60 hp Johnson NO SPARK

[kaseboll1]

I bought a 1978 16' Starcraft with a steering colum and 3 cly. 60 HP johnson electra start. I knew when i bought it that the engine needed some work the guy told me it needed a tune up and i look over the motor it has good compression turns over while but it has no spark. Im not very good with when it comes to electrical. he reinsured that the motor ran like a top he had it out last year once then let it sit on the lift tell fall and it wouldn't start. He bought it 10 years ago and only used last year and the year before he is an older guy about 75 if that helps. I called the mechanic who worked on it last he told that engine ran great and had good compression he told me that i would have to bring it in to see why it wouldn't get spark. He's shop rate 95.00 an hour so i thought i would see others have to say first. I got the whole set up for 500 dollars so i guess the guy didn't really screw me i knew it didn't work. Also their is some brown "puddy/ jb" weld on the side of the motor any idea what that is.

thanks kasey

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 60 hp Johnson NO SPARK

What is ther model number of that 60hp so that we can determine exactly what year it is. We need that so that we know which ignition system is has.

Have you tested the spark... plugs removed, cranking over with the plug wires connected to a tester?

Sitting for quite a length of time, carburetors have a tendency to foul, clog, gum up.

Get back to us with that model number and we'll go from there.

 

[mikesea]

Re: 60 hp Johnson NO SPARK

Remove all plugs.Disconnect the large red harness connector.Then jump positive to the starter.Check for spark while cranking.If you have spark,you likely have a bad key switch or issues with the harness.Get back after doing the test

 

[kaseboll1]

Re: 60 hp Johnson NO SPARK

Model number is 60ESL-70D, do you need the serial number?

I change the spark plugs, still no spark i haven't tested the wires.

I took steel wool to the stator and flywheel.

Carbs were cleaned last spring they look pretty good, the boat was in use two years ago and once last year( bought a pontoon.) Anything else you need to know?

thanks for all the info.

kasey

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 60 hp Johnson NO SPARK

60ESL-70D is a 1970 60hp Johnson which has Battery Capacitance Discharge Ignition...... expensive pulsepack if needed. Test as follows.

(Battery Capacitance Dischage Powerpack Test)
Various OMC Engines - 1968 to 1972)
(J. Reeves)

Purchase a small 12v bulb at your local automotive parts store (the 12v bulb is to look like a flashlight bulb, not a headlight bulb). Solder two wires to that bulb, one to the side of the bulb (ground), and the other to the positive point. You might use a bulb of a somewhat lower voltage to obtain a brighter glow... just a suggestion.

Remove the spark plugs. With the key in the on position, make sure that you have 12v going to the pack at the terminal block (purple wire). Now, connect the ground wire from the bulb to any powerhead ground. Connect the wire from the positive point of that bulb to the powerpack wire that is connected to the coil wire on the terminal board (blue wire).

Crank the engine and observe that bulb closely (CLOSELY!). If that bulb glows even the slightest bit, the powerpack is okay. It may be a very dim glow... just so it glows! If it doesn't glow, the pack has failed.

Keep in mind, that type powerpack (Battery Capacitance Discharge) demands a top notch battery of at least 70 amp hours. Any less will, in time, cause powerpack failure.

 

[kaseboll1]

Re: 60 hp Johnson NO SPARK

Wow, here i thought it was the stator. Is a powerpack and pulse pack the same thing

thanks, kasey

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: 60 hp Johnson NO SPARK

The stator on that model is for charging the battery only.

Yes, you could say that the powerpack and a puilsepack are the same thing. However, the term "Pulsepack" usually pertains to a device that requires battery voltage to energize it.

The "Powerpack" does not and dares not have any battery voltage applied to it.

 

[kaseboll1]

Re: 60 hp Johnson NO SPARK

So if the bulb doesn't light up I need a new powerpack right.

 

[F_R]

Re: 60 hp Johnson NO SPARK

NO! The opposite is true: If it lights up the AMPLIFIER is good. If it doesn't light up, it could be a number of things. It is an amplifier, not a power pack or pulse pack. Yeah, I know just a matter of terms maybe, but the way they work is different.

A better test is to disconnect the coil from the amplifier and unbolt it (the coil) from the motor. Then unscrew the whole thing, wire and all, from the distributor cap. Then remount the coil and reconnect to the amplifier. Rig up a spark gap off the end of the coil wire to ground.

Now, disconnect the wire from the amplifier that goes up under the flywheel. With key turned on, brush the wire lightly across a bare metal grounded part. You should see a bunch of sparks across your spark gap. If you do, you know that the amplifier and coil and everything ahead of it is OK. The trouble is under the flywheel. Points, distributor cap, rotor, anti-reverse cut-out ring, etc.

No sparks across the gap when brushing the wire means either the amplifier or coil is shot --OR-- it is not getting proper voltage from the key switch. Check the voltage and if it is OK, then you have narrowed it down to amplifier or coil.

 

[sprattoo]

Re: 60 hp Johnson NO SPARK

I like to tinker on older Johnsons from like 65 and back in the 10 to 3 hp range. I spent so much time runnning across issues of not firing... I have come to expect it when I put one on the stand.

Napa, VIP or other parts stores sell spark testers for just a few bucks and I have found them invalueable.

I pitched in a few extra bucks and got one that is adjustable. All you do is just pop it on the top of the plug, and plug the plug wire onto the spark tester. I back off the screw about 1/4 inch and pull it over. There is a little window in there to see the spark.
If the spark jumps that gap you are at least getting good fire to the plugs.

They also sell little hand held 12V testers for a few bucks to save the soldering of the 12V bulbs. It looks something like a screw driver (except the tip comes to a sharp point so you can test wiring) with a ground coming out the top end. There is a 12v light in the clear handle. I have done the bulb thing, and my soldering skills leave a lot to be desired.