1972 85HP Johnson Questions

[wrench 3]

Replacing the rectifier won't restore your spark but a bad rectifier will take away your spark by destroying the power pack. However, hooking the battery up backwards would take out both the rectifier and the power pack. But would most likely not harm the stater.
The stater can be checked with an ohm meter as a preliminary check but you need to take voltage readings with it running to say for sure that it's OK. I don't have access to the specks and procedures at present but they should be in you repair manual under ignition troubleshooting.

 

[Josh1972-85hp-Johnson]

Replacing the rectifier won't restore your spark but a bad rectifier will take away your spark by destroying the power pack. However, hooking the battery up backwards would take out both the rectifier and the power pack. But would most likely not harm the stater.
The stater can be checked with an ohm meter as a preliminary check but you need to take voltage readings with it running to say for sure that it's OK. I don't have access to the specks and procedures at present but they should be in you repair manual under ignition troubleshooting.

And all this because a marine gave us a reversed polarity battery costing me hundreds. That makes sense because when I was cranking it over it almost wanted to fire but was dead. That was after my step dad told me the battery was backwards and had to hook negative to positive lead. So I even tried to crank it over with reverse polarity. So it makes sense that I have a no spark condition at all from a fried Powerpack, or as labeled in this engine "amplifier assembly"? I have a multimeter and light tester so I plan on doing the complete ignition troubleshooting checks on all components today so I will check the stator... but I have a new one arriving soon so I will just replace regardless. I have always had a battery charging issue, well before the battery incident, so I want to be sure my battery will charge. When I have the stator off, would you recommend cleaning and inspecting the points? Cleaning the boots and testing the wires? They worked fine before and are in great shape. Also I believe the amplifier assembly kit comes with the coil. Does that sound right? Thanks again for all your help, you and everyone who has made comments. Very much appreciated.

 

[wrench 3]

I got into my shop manual today and apparently I gave you some miss-information. They don't show the voltage test until the 1978 model.
I don't believe your engine has points (but I don't have the manual in front of me again). If it dose, definitely clean and gap them. Check the wires and boots for cracks and burnt spots. Arcing often leaves a white patch. If you have carbon core wires they should have no more resistance than 3,000ohm per 6 in.

 

[Josh1972-85hp-Johnson]

No Title

I got into my shop manual today and apparently I gave you some miss-information. They don't show the voltage test until the 1978 model.
I don't believe your engine has points (but I don't have the manual in front of me again). If it dose, definitely clean and gap them. Check the wires and boots for cracks and burnt spots. Arcing often leaves a white patch. If you have carbon core wires they should have no more resistance than 3,000ohm per 6 in.

My engine in manual says 85hp V4- 1968 to 1972
Has a CD Ignition System (with Breaker Points )
I will post a picture of the troubleshooting testing then another of the exploded diagram for reference.

 

[wrench 3]

While your in there, see if you can get a dab of distributor cam lub for the wick.

 

[Josh1972-85hp-Johnson]

While your in there, see if you can get a dab of distributor cam lub for the wick.

Get some off of the distibutor for the wick? Also was reading that with a dead battery could cause the Clipper circuit to go. Guess it protects the ignition system from high voltage etc. Is this needed to get a spark though? There is a test they show with a multimeter I will go and do today.

 

[F_R]

All of those parts can be troubleshooted and/or tested with good old common sense and an understanding of how the system works. Throwing expensive parts at it is not the best way to troubleshoot.

You are talking about two separate systems here, ignition and battery charging. The motor will start and run on a fully charged battery, even if the charging system is not working. But needless to say it will quit starting and running and/or shifting out of forward gear when the battery runs down.

 

[wrench 3]

Get some off of the distibutor for the wick? Also was reading that with a dead battery could cause the Clipper circuit to go. Guess it protects the ignition system from high voltage etc. Is this needed to get a spark though? There is a test they show with a multimeter I will go and do today.

Distributor cam lub came in a squeeze tube. You'd need to find a place that worked on a lot of point ignition systems. I've got some GM Delco that I picked up some 35 years ago. I've still got half a tube left. If you can't get any, a drop of oil on the wick will work.
Like you said, the clipper circuit protects the ignition. It won't stop it from working unless it's lack of operation causes an ignition component to fail.

 

[Josh1972-85hp-Johnson]

All of those parts can be troubleshooted and/or tested with good old common sense and an understanding of how the system works. Throwing expensive parts at it is not the best way to troubleshoot.

You are talking about two separate systems here, ignition and battery charging. The motor will start and run on a fully charged battery, even if the charging system is not working. But needless to say it will quit starting and running and/or shifting out of forward gear when the battery runs down.

I know that. I haven't bought any parts for that motor at all yet, but I have done testing on almost all of the ignition system components and charging components. Amplifier assembly I'm pretty sure is bad because it is not consistent readings and it is jumpy on the multimeter. The coil is blown for sure according to the multimeter tests. The Clipper circuit also seems to be shorted which would make semse if its what protects the ignition system. Rectifier is blown for sure. Stator, I am not sure as I am still working on getting the flywheel off. I have one type of flywheel puller and after I got the nut off we tried pulling the flywheel off. But it is on there tight and doesn't want to budge. Are there certain types of pullers for different engines? I can't go further with diagnosis until I get the flywheel off.

 

[Josh1972-85hp-Johnson]

Distributor cam lub came in a squeeze tube. You'd need to find a place that worked on a lot of point ignition systems. I've got some GM Delco that I picked up some 35 years ago. I've still got half a tube left. If you can't get any, a drop of oil on the wick will work.
Like you said, the clipper circuit protects the ignition. It won't stop it from working unless it's lack of operation causes an ignition component to fail.

Thanks for your help once again. Although I have some good instruction from the manual, your knowledge and experience with marine engines has helped me very much. So I tested the Clipper circuit with the shifting diode from the engine and multimeter as it explains in the manual. It is not reading much at all on the wires, with only a reading on one wire. Telling me that it is shorted. (Long as the shifting diode gave me the correct case wire...not sure that matters with a multimeter) So if it is shorted I will need a new one for electricity to pass through to other ignition components to get spark? Or am I able to get spark with a shorted Clipper Circuit? I am going to test more and make sure. It's an expensive little part. $250 retail. Found a used one off working motor for $60 but no telling if it works or not.