AQ 130 Motor Cranking but will not Turn Over

[david_hawj]

My boat would not start while on the water about 6 months ago. I ended up getting towed back and left her on the driveway and had to deploy. I am back and now trying to figure out what the issues are.

Main Issue-My engine will crank but will not turn over

Things I have done- I rebuilt my twin Solex Carbs ( When my boat broke down the spouts were not shooting fuel down into the carbs )
- Installed a new STARTER
- Installed a new COIL
- New fuel filter

General Information-
SEP 2015
My initial issue was what I thought were the carburetors, they were gummed up and did not shoot fuel down into the carbs. Engine would crank but would not turn over. I cranked the motor over and over and over...probably a bad idea and feel like I burned out the coil/destroyed the distributor while doing so.

MAR 2016

- I rebuilt the carbs with a kit. I also bought a new starter and a new coil. I am not getting spark when I pulled out the spark plug and grounded it to the engine.

- I'm an electrician by trade and have little knowledge about mechanics but I used my multimeter and was able to troubleshoot a bit. I had 12 volts from the battery all the way to the incoming power to the coil but did not have any voltage from the outgoing of the coil to the distributor. I bought a new coil and installed it but I read only 11 volts incoming/outgoing. I don't know if there is a resistor to drop the voltage in line somewhere. Anyhow I feel like my distributor is the last part that needs to be replaced since I'm not getting any spark.


( My thoughts are that I'm only getting 11 volts incoming to the coil and outgoing may be an issue, since my battery/starter/alternator all read 12.68V. I'm assuming I need a new distributor since my troubleshooting tells me the voltage stops at the distributor and doesn't end at the spark plugs. If that isn't the issue maybe I'm losing voltage due to a loose ground that is causing resistance)

* I attached a photo but it really doesn't do much justice. Please help me and my buddy get back in the bay & sound and get our lines wet.


V/R

Dave

 

[jerryjerry05]

The 12v from the battery gets broken down to 9v into the coil.
​When the contacts/points close the connection is made and then the coil should read on the other side.
There should be a resistor either in the coil or one of the wires in the system.
​Replace/ file the points and replace the condenser .

​What year? Model A B C D

 

[PiratePast40]

From the picture, looks like you have the 130C model. Check your distributor cap and rotor and make sure they're in good shape. The distributor itself is a rather simple component. For starting, all it really does is act like a switch and distribute power to individual plug connections. You'll want to check the advance springs eventually, but getting the engine started is the first priority. You have OEM ignition wires. I've had problems with those since they're so old. Might want to check resistance on them. Especially the coil wire. Any brand of wires will work.

I got rid of the points and condenser since they are so expensive for that engine and replaced them with Hot Spark components, including the coil. Pertronics is another brand of conversion kit. The conversion won't solve any problems with loose connections, bad coil, or bad wires, but takes the points and condenser out of the equation. Since it quit all of a sudden, I would check every single wire and connection associated with the engine. Take them off and clean them to rule out that issue. If you still have that fuse block mounted on the distributor bracket, make sure you have a good connection there and the fuse you're going through is OK. Or take it off completely and wire in a single fuse holder.

As an FYI, cranking means that the starter is turning it over. I think you mean that it's not firing. And when I'm doing this kind of frustrating troubleshooting, I leave the battery charger on to make sure I've got decent voltage all the time.

 

[david_hawj]

Thanks everyone for the heads up. My wife just delivered our second child last week so I've been busy getting the house ready for our newborn. I have this week to look at the motor again and will check all the points as mentioned.

 

[david_hawj]

I ordered a used distributor since I wasn't getting spark and found out that it does not have the pertronix conversion kit on it that my distributor has. Do you all think that turning my motor over and over again over 6 months ago BURNED OUT MY IGNITOR KIT THAT SITS IN MY DISTRIBUTOR?

* I don't get any spark to the spark plugs but I read voltage from the main coil wire to the main distributor wire. Are the conversion kits fairly easy to burn out? My guess is that I burned it out and that is the reason why I'm no longer firing.