Engine wont fire

[Gervbass]

Hello Ya'll,<br /><br />I am at a very frustrating point with my boat motor. I have a 87 Force 50, that won't fire from both wires. After hours of chasing wires around I am still clueless. Any body got any ideas? Am I supposed to get 12 volts at the ignition from both coils? Thats what I'm reading. It appears all good up to the junction of wires that go to the magneto and coils, after that I'm clueless on where to trouble shoot.<br /><br />Can anybody tell me what a stator does?<br /><br />I appreciate an ideas that anybody can send my way. You will save my foot from being injuried severely by kicking that outboard <br /><br />Gerv

 

[bob-o p]

Re: Engine wont fire

i had an 87 force 50 and my coil pack went out on one cylinder and you cant get a new or rebuilt one, you'll have to go to a mechanic and get it checked for sure; and mine had to be sent off to alabama to be rebuilt good luck!

 

[Gervbass]

Re: Engine wont fire

So I take it that parts are hard to find... Great makes life so much easier...<br /><br />So do you think that both packs would go though?

 

[bob-o p]

Re: Engine wont fire

i don't know for sure if both would or not(i would'nt think but i've benn wrong before)your best bet would be let a mechanic check it, or that is what i do if i'm not at least 60% sure.

 

[alcan]

Re: Engine wont fire

Hi Gervbass<br /> The best thing to do if you don't want to take your motor to a pro is to obtain a manual. this will allow you to preform the test required to pin point your problem. This could be as simple as the kill switch malfuntioning, or the lanyard not hooked up. Check the simple stuff first. I'm not trying to be a wise guy, but it sounds like you need to study engines and their systems a little any way. Even if a guy doesn't do his own service work (and thats cool) at least you have some idea as to what your paying for. It also helps comunication between yourself and your mechanic. A lot of guys just do what you tell them. After all your the boss.

 

[Gervbass]

Re: Engine wont fire

Thanks Alcan, <br /><br />In fact I'm going to order one tonight. I know its not the kill switch, cause I bypassed it. But your right I need to get a manual to trouble shoot this correctly. I got an engine background, but its mostly cars and airplanes. some of it helps, but marine motors seem to be a different breed. <br /><br />Anybody with the Stator?<br /><br />Any common problems would be helpful and much appreciated.<br /><br />Thanks again<br /><br />Gerv

 

[bob-o p]

Re: Engine wont fire

i was told on my 87 force it didn't have a stator it had points ign.

 

[12Footer]

Re: Engine wont fire

ALCAN beat me to it on the best advice, and that is, get the manual..You will need it.If not on this repair, it will pay for itself when it walks you thru impeller change-out.<br />Your Clymer manual is publication B751-3.<br />On the kill circuit (ignition switch, lanyard switch,and associated wire), disconnect the black wire with yellow stripe, at the terminal block on the port side of your engine, and tape it off, so it cannot touch anything.Try it now.<br />This wire is the kill wire, and grounds-out the ignition. Which brings the next tip to mind;<br />NEVER let the HVCD (switchbox ,coil or sparkplug wires float free durring testing. It can destroy the switchbox, by not giving the HV anyplace to go. So far,of course, this is of no concern...I just wanted to warn you to allow a ground,or leave the plugs hooked to the wire,and ground then to the frame (as if they were threaded into the block).<br />Also, this same problem has been addressed here several times in the past, so do a search under Force spark and other fields pretaining to your problem.<br /> Click this link to see one such thread and........ <br /><br />Good luck..Lettuce know what you find.

 

[Gervbass]

Re: Engine wont fire

12 Footer,<br /><br />So what your saying is don't pull the plug wire and see if it archs to the plug?<br /><br />If it is Whoops!!! Gosh I hope I didn't ruin anything! I'm not working on that thing till I get that manual!!! Thanks for the info and manual number.<br /><br />I'll let you guys know what goes on<br /><br />So should I have got spark if I arched it against the plug?<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Gerv

 

[Boatist]

Re: Engine wont fire

Gervbass<br />One thing you said worried me and 12 footer said it right. You said you Bypassed the kill switch. That to me normally means shorting around switch with a jumper. That would kill your spark. You need to remove wires to switch and make sure do not short to ground.

 

[Gervbass]

Re: Engine wont fire

Ok I did a little more nosing around on that darn Force motor. I'll give you the readings from all of the terminals off the ignition switch. <br /><br />Ok first this is the 12V constant it reads 12V<br />Then both read Magneto wires read 0V<br />The Tach Wire reads 12V<br />and the Start wire reads 0V<br /><br />Those readings were in the Run position. Now what I did with the kill switch is removed the wires off the ignition completly, which means there is no more kill circuit right? One wire was connected to each magneto wire<br /><br />I'm supposed to get 12v off the magneto wires in the run position right? If that is the case, I would conclude that the ignition switch is defective right?<br /><br />Also should I be getting 12V on the Tach wire?<br /><br />I'm getting resistance off the Stator so I don't that is the problem.<br /><br />Please let me know if I'm on the right track on troubleshooting. I know, I said I was going to wait for the manual, but I just can't resist!!!<br /><br />Thank you all for your input so far, its much appreciated<br /><br />Gerv

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Engine wont fire

Gervbass <br />Try Ohming out the ignition switch before you replace it. That will rule that out for sure.

 

[Gervbass]

Re: Engine wont fire

What should it read?

 

[12Footer]

Re: Engine wont fire

Regardless, disconnection of the black wire with the yellow stripe, at the engine's terminal block defeats the entire kill circuit. Be sure to tape it off,so it can't acidently touch anything else.<br />Removing the plugs, of course, is the only way of knowing what is actually happening at them, so no, that's not what i meant. As long as the threads of the plugs are grounded,and the anode of the plug is attached to the plug wire, you are kewl.<br />You just don't want the plug wire dangling freely,with no path for an arc.<br />And it won't usually melt-down over short term, but it is possableIt's definitely not good for it.<br />When you diconnect the kill wire (black/yel), make sure you have no gas hooked-up, carb bowl empty, and a couple shots of fuel mix squirted directly intio the carb's throat...It should sputter or run just long enuf to know you got fire.<br />Problem is, with this wire off-terminal, you have no real way of shutting-down <br />Lettuce no.