Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

[Chris1956]

The ignition on my '77 1500 has been flawless until two days ago. Today I got motivated and ran Clams' troubleshooting procedure. Each step of the troubleshooting procedure passed, and I reattached the wiring and the ignition worked perfectly. Two hours later, I have no spark, and the coil and switchbox seem to work OK.

Anyone run into this before?

PS, My boat wiring harness is garbage, but I do have B+ on red and white wires on the switchbox when the ignition is on.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

Chris, you will need to do the test while the ign is not working, we have a pulser that replaces the trigger function for problems like yours and there are also tests that can be done with a voltmeter at the switchbox but if you just use the arc test when it not working that will tell you also

 

[jheron]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

Yes.
Pop the cap off and have a look at the carbon rod inside, make sure it is clean and can move freely also clean the contact point under the rotor...

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

Laddies, I did the test where you jumper the brown and white wire on the dist. side of the switchbox, and connect the black wire to grounf to induce the spark. That worked well. When I reconnect the dist, I have no spark however. The part that really bothers me is that it started to work properly after having no spark. Kinda like a circuit breaker reset.

 

[timmathis]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

Yes they can . Most the time triggers die all at once. But mine would start fine when we would try it in the shop, but when we would get to the lake no fire sometimes? I put a used trigger on it and I't fires every time now... Tim

 

[Laddies]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

Chris, alot of times just the loosening and tightening of the termanals on the boxes will cause them to make contact inside, most were assm. with the cold solder process on after the years start to corrode till they don't make contact. I think that your removing and reinstalling the wires may have caused a temp connection that again failed under load--Bob

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

Bob, If I understand you, you think it is the switchbox that is intermittent?

Tim thinks it is the trigger. I would like to break this tie,

 

[Laddies]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

Chris, no I think it the trigger also, I was just using the studs as an example of what can cause intermmitant problems like yours. I should have been clearer on that sorry-Bob

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

Bob Thanks for clearing that up. I too thought it the trigger. That makes it unamious I have a spare dist from an 850. I will try it.

 

[Clams Canino]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

Add my vote for the trigger.

-W

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

OK I changed out my wiring harness. So far I have ignition. I will test it this week before I launch.

Thanks to all.

 

[AMD Rules]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

Chris,

I thought the 850 was a 4cyl? Aren't the trigger disk windows different than the L6?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

AMD, The 850 is a 4 cylinder. I will need to change the disk to one with the six windows.

As of now, I jusr changed the boat's wiring harness and have ignition. I obviously need to test a bit more.

 

[Blevins Gap Outdoors]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

I had the same problem with my 1977 1500, fire, no fire. Turned out to be the trigger.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Can an inline 6 distributor be intermittent?

OK, It would seem that the experts are correct yet again. No spark at all today. I changed out the trigger with one I had laying around, and it seems to work. I will test it over the next few days to assure.

I don't feel too bad. I had the same distributer for all 30 years the motor has been alive. The boat (and motor) sunk twice in salt water, and stil it survived, at least up until now.