No spark possibly coil?

[bman1bpm]

I replaced my plugs/wires/cap/rotor.
The boat was running fantastic. Started better than ever. Then after 30 minutes on the water it sputtered and died. Now it won't start. It is a 2001 5.0 alpha 1 thunderbolt v ignition carbureted motor.

It won't start on starting fluid either. I got my spark tester out. I have a weak spark on the coil wire, none on the plug wires. When I pulled out the old wire from the coil it was very difficult to remove. It looks like a rubber piece pulled out in the wire connector. It doesn't feel like the wire is really getting a good connection. I posted a picture of the port on the coil. Does it seem damaged?

 

[nola mike]

I replaced my plugs/wires/cap/rotor.
The boat was running fantastic. Started better than ever. Then after 30 minutes on the water it sputtered and died. Now it won't start. It is a 2001 5.0 alpha 1 thunderbolt v ignition carbureted motor.

It won't start on starting fluid either. I got my spark tester out. I have a weak spark on the coil wire, none on the plug wires. When I pulled out the old wire from the coil it was very difficult to remove. It looks like a rubber piece pulled out in the wire connector. It doesn't feel like the wire is really getting a good connection. I posted a picture of the port on the coil. Does it seem damaged?

That whole mess looks pretty corroded. I'd start by cleaning all your connections. Guessing a lot of other connections look like that as well.

 

[bman1bpm]

That whole mess looks pretty corroded. I'd start by cleaning all your connections. Guessing a lot of other connections look like that as well.

One saw it in a picture it does look pretty crusty. Can't tell when it's way in the back of the motor in the bilge. I'll just order a new one and clean my connections. Will update

 

[Scott Danforth]

doubt its the coil. usually never is the coil being a 2001 most likely it is the trigger assembly in the distributor (common issue). do you have the old 2-wire trigger assembly (failure prone) or the newer 3-wire. the old two wire ones were also not conformal coated.

if you have the 2-wire, it most likely failed.

 

[achris]

Jump onto my Thunderbolt ignition, how it works, posts. All is explained in that, and includes a troubleshooting flowchart so you don't have to spend money 'shotgunning' the parts.

How Mercruiser Thunderbolt ignition systems work.

Mercruiser Thunderbolt ignition systems. Mercruiser introduced the Thunderbolt IV onto their engines in 1982, alongside the introduction of the 1-R drives. The TB-IV system was used until the introduction of TB-V mid-way through 1996. Thunderbolt V was an improvement on an already exceptionally...

forums.iboats.com

 

[bman1bpm]

Jump onto my Thunderbolt ignition, how it works, posts. All is explained in that, and includes a troubleshooting flowchart so you don't have to spend money 'shotgunning' the parts.

How Mercruiser Thunderbolt ignition systems work.

Mercruiser Thunderbolt ignition systems. Mercruiser introduced the Thunderbolt IV onto their engines in 1982, alongside the introduction of the 1-R drives. The TB-IV system was used until the introduction of TB-V mid-way through 1996. Thunderbolt V was an improvement on an already exceptionally...

forums.iboats.com

Thanks! I read it the other day but the images weren't showing up. Now I can see them.

 

[bman1bpm]

doubt its the coil. usually never is the coil being a 2001 most likely it is the trigger assembly in the distributor (common issue). do you have the old 2-wire trigger assembly (failure prone) or the newer 3-wire. the old two wire ones were also not conformal coated.

if you have the 2-wire, it most likely failed.

I had the old 2 wire. Went ahead and replaced it with the new 3 wire. Still didn't work. Popped in a new coil and it fired up. Sounds like the sensor was a ticking time bomb anyway though.