bad cd box?

[rsw21282]

i have a late 80s 85hp motor with the prestolite ignition system. i had this thing running ok today at home took it to the boat ramp and wouldnt start, the plugs are wet i choked it everything i norm do. so i figured no spark so took it home took flywheel off cleaned all the rusty surfaces on coils, magnet everything! so tried to start it wouldnt start but i noticed on one of the coils it was arcing to the mounting plate from where the spark plug lead going into the coil so getting voltage just not getting to the plugs i think, so the question is could the capacitor in the cd box be bad? this thing also has had power issues (wont throttle up post) only throttled to 1/4 throttle anymore and died but i think that was a fuel prob, anyway if the coil is arcing thats a bad cd box isnt it? any suggestions(frank)?

 

[maxum247]

Re: bad cd box?

You have a bad sparkplug wire where the wire enters the coil it sounds like, with Prestolite coils (the blue ones) you have to change out the whole coil and wire because there made as one peice so to speak. max!

 

[Matthew A.]

Re: bad cd box?

First, check to see if the spark plug wire can be removed from the coil. Black coils = yes. Blue coils = no. If yes, be sure plug wire is and remains fully seated in the coil. If no, disregard the above directions. Also, check for broken spark plug wire. Take a look inside the plug boot. Look for rust or other crud. Check for plug wire fit onto plug aside from how the plug boot fits over plug. Check for broken spark plug.