Need Help With No Spark Issue

JackBShelby wrote: 1979 Correct Craft Mustang. No power going to the coil. Power is at the ignition switch but nothing at the coil when you switch on the ignition switch. Coil must get power from somewhere else because of no direct wire from key switch to the coil. Was ok when winterized but will not start now. Cranks over fine but no spark. Thanks for your help.

Jack you need one of these diagrams to find your problem on a 1979 engine assuming it's a 302 Pleasurecraft with points or maybe an electronic conversion that still keeps the ballast resistor in the circuit.



You do have a direct wire to the coil from the key and it passes through the ballast resistor.On the diagram follow the purple wire from the ignition switch to the coil and you'll see the resistor

If the resistor is dead (open circuit) you won't have any coil power like Spiralhelix mentioned earlier. You can check voltage into the resistor and voltage out of the resistor. .

The resistor is on the back of the engine

Or you can check it's resistance, if it's infinite the resistor is broken If it's about 1.2 or so ohms it's good and not your problem

A good replacement part number would be Echlin ICR23 at a NAPA store or it will cross reference to a variety of other brand resistors.

It should look pretty much like this and be around 5 dollars maybe a little more



You could also temporarily put in a jumper from one terminal to the other and see if you have spark, but if you run it that way it'll eat up your points fairly quickly.

If the resistor is good, it could also be that your ignition switch itself is bad or you have a broken or heavily corroded wire between the key and the resistor.but I'd try the resistor check first.

KENO wrote: Just like a set of points, if you have the key on and the points are closed, you'll burn up a set of points and/or ignition coil in a short time.. The same thing happens with the "electronic switch" in the Ignitor It wasn't necessarily fixed, you can still buy the Ignitor or you can pay more for the Ignitor 2

Dang I was gonna write that and ya beat me to it. My tree trimmer fried his points by leaving the switch on to his chipper. I ran out and got a set and replaced them. Two years later he still on that quick fix.

Good to know that was fixed! What a glaring omission that was!

For those of you with Pertronix, be sure not to leave your ignition switch on as it will fry the module. SkiDim and I found this out along the way with my Supra a few years back.

Welcome Jack. It would be best to start your own thread stating what boat you have and year,what engine etc so we can help

Hello all,

PLEASE HELP! I am having a similar issue however, I am not getting any power to the coil at all. I tried replacing the coil, but still no luck. Any suggestions on how to get power or what to do next?

Thanks,
Jack

Joe,

Very good, I too will try rotating the distributor Sunday, I was on a Offshore Poker Run today to Toronto, and couldn't work on the 78SN. I have spark at the coil, and will check for spark at the plugs tomorrow. I have a friend bringing over a timing light too. I will post how it go's,

I replaced the control module and now it will not start at all, I have spark (new coil too) I have gas, (even starting fluid) cap and rotor are new too, but not even a sputter. So why did she stop firing up? first not when its hot, now not at all. Could it be I need a new distributer, it looks orig. What should I do ?????

yes you are right on all that you said

I just took off the stock coil and put on a blaster coil. I am using the ballast resistor, Not sure what the resistance of my coil is. I will check the timing, and set it at 8 btdc. I should change out the control module?

your timing is advanced to much most likely and when it's hot it won't crank because of it. So set the timing at 8 btdc and gofrom there.

abolton wrote: 78 SN 351 Ford w/ Elect. conversion won't start hot, changed out the coil and it started for a few days, but now its back. Gets gas, but when its hot won't start, any ideas?

your timing isn't set correctly

logicsound wrote: and to add to my problems I turned the key off and they boat kept cranking??? had to pull coil wire. any ideas ? by the way I installed new starter and relay Thanks

Trever, This is from my other post to you in "engine repair". Did you see it and did you check the voltage?

Quote: When the new starter stayed engaged, you may have another problem other than a bad starter relay. You will need a volt meter or a test light. Check that the 12 volts coming from the ignition switch to the starter relay coil is actually turning off. It is the small wire on the relay.

yes the rotor turns, tried new cap and rotor, and yes the spark looks good from the coil, but I could not hear it, then I disconnected they grey tach wire and it sounded alot stronger, and I am getting spark at the plugs, but still no start and to add to my problems I turned the key off and they boat kept cranking??? had to pull coil wire. any ideas ? by the way I installed new starter and relay

Thanks

i have a similiar issue, but i have the electronic conversion kit, (351windsor) I get spark out of the coil but no spark to the plugs..boat was running fine, What are my steps to troubleshoot this?

Thanks