94 Mercruiser 3.0

[Adam4920]

Took it to the lake made it 1 mile then put it in neutral and it died .Would not start .Waited 30 mins and still wouldn't start. Took it home and it started right up. I could smell gas while trying to start it on the lake so its getn fuel . Took the plug wire off the coil and didn't see any spark so im thinking an electrical problem . Maybe the coil? Or something is grounding out not letting it fire? It did this last year once and the problem went away now its back. We're tierd of paddling back . Any help guys . Thanks

 

[alldodge]

Need a volt meter and see if there is 12V at the coli with the key ON

What's the serial number?

 

[Bondo]

Maybe the coil?

Ayuh,...... Welcome Aboard,....... It's almost Never the coil,......

Got the motor's serial number, so We can figure out which ignition ya got,..??

 

[Scott Danforth]

lets rephrase what bondo said about the coil. only about 5 coils out of a million actually ever went bad.

since you smell gas, is there fuel in the clear (yellowish) tube running from the fuel pump to the carb? if so, you need a new fuel pump

 

[Adam4920]

Thanks for the quick responds guys . Glad i didn't go by a coil right off the bat. My serial is 0F138513. I did have 12volts on the purple wire going to the coil when i got home and tested it but i didn't have a meter while i was on the lake so im not sure if it was getting power when it wouldn't start and left us stranded . I didn't see any fuel in that clear hose

 

[alldodge]

Thanks for the SN'
When was the last time the points and condenser were replaced, or gap checked?

 

[Adam4920]

This boat was never had anything done to it. It still had the original stone fuel filter in it which i did just change it . Im not no mechanic so im not sure what the condenser is and how do i check the points .Any help would b greatly appreciated

 

[nola mike]

Yes don't check them, you replace them (then adjust the points). Shift interrupt switch can do that, will ground the ignition and not let it start sometimes

 

[alldodge]

Here is how you replace and set points

 

[Adam4920]

I bypassed the shift switch thinking it was grounded and still won't start. And i believe mine is the newer one that don't use points cause i took the gm cap off the dist and cleaned it up real good. Had some corrosion on all the tips but didn't make a difference . Still wont start. Wonder if the starter slave solenoid could b grounded out . Its reading continuity between the 2 poles that the smaller wires go to with the wires off the post

 

[alldodge]

To bypass did you mean you disconnected the wires going to the interrupter?

 

[Adam4920]

Yes i disconnected the wires going to it and used a jumper wire to plug the 2 leads together. Took it to the lake again today and same thing. Ran perfect for a few mins then died and wouldn't start. I have a leak in a bellow and water comes in and gets pretty deep in the back. I took got it out the water and didn't take the plug out took it home with all the water still in the back would not start at the house . Then pulled the plug drained the water let it set then it started right up . Seems like when it takes on water is when it won't run . only thing under water is the bilge pump and looks like a float switch im guessing that works the bilge but the float switch is not hooked up and the wires are just crimped with a butt connector so they are under water also . Im wondering if that's what'sgrounding out and killing the engine . The bilge pump still works from the switch on the dash and no fuses are blowing.

 

[alldodge]

Yes i disconnected the wires going to it and used a jumper wire to plug the 2 leads together.

With a jumper in place I don't see how it would ever start. You have points and the interrupter grounds the negative side of the coil. When this side is grounded permanently it should never fire. The newer electronic distributors applies 12V to that side and removes it to make it stumble.

My guess is you have some bad wire going to the interrupter and its grounding out and also breaking contact so it does start. Disconnect all wires going to the negative side except for the distributor wire

 

[TurtleTamer]

I'd worry a lot more about taking on water than the engine not running correctly, especially if high bilge water seems to be what stops it.

 

[hoowahfun]

If you have a bellows leak I would replace them all so you don't ruin your U-joints.

 

[Adam4920]

Been busy guys but now I'm back to the boat . Found the water leak to start with . I had replaced all 3 bellows over the winter and idk if it was cheap ebay boots or my poor installation but the shift cable bellow had riped .Got that fixed took it out today and did awsome . Didn't take on any water at all and it ran like a brand new boat. Im sure the not starting problem didn't fix itself or just go away but it ran perfect. I even turned it off and started it a bunch of times while still in the water without any issues at all . All i can figure is with water in the back it was shorting something out . I'll try it again next weekend and see how it does. Thanks for all the input boat buddies . Happy boating