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Random Quote: Manatee..... Its what for dinner!!!!
Hello everyone. I bought a 1989 well craft 180 from my brother last week and am getting her ready to for this weekend. I tried to start the motor but no joy. It has a 3.0 ltr mercruiser. Point/condenser system. I checked voltage at 12.8 volts out top of ignition coil but got no spark when trying to ground it to block. I pulled spark plug and tried grounding it also but no joy. Took cap of and sanded points and distributor pickups. No joy. Watched the distributor rotate and the point opens as the shaft turns. I dont know what the gap is so I cant check it. I have the manual but it doesnt say. I am not sure what kind of ignition system is in it. I am not sure if its thunderbolt or another. Any help would be appreciated. My bro in law has a slip at a marina nearby and I want to motor there and watch the preakness next week on outside big screen! Just cant seem to get started!!
I don't know much...but, have seen defective points that looked good not be. Also...I have had faulty condensors cause the same problem...
Cheap to buy, good idea to replace anyway....Good Luck.
The kill switch, AKA the lanyard is it clipped on , on the dash by the key ?
__________________ F350 4x4/ Dodge 2500HD 5.9L Cummins
Leaving the Picture of the Ford cuz I miss it
Pacific 2325 cc
Honda bf225
aluminumalloyboats.com
I will replace the condenser. Do these come as a set?? points and condenser??
Usually they do, but can be purchased seperate...but, I'd go with the set, and, even if that isin't the problem, it's good to start with a fresh set of points & condesers. Also, what Welder said...make sure of that...I've been guilty of that one once...loooong time ago
How well was the engine running last time it was used? If it was okay I would leave the points and distributor alone
with the possible exception of the condenser. When you checked the voltage to the coil did you read the voltage
directly across both terminals + and - or did you clip to the block for the negative reference?
What else have you looked at? You didn't say anything about the carbs and fuel system, how long has this been
sitting up? Have you tried adding a little fresh gas to the carbs?
Justintime's : "u want to sey dwell, points is just to start with " = (with his teeth back in?-j/k :-D) : " You want to set the dwell to spec, points gap is just to start with." Then of course anytime you mess with the points, make sure you reset the timing to spec at the given RPM ( if timing is settable) and recheck both dwell & timing after you tighten the points base or dist. base because both usually change at least a scosh during tightening.
just coil tip off distributer to ground. I have the manual so I am going to do some more testing. Boat ran a few weeks ago. Ran fine, started right up. I poured fresh fuel into the carb. He told me this boat didnt start last year and all they did was sand the points. Started right up. Did the same today. Nothing. I still dont know about a kill switch. looked by the ignition and dont see nothing and looked in boat manual didnt read anything. All I know about is the swicth that allows boat to be started in nuetral only. This is on top of engine. Like I said, I will do some more testing on coil and such and let you know what I found. Thanks. 10.5 days till the PREAKNESS!
you said that you got 12.8 volts out of top of coil meaning the center where the coil wire to the center of the dist. goes. if so there should be no voltage there other than high voltage to jump a spark to ground around 45-50K volts when cranking and running. Check voltage on coil where wires connect to either side first to pos. + to engine ground then from neg. - side to engine groung. with key in run position. voltage should be in the 9.5 - 10.5 volts or use a test lite ground test lead to engine for ground and touch probe again to + of coil then to - side of coil test lite should lite. If no lite or voltage check kill switch if one is installed . If test lite lights voltage is present at coil. remove dist cap and bump over engine until points are open again take test lite ground to engine block and touch probe to the end of the points that moves there should be voltage there. You said that you also sanded the points make sure there is no sanding grit stuck to the points that not allowing contact to stationary side of points. with points in the open position and voltage is present on the side that moves, intermitly jump it to ground (engine block)with a test clip while holding the high tension wire from the coil a 1/2 " from block it should throw a spark every time you make and break the connection of the point. If it sparks only once its and indication that the cond. is bad change it along with the points, if it sparks every time you make and break the connection. there is dirt between the points contacts. if no spark at all sounds like a bad coil. also when cranking the engine do you have a spark when holding the high tension wire from the coil to engine block if so, is there also a spark to engine ground when holding a plug wire to ground if none you may have a bad rotor.
I had an OMC 3.0 same thing every year. The condenser dies every winter. Replace it and you will be good to go. Swap out the points but make sure you set the dwell exactly right or bad things can happen. It drove me crazy the first time it happened to me. I had an OMC mechanic tell me to swap the condenser and it fixed it. Good luck.
Well ladies and gentleman, My 16 yr old step son (who is a master mechanic on four wheelers) jumped in the boat today with the manual and my digimeter and within one hour had it started and it sounds real good! he adjusted the points and whabamm! Good to go. By the way, he will be 17 in 2 weeks! LOL, he has never seen a point/condenser engine before. Must have a knack. Thanks for all your help. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT! We are putting this girl in the water friday. Hope everything goes well. I'm a retired navy Sonar tech and have missed the water for 10 yrs since i got out. Good to be back in it!! Cant wait to watch the horse race. Just cant figure out why they got out of whack so quick. Son says its in the fingers!! I believe him. I'll let you all know how it goes at the marina! I will be replacing the condenser and points and have a tuneup done. With gas prices as they are, I want to get every bit of this boat as efficient as possible. Thanks all again!
On a side note , My Step dad never called me Step son to anybody [ I had him from 9 to 41 years old, he died 6 years ago ] and I called him Dad because of the the way he treated me.
He told me to call him what ever I wanted to and earned the Title , Dad.
Sorry to carry on it's just you made me think of my Dad's and today I went to another furneral [ co-worker ]
I need another Pepsi.
__________________ F350 4x4/ Dodge 2500HD 5.9L Cummins
Leaving the Picture of the Ford cuz I miss it
Pacific 2325 cc
Honda bf225
aluminumalloyboats.com
Boat wont start 
