'74 Ski Nautique Electrical Issues
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Engine Repair
Forum Discription: Engine problems and solutions
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=26760
Printed Date: November-21-2024 at 3:53pm
Topic: '74 Ski Nautique Electrical Issues
Posted By: bobcycleb
Subject: '74 Ski Nautique Electrical Issues
Date Posted: July-01-2012 at 7:10pm
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Hi gang-- hope all are having a GREAT day! Been playing with my boat for about two weeks--thought it might be fuel line, carb, etc. By process of testing, replacing parts,etc. have determined it's something electrical. Ford 351. When we start up and idle--after a few minutes or if we run the RPM's up past 2500 we start to and lose spark--at first feels like missing a bit, then dies all the way--won't spark on retry (turns over fine). After cooling down will start again. Went to new coil (yes--12 Volt and must be used with outside resistor). Went to store bought ballast resistor. Same results (put original ballast resistor back on--looks beefier). If we run a wire from positive side solenoid to positive side coil it will start and keep running. When using a volt gauge (friend helping) we got 12 volts off one side of the resistor and only 6 on the other side (side that goes to solenoid). Battery putting out 12 volts. Had the distributor rebuilt for second time in 8 weeks (just to make sure). Ideas?? We know points are good--condenser (also ran distributor on test machine and checked out fine)? Ballast resistor? Bad wire somewhere between coil and resistor? Where would we generally lose that voltage? ------------- Bobcycleb |
Replies:
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: July-01-2012 at 9:45pm
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A long shot - the dash breaker or key switch is failing after a period of time. You might want to use a voltmeter to see if voltage is dropping off, then trace it back to the problem. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: bobcycleb
Date Posted: July-02-2012 at 12:05am
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Where's the dash breaker? I already replaced the ignition switch! ------------- Bobcycleb |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: July-02-2012 at 12:13am
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I could be wrong due to your year. Mine has circuit breakers on right side of dash. You still could trace the voltage drop back to battery. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: bobcycleb
Date Posted: July-02-2012 at 12:37am
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I've got fuses in various places on the dash--above various accessories options--like blower, bilge, misc., etc. I have one fuse with wire and slide on connector that's not being used--I believe that has always been there--it happens to be right above the ignition switch. Just crawled up under with flashlight to double check and couldn't find anything it would connect to--once again these are fuses. Not sure if I have circuit breakers anywhere unless located somewhere else off the engine. All accessories/gauges are working properly (doesn't feel like any blown fuses). Next idea? ------------- Bobcycleb |
Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: July-02-2012 at 1:31am
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Any chance you replaced on oil filled coil laying on it's side, with a new oil filled coil laying on its side? If so, check out an epoxy filled one at one of the sites Chris mentions above. I also have the pushbutton dash breakers, its like a switch and a breaker in one. Might be just a late 80s early 90s thing? Also, check out this wiring schematic, to make sure you everything hooked up right: 
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Posted By: bobcycleb
Date Posted: July-04-2012 at 3:25am
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OK gang-- here's the real story. Upon further testing and review--I had the distributor rebuilt about 4 weeks ago--where the wire comes through the distributor from the points on the way to the coil--the tech used a rubber bushing instead of the recommended bushings. Long story short spark was going from the wire to the distributor casing and we were therefore losing spark. Went insulated wire direct from points through distributor and to coil. YAY-- back on the water. We'll run it for a few days and if all is well I'm going to convert to electronic (Pertronix kit). Thanks for the suggestion--back on skis in the morning! HAPPY 4TH ------------- Bobcycleb |
Posted By: 79ntique
Date Posted: July-10-2012 at 1:24am
I have a '79 nautique that has been having a very similar problem. Runs good, heat up after pulling a skier, completely stalls, cools and then will run fine for a while after it cools. Unfortunatley I've tried about everything-- upgraded to electronic ignition, removed the resistor, several new coils, new starter solenoid, several boat mechanics and still am having the same problems after a few years. It's almost like there is a dead short, that completely shut down the entire ignition. Yesterday I was running at 5000 rpm and it completely shut-down, cooled and restarted.  This is probably not helping, but your symtoms sound familiar-- let me know if you come across anything to solve the problem. thanks
