3.7 mercruiser no spark......

[ericcarr2000]

Ok, I just got off the phone with the mechanic whos working on the motor and hes telling me that he is getting good spark out of the coil and can even attach a jumper wire to the cylinder and get spark that way. As soon as he reconnects the cap to the dist., theres nothing. He even put a new cap and rotor on it and still the same thing. I guess my question is, is there a possibility my new distributor, Jan. of this year, is bad all of a sudden? Are there other things that can go bad on a distributor thats underneath the points and condensor?

 

[Don S]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

Have you checked the coil wire that goes from the coil tower to the distributor cap?

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

...it would be helpful if we knew what work your mechanic is doing/has done in order to isolate potential problem areas and why such repairs were warranted.

In addition to Don S.'s suggestion, the distributor could be waaay off.

 

[ericcarr2000]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

Supposedly hes telling me that there is current going through the coil wire, but as soon as he puts the cap on, thats where it stops...
What do you mean the distributor could be way off? I assume ur talking about the timing rite? If so, I dont think the timing being off would affect the spark itself...

 

[dingdongs]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

points or condenser could be faulty.

 

[Aloysius]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

Especially on a 4 cylinder, the timing can be so far off, or the rotor improperly positioned on the shaft, that no spark will jump to one of the spark plug terminals. It's because the terminals are so far apart.

V8's have the opposite problem..spark scatter because the terminals are so CLOSE together.

 

[nola mike]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

If you're getting spark at the end of the coil wire, it has to be either timing, or cap/rotor...

 

[ericcarr2000]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

I dont think the timings off at all. I bring it to T.D.C., and the timing marks line up...

 

[missalot]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

When you bring it to Top center, look at the rotor and see if it is close to lining up with one of the posts on the distributor cap. Rotor not on correctly, distributor gear problems are just a couple things that could be an issue.

 

[nola mike]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

Another thing that might work is check for continuity between coil wire and plug wire when the rotor is aligned with a post on the cap. If none, work back to find the break. Yeah, and make sure that when your #1 cylinder is at TDC, the rotor is pointing at your #1 plug wire.

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

...the distributor could be waaay off.

Most of the above folks have picked up on my drift!

Before you go much futher, leave the distributor cap off and bump the starter....does the rotor even turn?

I'm still interested as to why your Maru wound up at the mechanics to start with!!!

 

[dingdongs]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

assume the points have been initially set on the high lobe of the dizzy spindle and if then the guy should be able to get a spark by opening and closing points when off the lobe.has your mechanic ever worked with points before????????????assume the rotor is rotating when cranking on the starter

 

[Aloysius]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

The coil grounds at the distributor, through the points. When you install the cap, are you shorting out the wire that goes to the points?? Shorted out, there would be no spark.......

 

[ericcarr2000]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

Most of the above folks have picked up on my drift!

Before you go much futher, leave the distributor cap off and bump the starter....does the rotor even turn?

I'm still interested as to why your Maru wound up at the mechanics to start with!!!

LOL, yes the rotor is turning, what do you mean manu????

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

........ what do you mean MARU????

MARU....a loving reference to one's vessel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_ship_naming_conventions

 

[ericcarr2000]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

MARU....a loving reference to one's vessel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_ship_naming_conventions

LOL, it ended up there cause of the no spark issue....

 

[ericcarr2000]

Re: 3.7 mercruiser no spark......

Just thought Id stop by and let all know that I found out that the NEW Mallory distributor was bad some how. I knew I was getting spark from the coil, so I knew it had to be something in the distributor itself, so, I sent it back to the manufacturer for a warranty claim and low and behold the did tell me it was bad. So....All is well now, I installed the new distributor this weekend and it runs great.
Thanks to all for the responses...