coil or wiring problem

[sjl74]

ok very new to boating, but experienced in mechanics for 25 years. So i bought my first boat, the previous owner removed the exhaust manafolds, Risers, the thermostat housings and painted them. In the process he removed the plugs. Not a smart idea. And had the starter rebuilt. But did not put anything back together. Sorry this is an 81 mercruiser 260.

started to put the boat back together, I found out that the thermostat housing for cracked so I just ordered new ones then I installed the starter and tryed to turn the motor over with the plugs still out which consequently living on the West Coast of Florida condensation had built up in the cylinders and blew the water out. that starter lasted for less than two days. So I purchased a new starter then I found out I had to rebuild a carburetor. so I Polled the carburetor off and rebuilt it. oh yes I also had to replace the slave solenoid.

now when I try to start it, I get the initial 12 volts off the slave solenoid, to get spark to the coil but the minute I let off the key I lose all power to the coil. please if somebody out there has some good wiring diagrams or advice as to where I should be getting power from to power up the coil I would greatly appreciate it

 

[Eric 3.7LX Alpha 1]

Are you running points still? or has been converted to something else?

 

[sjl74]

No the points have been taken out and some kind of pick up has been put in there that only has two wires a pink wire and a black wire the pink wire is going to the positive side of the coil the black wire to the negative side of the coil

 

[Scott Danforth]

Beung an '81, would have come originally with points. Wiring then would have a 12 volt wire to give full 12 volts to the coil for cranking. There will also be a wire from the ignition switch to a ballast resister to the coil for normal running which will provide about 9 volts.

I'm going to go with bad ignition switch or the ballast resistor is not wired right or has failed. Use a DVM to check out the ignition switch and the wiring.

 

[sjl74]

Okay I am getting the 12 volts from the coil. When I let off the key it instantly dies I have not found a ballast resistor in there at all I don't know if it was taken out with this different pick up system. It looks similar to a hall effects switch

 

[Bt Doctur]

with the key"on" you should find voltage at the + side of the coil, starts at the ign switch on the purple wire , to the alt, and then a resistance wire to the coil

 

[Scott Danforth]

Okay I am getting the 12 volts from the coil. When I let off the key it instantly dies I have not found a ballast resistor in there at all I don't know if it was taken out with this different pick up system. It looks similar to a hall effects switch

Then someone has changed the distributor. I would check the ignition switch

 

[sjl74]

I don't have elec. Choke old style spring. There are multiple wires to the coil. On the negative side there is a black from pickup gray that comes from engine plug that has two wires the other end is not connected looks cut. And black from shift switch. The positive has pink from pickup, purple from slave solenoid, the other wire i can't tell the color but it's every long and looks to me that it comes from the alternator

 

[Scott Danforth]

The purple wire from slave solenoid is the 12 volts only available during cranking. Chase out the other wire. You should have a wire that goes all the way back to the I terminal on the ignition switch. This may be the wire to the alternator (field excite).

 

[sjl74]

Ok for the help heading to boat Will post picture if still having trouble

 

[Bt Doctur]

back up a bit, the slave solenoid DOES NOT PROVIDE POWER DURING CRANKING.
The starter solenoid provides power during cranking only Remove that purple wire and hot wire it to the battery to see if the motor now runs, post the results.

 

[sjl74]

Sorry for all the trouble found out that the purple wire in the harness went bad from the ingnition they ran a new on but when previous owner took it apart he shoved it under the deck but really want to thank everybody for their help