PCM 351W hot start issue...

Hello,

Please dont scold me to bad as I am a fan of all boats including CCs. I own an 83 Mastercraft Stars and Stripes that I recently restored. I also posted this in the engine forum but was looking for the most exposure so I tried here as well.

My PCM 351 has the dreaded hot start issue that I think is mainly the starters fault to blame. The boat has 2748 hrs on the original longblock (minus timing set) and runs really really strong. Carb is not leaking fuel into cylinders when shut off, never bogs, idles at 600rpm like butter and runs like a raped ape at WOT. Carb is newer within 3-4 years, ignition is electronic with newer cap, rotor, wires and autolite 24s gapped to .035. The batter cables from battery to block and relay to starter are all new. Grounds have been cleaned and checked to be tight. I am replacing the starter with an Arco permanent magnet the weekend of 4th of July, also tossing in a nice fresh Interstate 24 MHD and crossing my fingers that this helps my problem.

The boat will fire up with 3 pumps in the morning like a champ, idle at 1200 or so til I blip the throttle then she is ready to go. Run it for any time after 10-15 mins under load and the boat when shut off will not start. Plugs will not foul out, I have checked them every single time, fuel is not the issue. I suspect the following but wanted your guys opinion to what you thought...

-carb plate for choke may be not opening all the way upon restart (easy fix wire it open)

-coil is getting hot and not supplying enough voltage to fire the boat. It is an oil filled internally resisted coil, I bypassed the stock external resister.

-the gap on inside the ignitor inside the distributor is moving away when it heats up causing no spark energy.

I want to see what coil you guys have been running if the coil is the issue which I suspect it is. Can you run a newer style e coil on these boats with success? Is there an epoxy filled coil that is the old canister style?

Thank you for any help! Here is a pic of the boat....



JTR

I'm not familiar with those starters,just make sure it'a a marine one. My Dads PCM boat was recalled due to the fact that the starter manufacture used a roll pin instead of a solid one. Sure looks like new in your pic's,nice work.

As Brian mentioned, oil filled coils don’t like to lay on their side. Mr gasket sells one through summit or other places for around six dollars.   I put one of those chrome plated mr gasket ones on this spring.

Yes, there are several epoxy filled canister coils. Just don't run an Accel brand. Those are junk and notoriously known to failmore often than pretty much every other name brand.

This issue seems to come up a lot.