3.0 timing help please

[Brandon15]

I have a 98 mercruiser 3.0, lost fire and pulled the distributor out to change the pick up coil, put back together engine tdc rotor pointing towards one, bypassed the shift switch and hooked the distributor wires together to go to base timing and set it to 1degree btdc and disconnected everything and made sure the timing advances like it should, now boat idles fine and will rev up in neautral but won’t in gear in the water. Any ideas or can I just turn the distributor while in the water like a old school distributor??

 

[alldodge]

Without a serial number I'm not sure which ignition you have. Your previous thread said it was EST but comments have me thinking TBV.

I would start with rechecking firing order
1-3-4-2 and dizzy rotates clockwise

 

[Bt Doctur]

was the rotor pointing to /at/ near #1 wire on the cap when you removed the dist or did you install it with the rotor pointing to #1 cylinder?

 

[Brandon15]

OL047041 is my serial number and I’m pretty sure it’s est. but I have checked the firing order and the rotor was pointing toward the #1 cylinder

 

[Brandon15]

Which If it was pointing toward number one cylinder then it would be toward the #1 wire on the cap unless I’m wrong

 

[alldodge]

Thanks EST

Which If it was pointing toward number one cylinder then it would be toward the #1 wire on the cap unless I’m wrong

Yes, it would point toward number one

 

[Brandon15]

Would there be any kind of problems if I just put it in the water and turn it until it runs right, like a old school distributor, and not mess with the base timing stuff ??

 

[alldodge]

For testing NO, but I would not leave it that way, because to much advance will damage the motor

 

[Brandon15]

Well what should I do exactly to set the timing, I followed the book and triple checked everything and it’s not right and don’t know anything else to do.

 

[alldodge]

You timed it correctly by what you said, I'm still thinking firing order.

 

[Brandon15]

I will double check it when I get home