2.3L Ford OMC turns over fine, wont start

M

mtb1981

Cadet
Joined
Jun 23, 2008
Messages
13
Hi guys, I was wondering if you could give me a hand. I have a 1991 Four Winns 170 with a 2.3L (Ford) OMC engine that turns over just fine, but won't start. The boat has sat on a trailer for most of last year while the new boathouse was being built, but now that it's done, I can't get it running. I replaced the battery and leads going to the block, and the engine seems to crank just fine, but the engine doesn't seem to want to catch. I really want to get this thing running reliably this year, please help!
 
D

Dakota47

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 22, 2007
Messages
722
Re: 2.3L Ford OMC turns over fine, wont start

check for spark & fuel. maybe a squirt of either?
 
M

mtb1981

Cadet
Joined
Jun 23, 2008
Messages
13
Re: 2.3L Ford OMC turns over fine, wont start

I checked the carb, and it seems to squirt some fuel into the barrel, but I can't check it while I'm cranking the engine. I tried starter fluid, but that didn't get it to fire either.

Ok, I pulled the 2nd cylinder plug, left it attached to the distributor cap via the plug wire, then set it about 1/4" to 1/2" away from a 4 gauge battery cable I had attached to the negative terminal of the battery. I turned the engine over and....no spark. Or at least nothing that I could see. What am I supposed to see? I'm thinking this is now ignition related, not carb related, but I get lost here. I have the manual, but nothing has worked yet. Please help!
 
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