Help! Runs like crap when warm!

There seems to be a string of coil problems lately. Search the site and you'll see a few threads.

Yours sounds like a classic case. What happens is the coil overheats and starts performing badly. Most typically say an oil filled coil laying on it's side will cause you problems.

I'd get an epoxy filled one. See if Zach at N3 Boatworks (Banner above) can get one for you. If not Skidim etc. will have it.

I think Snobsessed recommends the Blaster 2 Epoxy filled coil as a good reliable one.

Chris has the luxury of parking a boat and getting in another if need be ;)

Going to try replacing the coil (can't hurt, the one in there is old).

I have a breakerless setup, and it looks like the resistor is still there.

Could this be part of the issue? Or would the resistor be a non factor?

Opinion on the MSD 8222? (epoxy filled)

Conversion was done before I owned it and the resistor is wired in.

Boat has run strong up until this point.

Have a meter. Before googling, what reading am I looking for on either side?

UPDATE: Replaced the coil with an MSD 8222. Had to wait for the matching resistor. Ran it with just the new coil, same thing.

Added the MSD 8124 resistor...ran better, but same thing.

I then realized that the ignition wire was running right to the + on the coil. Moved that down to the resistor and had a great afternoon on the water today. Also some of the rng terminals were looking like they had seen better days, so I replaced those as well.

I think I have this figured out!

Hmmm, if you mentioned the name of the ignition conversion, I missed it.

With the Mallory "Magnetic Breakerless Ignition Module", the answer is no. That red wire should not be fed through the resistor. Here's the figure from the Mallory installation instructions. They show it going to the ignition side of the resistor, but the point is, it needs a 12V ignition feed.

I think it still needs 12V. See "Ignitor 12 V negative ground" on the Pertronix Installation Manuals page.

As far as I am aware every electronic ignition conversion needs a full 12v feed to the distributor hot wire to operate properly.

Paul, The old ones ran the purple as a resisted feed? Now that you mention it that 82 we just tuned did have a purple wire coming from the distributor.

Above he was talking about how he installed the resistor that MSD provided?? Then also ran the regular resister too? Sounds funny.

Only one resistor (the MSD one). Used it to replace the old one.

Right now I have ignition, alt and choke to the hot side of the resistor. From that, one wire to the positive side of the coil. From the dizzy, red wire to the positive on teh coil, black to the negative.

Don't overlook the fuel filter. Replacing the fuel filter resolved identical issues for my 79 SN.

This is from the Mallory website, instructions for Unilite electronic dizzy:

IMPORTANT
Before installing the UNILITE® Distributor, make sure that your vehicle is equipped with an ignition ballast resistor (or loom
resistance wire) in the wire between the ignition switch and the coil (+) terminal. Check a service manual for your vehicle to
locate the ignition ballast resistor (or loom resistance wire). If your vehicle is not equipped with an ignition ballast resistor,
install a Mallory Ignition Ballast Resistor Part No. 700 in the wire between the ignition switch and the coil (+) terminal. Failure
to use an ignition ballast resistor will eventually destroy the UNILITE ® Ignition Module.

I like Points . But really I was always under the impression the red wire on a Mallory was 12v (it being red). Apparently not. Makes more sense for an easy hookup on a points conversion not having to change anything about the setup. I should make PCM supply instructions with the new distributors.

Now that I sit here and think about it all of the conversion kits for the protec boats I believe come with a ballast resistor. I will have to check and confirm that.

I have to jump in on this topic because I have the same coil overheating problem with my 1982 SN 2001. I have been reading a lot of posts about different issues that have helped me a lot.
I have resolved several ignition issues and finally decided to install a Mallory Unilite I got from Summit racing. I also bought a coil they suggested. The coil was #29217, oil filled with 1.4 ohm resistance, and it said NOT to use a ballast resister. The dizzy instructions plainly said to use a ballast resistor, so I called their tech support and they told me that a coil with 1.4 ohms or more of resistance does not need an external resistor. They told me to take it out of the system. So here I am, first trip to the lake, boat runs great, no hard starting issues, no idle issues, everything is good for about 35 min. when it starts missing and dies, wont start, paddle to dock (again). Take boat home, still wont start, put in spare coil I had at home and boom, starts right up.

So I guess my question is what coil to use. I could not find a blaster 2 epoxy filled coil on the MSD web site. I found a epoxy filled blaster with .07 ohms resistance, which I believe would require an external resistor.
Is this the one that SNobsessed is talking about?

Before I got the Mallory Unilite I had a Pertonix igniter II with a flame thrower II coil and that coil cracked at the tower and left me paddeling after about 45 min of running.

Thanks for the help