choke wiring

Thanks ya'll. It was totally unrelated. There was a wire on the RPM gauge that was rubbing on a ground. I checked everything on the motor first. I'm just glad I found it. CorrectCraftFan.com is the best resource available. Many thanks!

A typical distributor will have 2 or 3 wires, unless you have a fancy one wire DUI.

If it's a 3 wire, it's getting full, key switched battery voltage, as well as ground and the voltage connection going to the negative terminal of the coil.

I'd say either the 3rd wire, or the wire going to the coil negative terminal is grounding out somehow. Here's a dizzy wiring diagram for a 3 wire setup, what are you working with?

have you checked all connections on the engine and under the dash to make sure something didn't break loose? I'm not familiar with the inline fuse on an 83 (what rating fuse is it?). I'm assuming since you said "on" position it comes off the red side (not purple). First thought, if it has electric choke, could the positive side have come loose and is touching the engine block? only thinking there as it is in the vicinity of the distributor. Not sure the exact wiring for the dist. itself, i thought the wire coming out was a ground.

The boat is a 1983 2001. I just rebuild the engine and only have 2.5 hours on it. Took it out last week and it ran okay. But while changing the thermostat I bumped the distributor and it moved so I reset the timing and it happened within seconds and does it every time. It is blowing the inline fuse net to the ignition.

what model and year of boat? which is blowing, the 50 amp or the breaker switch? Does it happen every time you try and start it, or has it not been able to start since it "just stopped"?

Randy,
Are you having a choke problem? I'd like to add one thing about the "coil spring" Alan described. It's a bimetalic spring. As it heats or cools, it winds or unwinds.

1987 ski nautique 454
Sorry if this is a stupid post but need to understand. The carb has 2 wires a black and a purple wire and then a tan wire going to the temp sensor. How does this sytem work to tell the carb that it needs to choke and not to choke and when to turn off the choke from the engine?