Re: 1963 Evinrude 10 hp / Ignition troubles
Well, lets just step back a minute. I know you have stated that everything looks good and you have pull it out and check everything about ten times. Things are frustrating to you right now, so have a beer and I am going to ask a couple questions and make a couple of suggestions.
Questions:
1.) Have you verified a spark on both wires with a spark checker? (no not just putting the spark plug up against the motor to check if it sparks.) Gap it to about 1/4 to 5/16 of an inch and ground it to the motor. You should see good blue spark with a crisp crack sound). If you do not see that on both spark plug wires then you need to recheck the ignition system.
This is a picture of a spark checker (click on thumb)
2.) Are the plugs wires going to the correct cylinder? If they are the original wires then the plug wire going to the top cylinder will be labelled top with a small metal clip. If the plug wires have been replace with 7mm copper core wires then you can tell if the appropriate wire is going to the correct cylinder by using this diagram.
Click on the thumb for a better visualization:
3.) Since you have had all the parts out and reassembled a bunch of times, please verify that your points cam is place right side up. If it is not, then your timing will be off, so no spark. **There should be writing on the correct side of the points cam stating "top", mean that is the side that should be facing up**
- Please verify that your wires are not damage or bare in any way, because that will cause grounding and no spark.
- Please check that you have a points gap at 0.020 when the points shoe are at the top the points cam. Make sure that they are clean as well. Sometimes if someone puts too much oil or grease then the oil or grease contaminates the points...then no spark.
- Make sure that your ignition plate is securely screwed down and does not have slope are play.
- Make sure the coils are good. No visible cracks or bare areas. Insure the plug wires connecting to the coils are secure. Inspect the connection they may be fouled with rust or corrosion. To remedy that, just clip off 1/4 inch of the wire and there should be fresh clean copper there. Also clean the metal tip of the coil that connect to the plug wire.
Here is a link to a you tube video that show you how to check your coils using a multimeter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT8rk5QWgS0
*** Please make sure your throttle selection is on start, so that you will see a spark when checking it.
Here is picture of a RD ignition plate, but it should serve as a good reference. Click on the thumb for better visualization.
Hope this helps and please update us with what you find. Sometimes the resolution is something simple, but we get frustrated and can't see the problem!!! We have all been there and its helpful when someone reminds to recheck the basics and most of the time problem is solved. (Been there!)
