1963 Evinrude 10hp, points

[bonz_d]

Was helping a neighbor over the weekend with his engine as it was missing badly, no power and hard to start. He and another family member found it had weak intermittant spark so he ordered new points and started on it. Well of course he has never done this before and asked for help. I too haven't done this in a very long time and needed a refresher so I youtubed it and found a video I believe from another forum member on how to do it using a multimeter. Great video by the way!

We got the one side done as per this video but when we went to the other side I ran into problems as it seems that side is shorted out and always has continuity. So I went back and watched again. On the engine they were doing there were only 2 wires. The wire from the coil and the wire from the condensor. This engine has 3 wires. I am assuming this 3rd wire goes to the kill switch. Again I'm not certain of this as we ran out of time and was getting late so I couldn't really trace the wire.

Could this wire be shorting causing no spark on that cylinder? Or should I be looking at something else?

 

[F_R]

I don't know who's video you are watching, but I can tell you that if you test continuity between the points with attached wires, it will always show continuity (as a short). The "short" is back through the coil's primary winding, through the ground wire, to ground at the coil mounting screw. Actually, this reading should be a very low resistance, less than an ohm, undetectable on most multimeters. Disconnect the wires from the points if you want to check continuity of the points.

Yes, the third wires are to the kill switch. But they should not show a short unless the switch is "off"

 

[bonz_d]

Just to be clear. this is done with out any wires attached.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga1Cjymj6ms here is the video.

 

[bonz_d]

The meter I am using is a very expensive Fluke and it will pick it up.
This kill switch is a push button and I'm thinking there is a brake in the insulation on the wire somewhere as it passes thru the engine compartment to the switch.

 

[F_R]

If the kill wire is not attached to the set of points you are adjusting, it wouldn't have any effect even if it were bad. If your points that you are adjusting won't show open/closed (with the wires disconnected), the points either aren't opening & closing, or they are defective.

Now that we are here, let me insert a little plug. This video by cajuncook shows the procedure using the timing fixture (which I make). Somewhat easier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNK2TEeQQv0
http://mysite.verizon.net/respdyk0/

 

[bonz_d]

Yes sir, watched that one also. Another good video I might add. Believe me if I was going to be doing more of these small outboards with points I'd sure look into buying one of those fixtures! Along with the other one I'd seen for setting the coils.

Right now I'm getting continuity at times even with the points open and no wires attached.

 

[HighTrim]

Then the insulation on the points is defective. Rare, but have seen it happen.