3.5 volts at + side of coil......problem??

[thunderroad]

Maybe I spend too much time here. My boat (69 Mercruiser 160, SN 2497444)starts and runs fine (at the moment,knocking on wood) but I read a post where someone said you should have about half of your battery volts at the coil so while fooling around with it tonight I checked and only had 3.5. I cleaned connections there and at the resistors and then had 3.6. Do I have a problem in the making or should I follow the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" rule?

 

[Don S]

Re: 3.5 volts at + side of coil......problem??

Was your points closed or open. To do the test properly, they need to be open. <br />If they were closed, you need to change your points, because you were measuring the voltage drop across the points from high resistance.

 

[thunderroad]

Re: 3.5 volts at + side of coil......problem??

I honestly don't know if they were open or closed. More than likely they were closed. I'll try it again tomorrow and see.<br />Now..you're saying IF they were closed I need to change the points? They're pretty much new (6-8 hours running time) but they may have a problem? I don't completely understand the voltage drop thing you mentioned but am all ears to learn.<br />thanks

 

[Don S]

Re: 3.5 volts at + side of coil......problem??

My answers may be way off base also, which terminal on the coil were you doing the tests on. + or - ?

 

[thunderroad]

Re: 3.5 volts at + side of coil......problem??

The positive side.

 

[thunderroad]

Re: 3.5 volts at + side of coil......problem??

still curious....

 

[Don S]

Re: 3.5 volts at + side of coil......problem??

Best suggestion I could make at this time is to pull the distributor cap off, turn the engine so the points are open and check your voltage. Then turn the engine some more to close the points and recheck the voltage.<br />Then disconnect the wire from the distributor and check the resistance across the points with them closed.