 HP olds shifting at 6500 with points all the time with instant starts and no misfires. ran points most my life. they do take a bit more maint and testing and are susceptible to more voltage drops due to ageing/corroded connections than some electronic types. but for most stock uses I will place a set of points,well maintained, anyday. <br /> so take the previous advice and fix the fuel system and your ign system will work well as designed.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

Fix the flooding problem or starving or vapor lock or whatever that problem is. <br /><br />I have found when you try to bypass a problem instead of fixing it, you end up with more work than needed. THEN if you want a better? ignition system, go for the goofy things. <br /><br />Either flooding or starving, you still have a specific size combustion chanber, a specific spark plug electrode making spark, and the same power range flowing through the plugs. The air fuel ratio needs to be correct to run right, anything else just won't work like it should.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

Well..... Rodbolt has spoken.... I advise that you take to heart his post & work with that...And everyone else's ones... Keep looking ....The answer is out there....Maybe you just need to buy a new carb. Some times new parts just work....Keep us posted...I think all of the members appreciate that...& GOOD LUCK!....JK

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

its not me. its the fact that electricity is lazy. the coil may be capeable of a gazillion multiple mega volts but if all the system physically requires is 5 KV thats all it will ever produce.<br /> once the field in the coil primary collapses and the secondary voltage builds to the flash over point it sparks. once sparks occur no further voltage buildup occurs. wet or fuel fouled plugs will conduct electricity via the contaminants on the insulator and usually require less than 2 KV to "spark" however its not a spark across the gap. same a a plug that has the gap bridged. complete current path with little resistance equals a no voltage output from the coil. the only time the extra voltage is needed is to fire a leaner mix and very high compression or with multiple spark systems that are fireing during combustion. snap-on tools will sell ya a Kv tester for about 130 dollars or so. I have 2 of them. very handy tool to check the condition of the system. if its an ign related issue it will usually find it in the first 10 min or so of testing.

 

[rbezdon]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

Two other probelms related to flooding. One is liquid gas does not burn. In fact if you could pour it fast enough it could suffocate a fire like water. All that can burn is gasoline vapor. Second, even if some of the liquid gas is vapor, the volume inside of the cylinder is small. If that mush liquid gas is in the cylinder, the heat inside the warm cylinder will vaporize as mush as it can until the cylinder volume is saturated with gas. Problem is, this doesnt leave enough "space" for air (oxygen). Now there are not the right combinations for burn regardless if the ignition system can generate a million billion volts and even if it could jump the gap. Bottom line, the direct answer to the posted question is 100% certainly, adding a higher power coil will not help start a flooding engine. What will stop it is to fix the flooding problem and only yhat. Besides, the flooding is going to lead to gas in the oil and engine failure fairly quickly if not fixed.

 

[Peter J Fraser]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

Manipulator,<br />You don't mention what your plugs are gapped to and the correct heat range. <br />As Rodbolt says 'electricity is lazy' and if your plug gaps are too close the spark will collapse early.<br />Check your coil for the ballast and the starter / ballast bypass is functioning.<br />Peter

 

[Manipulator]

Re: Will a bigger coil help my flooded engine start quicker?

I think my problem isn't flooding but rather vapor lock. After a shut down I have to crank her to get her going. I have noticed if I pop the engine cover up and let the heat out, it will start a little better after letting it sit. The carb was recently rebuilt, has new points, distributor, rotor, capacitor, plug wires and spark plugs. Spark plug gap is within normals and I just checked the plugs and they are in great shape. Has new fuel filters too. <br /><br />I will have to check the float level. Does anyone know how to set the float level on a 1983 Rochester Quadrajet? The rebuilt kit I got really did not explain it well at all.