1969 Evinrude 55HP info (experiment)...CD to Auto Ign.

mfarish

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Finally got me a OMC manual for this motor and my schematic I posted earlier stands good by the book. Anyway, I won a NOS OMC module for this engine on EBay and could not wait to get it, but when I did I bench tested it first and it FAILED, then I installed it on my motor and it failed the light bulb test and the old "hold the wire and crank test" as well. Well, I was a bit ticked but they let me send it back but I still had the same problem at hand, NO High Voltage!...so I decided to try experimenting with some SCR modules.(Not CD). The one I tried was from a dodge van year, 1974. This model used a pickup coil to fire the module but I had the wiring diagram for it and tried triggering it by hooking a 700 ohm resistor across the (+) side of the trigger and ground, then I could take a small screwdriver and touch the (+) side to ground (-) and it fired! hooked it up to a coil and HV! I however did not pay attention WHEN IT FIRED though. I hooked it up to the outboard and connected the coil, coil resistor, SCR module, points wire and went to start it........well, it fired all right...TOO LATE! It would backfire like a shotgun! I then took it off and checked it again on the bench an it fired when it made....the direct opposite of the original so I made up my mind I was then going to try the standard "coil, points, condenser setup as an auto engine. After reading many documents I found that a 0.2uf capacitor was about the right capacitance so I installed this across the negative (-) coil terminal to ground. The coil I used is a standard 12V chrysler coil (not a WILD coil) and with a standard 0.5 ohm coil resistor in series with the coil. I left the points set at the factory 0.010" same as the setting for the original CD. Also after reading in my old MERCURY book, I found that on the old coil type ignitions that mercury used, they used a pretty hot plug, so I changed the plugs to J8J champion.....bottom line is, it now runs GREAT!!!<br />Ignition system current draw is only about 3 amps! That leaves PLENTY of reserve for charging etc. from the 9 amp altenator. This motor will now crank in approx 2 seconds from dead cold! Just choke and turn and it's gone man!<br />I might (just to check the results) change the points to 0.020" for a test to see what happens. Oh by the way, I checked the dwell with the points set at the original 0.010" and dwell was approx 50 degrees can anyone tell me what dwell I should aim for?? I plan on making a drawing of this for whoever would like to see it along with the part numbers which came from Advance Auto (except capacitor is a mallory).........
 

rolmops

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Re: 1969 Evinrude 55HP info (experiment)...CD to Auto Ign.

All of this sounds great.I just do not think that automotive parts give you the same protection against fire that marine parts do.There are too many mishaps that back up my opinion.
 

mfarish

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Re: 1969 Evinrude 55HP info (experiment)...CD to Auto Ign.

rolmops, please explain further, your "fire" statement. I don't quite get where you are coming from. I cannot find anything I have modified that<br />will risk a fire any more than the stock system. Mercury for instance used this type of ignition through the sixty's on many engines including my old 110HP and it worked fine the whole time I owned it without any "mishaps" ever. I put MANY hours of operation on this motor as well. They used the same type "auto" ignition coil and a coil resistor too just like I am doing on this one.
 

mfarish

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Re: 1969 Evinrude 55HP info (experiment)...CD to Auto Ign.

PS....about the worst fire hazard I see on these 55HP triumph and similar Johnson motors is the FACTORY design of running the HOT (12V+)starter cable from the solenoid through the intake casting, then to the starter motor. If the insulation ever gets frayed or cut, and shorts to ground you will have some BIG fireworks here! Possibly an explosion since the fumes from gasoline "fall down" from the carburetors.
 

WillyBWright

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Re: 1969 Evinrude 55HP info (experiment)...CD to Auto Ign.

I don't have a chart at hand, but I think those used an L series Champion plug which a slightly longer thread reach than the J series. You might want to check that out. Put a timing light and verify wide open throttle timing. If it's too far advanced, you'll detonate a piston. I like the .020". Closer than that and they'll burn up pretty quick. But then the cam is designed for .010" which may really throw your timing off if you double it.
 

ledgefinder

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May 2, 2002
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Re: 1969 Evinrude 55HP info (experiment)...CD to Auto Ign.

OMC used battery-fired points/coil systems some V4s in the 1960s, right up until they replaced them with the battery/CD ones in, I think, 1968.<br /><br />Great to hear this works - we've had lots of questions about it.
 

rolmops

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Re: 1969 Evinrude 55HP info (experiment)...CD to Auto Ign.

The automotive and marine systems differ in the way they are insulated.Mostly because quite often fuel fumes gather in the back of a boat and under the cowling.The main reason why the marine system is often double the price of an automotive system is the virtual impossibility of a stray spark anywhere in the system.
 

mfarish

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Re: 1969 Evinrude 55HP info (experiment)...CD to Auto Ign.

WillyBWright and ledgefinder, thanks for the replies!<br />Willy, you are right about the reach difference in the "L" and the "J" series, but "J" is all I could find at Wally-World. The difference is in the thread length. the "J" series is about 1/8" shorter, but hey, they fire good. I'll have to see if I can cross over an "L" series number in autolite or some other mfg..<br />About the point setting, I'm with you ledgefinder, that is, most all of the other "old" motors called out 0.020" setting for the points, but the cam profile was designed to throw a 0.010" movement......oh well maybe I could try 0.015" and get away with it.....experimentation will tell.....please let me know of any other things here I have forgotten..........<br />By the way.....does anyone know of an ignition module (auto, or marine) that could be fired with a switch (points), that fires when the switch OPENS!??.........thanks again guys!
 

what66

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Mar 29, 2004
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Re: 1969 Evinrude 55HP info (experiment)...CD to Auto Ign.

Thank you for your post I had the same problem with my 1969 55hp johnson and I did the same thing you did It works I have spark on all 3 plugs.<br />But I need to repair the head before I can see if it will run.<br />Thank you your post helped me alot.
 
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