1991 2.3 omc cobra starting issues

[Mike in WV]

I am having starting issues with the coil or soleniod. I have recently changed the switch and that was not it and replaced battery which was part of the problem I think. I am getting spark but weak. I connected a jumper wire to the coil from the battery. It starts easy then and runs fine tiil it gets warm. It then will not start till it cools down. I think i am overheating the coil with the jumper. It will try to run with out the jumper but will quit. It takes alot of cranking. I have also cleaned all connections from the battery to starter. It started doing this last fall before winterizing it. Could it be the points in the dist. ?

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1991 2.3 omc cobra starting issues

Could it be the points in the dist. ?

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... It's highly likely it's the points,....

Yer supposed to change 'em Annually...

 

[Mike in WV]

Re: 1991 2.3 omc cobra starting issues

I checked the points today and they seem fine. Made sure all other connections are clean as well. Hooked up a spark tester to the coil wire and got nothing. Then I thought my battery was down so i hooked up a set of jumper cables to it and checked the spark at the coil again and had some. Put the coil wire on dist. and fired right up. Shut it off and tried to start it again and would not start. Tested the voltage on coil from the + and - and got 5.25 which seems right by manual. Then i check the power from the + to the tower and got nothing. Is the coil bad or do i have other trouble ?

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1991 2.3 omc cobra starting issues

I checked the points today and they seem fine.

Ayuh,.... Replace 'em,.... Points are an Annual throw-away replacement part...