Skipping yesterday

[glennj3]

Last time I ran the boat 4 weeks ago, it hesitated to take the throttle. Before going out yesterday, it would not run in the yard, checked the points, they did not open enough if at all. Cleaned the cap and connections gapped them and she fired right up and ran fine.

Got to the lake and started off fine, after 10 minutes or less she would start to skip a little. The more she ran the more is slowed down skipping. If I used the electric trim it would really skip bad while holding the trim button.

At idle she ran great, only would not run fast.

Bought a spark plug wire tester today, will check the wires tomorrow. If they are all good, I assume the wires on back to the points are good?

I checked the batteries and all the connections down there, all looked normal. Oil pressure, temperature, volts charging all looked normal.

What should I do next?

Thanks,

Glenn

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Skipping yesterday

Recheck your point gap, if it's closed down take them off and make sure there's no oily stuff in there. Reinstall. If the attachment parts look torn up as if they will slip again, you should get new points and a good hold down screw, they are pretty cheap.
When you operate the trim it puts a very large load on the battery and electrical system. If the ignition isn't correct that could be part of your problem, but it could also be low voltage. That can be from lack of use or a charge issue.
Try operating the trim when the rpms are up enough to bring the voltmeter up. Typically that's above 1100 rpm. The volts will go up from 12 at idle to a little over 14 when the alternator turns faster. If THAT still loads down the electrical system you need to check your alternator and your battery. You can bring the battery almost anywhere to get it checked. Auto parts stores and auto shops are good places to go, I'm not so confident in big retailers that sell batteries, although their prices are low.
If the battery is good AND it's charging, disconnect the battery and start cleaning contacts. You'll want some of those little wire brushes that are a little bigger than a toothbrush, do all the trim contacts, the battery ends and the engine/starter ends from the battery cables. It wouldn't surprise me to have you find some green or white corrosion on some of those terminals. Just take off 1 contact at a time, that way you can't mix them up. Brush them up a bit and put em back together. Don't brush them too much, there is a beneficial coating on the ends that you try not to remove. You are just trying to get off the corrosion, a slight shine on the metal contact parts is fine.

 

[glennj3]

Re: Skipping yesterday

So frustrating to spend that much time out there with sweat pouring all over everything! I did not attempt to crank her, just removed all the connections from both batteries (it has a switch to go 1 or 2 both or off) cleaned them and replaced them. The batteries are new and I have an alternator I added on, the charger meter on the dash says she is charging well.
With the distributor cap off, turn the engine over I see the points sparking a lot.
They looked OK but they did not come together evenly, off set some.
I replaced them and the condenser. Set the points to .021 as the engine calls for. I removed the plugs laid them on the engine while connected to the plug wires (should be grounded but I was not holding them). Turned the engine over, no fire at the plugs.
If the points are open and I stick a spark plug to connect them, key on I see a spark there.
I changed out the coil with an old one I had around. No change.
I did not check the coil with a light or anything but it does have coil continuity.

 

[glennj3]

Re: Skipping yesterday

All that work, the plugs were not grounded well on the engine. Thy all sparked.
I replaced them this morning, the engine was skipping badly. Seems the pack two plugs were not hitting. I fiddled around with them and got another one firing often but the back one never fired. Must be the wire.
Trying to find a new cap, rotor and wires. If that does not do it I will get a new coil.

Glenn