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Posted By: DrStevens
Date Posted: July-10-2012 at 9:18am
| 79, where in Indiana have you had your boat serviced? |
Posted By: 79ntique
Date Posted: July-10-2012 at 9:44am
| Can you send me info. on the special coil that you mentioned in this post. (I don't see it in any ofthe above messages) I have been using oil filled, on it's side and I have converted to elec. ignition. thanks |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: July-10-2012 at 9:50am
Who's EI did you use? There are some out there that are known bad. Also there are many who do not consider it an "upgrade". ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
79ntique wrote:Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: July-10-2012 at 12:35pm
You most likely want the coil at the very top or the very bottom of this page: http://www.skidim.com/products.asp?dept=1137&val=0&pagenumber=1" rel="nofollow - http://www.skidim.com/products.asp?dept=1137&val=0&pagenumber=1 I think it depends on whether or not you are using an external ballast resister. Oil filled coils on their side tend to overheat. Common topic on hear. |
Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: July-10-2012 at 12:35pm
You most likely want the coil at the very top or the very bottom of this page: http://www.skidim.com/products.asp?dept=1137&val=0&pagenumber=1" rel="nofollow - http://www.skidim.com/products.asp?dept=1137&val=0&pagenumber=1 I think it depends on whether or not you are using an external ballast resister. Oil filled coils on their side tend to overheat. Common topic on here. |
Posted By: bobcycleb
Date Posted: July-10-2012 at 9:57pm
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Newbie-- another thing you might look at -- I've been told that an older tachometer can go bad and start pulling the current instead of the current staying in the wiring from coil to distributor. Easy enough to check--disconnect your tach wire on the - side of the coil (mine was a gray wire--only other one I had on that side was the distributor wire)and see how it runs. After that I'm out of ideas! Good Luck! ------------- Bobcycleb |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: July-10-2012 at 10:36pm
Bob, Fill me in on this theory. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: 79ntique
Date Posted: July-11-2012 at 1:11am
| At first, when the issue first started in Indianapolis, Ski Nautique dealership $600, but the problem was not fixed. Since then I had it at a local auto electrical shop and on-the-water boat mechanic. -- problem has gone on for > 5 yrs.... |
Posted By: 79ntique
Date Posted: July-11-2012 at 1:17am
| I purchased it from a local Nautique dealer 10 years ago, wish I knew the manufactuer. My problems did seem to begin when I made the conversion from points, but I'm not sure converting back to a points system is wise -- thoughts ? I didn't save the old dist. plate, ballast, etc from the points system; thinking the EI ignition would be maint. free. |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: July-11-2012 at 1:20am
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Anybody else do a double take at 79ntiques screen name? ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: July-11-2012 at 1:33am
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Same as you I guess Dave. Made me think, I wonder how he's doing. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: bobcycleb
Date Posted: July-11-2012 at 1:47am
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I'm by far not the expert on this one--in my case that's not what the problem was. I was told that an older tach can start to draw the power or "ground out" therefore interfering with the current that should be going coil-to-distributor. The test is to simply disconnect the tach wire at the coil and see if you get a different performance. In my case it didn't make any difference because the real problem was the loss of power through a incorrectly installed rubber bushing (should have been a non-conductive nylon type)at the distributor wall. Let me know if that works (the test). ------------- Bobcycleb |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: July-11-2012 at 2:40am
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You could go http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MSD-8222/" rel="nofollow - this route,less money and possibly a better one too. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: 79ntique
Date Posted: July-11-2012 at 11:31pm
| can anyone recommend a reliable electronic ignition system ? When pulling under load, I lose all ignition and I suspect that it could be the ignition module breaking down. When an ignition module fails, is it typically as it heats up and then loses all ignition ? thanks |
Posted By: 74Wind
Date Posted: July-12-2012 at 1:04am
Although many on the site debunk electronic ignitions, I've had a pertronix in my Century for 3 or 4 years and have had no trouble at all. ------------- 1974 Southwind 18 1975 Century Mark II |