Johnson Power Pack

[willno]

I have a 97, 40 Johnson that I suspect has a bad power pack. Problem is it works sometime but not other times. I have checked the other ignition componets and the black/yellow wire and they all check out. Is it common for these units to work erratically? Also the stator under the flywheel has brown, brown/yellow, orange, and orange/black leads coming out of it. I know the browns are the ignition wires but what are the orange wires for?
Thanks,
Bill

 

[jonesg]

Re: Johnson Power Pack

Yeh a PP can go intermittent then die completely.
Stators can have charge coils and ignition coils, depends on the model, most of the bigger ones have charge coils for the battery,

if you have elec start you have both windings for sure...or flat batteries.

 

[willno]

Re: Johnson Power Pack

Thanks for the fed back Captain. One more question. I checked the out put of the sensor coils with a DVM. My manual says they should be putting out a minimum of .5 V but mine are only putting out .1 V. However both coils ohm out just fine (28 ohms) and no continunity to ground. Does that sould like the problem to you?
Bill

 

[bktheking]

Re: Johnson Power Pack

Sometimes moving the wires going into the powerpack can cause spark to come and go, check your grounds as well to the powerpack, had this happen on a 9.9, spark present-move wires going into the pp and the spark disappears.

 

[TLL]

Re: Johnson Power Pack

The orange and orange/black wires are for the power coil. The power coil runs the SLOW and Quickstart functions of the powerpack, really should not cause the problem you are having. Without a peak reading voltmeter, you can't assess the voltage coming from the sensor coils. At this point you have to assume that they are ok. Disconnet the black/yellow wire from the power pack, if you now have spark the problem is in the key switch or the deadman lanyard switch in the control box. If you still have intermittent spark it is likely the power pack. Try tapping on the powerpack with the handle of screwdriver while the engine is running, sometimes you can get the spark to come and go by doing it, then it's time for a new power pack.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Johnson Power Pack

Marine peak reading meter, $62.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mari...Z230353556405QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools

 

[willno]

Re: Johnson Power Pack

The orange and orange/black wires are for the power coil. The power coil runs the SLOW and Quickstart functions of the powerpack, really should not cause the problem you are having. Without a peak reading voltmeter, you can't assess the voltage coming from the sensor coils. At this point you have to assume that they are ok. Disconnet the black/yellow wire from the power pack, if you now have spark the problem is in the key switch or the deadman lanyard switch in the control box. If you still have intermittent spark it is likely the power pack. Try tapping on the powerpack with the handle of screwdriver while the engine is running, sometimes you can get the spark to come and go by doing it, then it's time for a new power pack.

I checked the sensor coils with a DVM and they ohmed out within specs but when I checked the voltages it only showed .1 volts. My manual calls for .5 volts. Do you think this is the problem or should I not trust the DVM in this case?
Thanks,

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: Johnson Power Pack

Dont trust the DVM. You want a peak reading meter, or adapter for your DVM.

 

[TLL]

Re: Johnson Power Pack

As said above, the only way to really measure sensor voltage is with a peak reading voltmeter, you can't trust your results. Since your ohm readings look ok, I would suspect the power pack. Sensors don't often fail, and they don't often fail in an intermittent way.

 

[willno]

Re: Johnson Power Pack

Thanks a buch guys. I'm going to order a new powerpack and I'll let you know what happens.

 

[willno]

Re: Johnson Power Pack

Thanks again guys. Your advice proved to be correct. The problem was the power pack. The motor is running great now.
Willno