esa switch?

[grizz 454]

hi all. I was reading about the esa switch stuff, and noticed on my boat i just bought,(not been in water yet) that mines not hooked up. there is a plug from the switch but i dont see where it supposed to plug in. i think someone has cut the wires for it. can somebody tell me where to wire it to? its a 92 sunbird 350 motor and omc cobra out drive. thanks . i know im gonna have to have it working so it will come out of gear

 

[bruceb58]

Re: esa switch?

Out of curiosity, what distributor is installed on your engine? Is it stock? They may have rewired to bypass the ESA it if its not original.

 

[grizz 454]

Re: esa switch?

it has electronic ignition with the big distributor cap just like my chevy truck has

 

[grizz 454]

Re: esa switch?

if they did bypass the switch, wont i need it to work so it will come out of gear?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: esa switch?

it has electronic ignition with the big distributor cap just like my chevy truck has

That is not a marine distributor and probably why they messed with the ESA. Post a picture of it. You need to get rid of it if it is truly an automotive distributor.

 

[grizz 454]

Re: esa switch?

hey bruce, i dont know how to post a picture. if its not a marine distributor, what would it hurt to run this one? i dont know what the difference is cause i never seen one. was wondering if someone could post a picture so i would see what it is supposed to be. thanks, mark

 

[bruceb58]

Re: esa switch?

hey bruce, i dont know how to post a picture. if its not a marine distributor, what would it hurt to run this one? i dont know what the difference is cause i never seen one. was wondering if someone could post a picture so i would see what it is supposed to be. thanks, mark

Besides the fact that it isn't shielded and could blow your boat up if there were ever any gas fumes in your bilge, the timing curve is all wrong. Does it have a vacuum advance on the side of it? Marine distributors don't use vacuum advance.

http://forums.iboats.com/non-boating-technical-topics/how-posting-pictures-videos-533219.html

 

[grizz 454]

Re: esa switch?

it does have vacume advance thats hooked to carb.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: esa switch?

it does have vacume advance thats hooked to carb.

Get rid of it. While you are at it, make sure the carb is also marine because most marine carbs also don't have vacuum fittings.

I wonder if the starter and alternator are marine. Sounds like someone dropped a car engine in there.

 

[grizz 454]

Re: esa switch?

bruce i was wrong about vacume line to carb. it has a hose on it but it was just laying under the carb a little and i asumed it was hooked to something. i dont know about the starter, but i know for sure the altenator is marine. i also thought that marine engines rotate different than car motor. ive watched videos of people starting there boat motors and my engine rotates the same way all theirs does

 

[bruceb58]

Re: esa switch?

A marine engine rotates the same. There are a few exceptions in the case of inboards or dual engine set ups.

You need to ditch your distributor.

Here is a good alternative:
http://www.michiganmotorz.com/delco-voyager-marine-electronic-distributor-p-119.html

And then you can wire up a CDI ESA to it:
http://www.marineengine.com/parts/technical_information/cdi_123-7566.pdf

Does your fuel pump have a clear hose that goes up to the carb? This is in addition to the normal fuel line.

 

[grizz 454]

Re: esa switch?

my fuel line comes out the top of the electric fuel pump and its a full metal line to the carb

 

[bruceb58]

Re: esa switch?

my fuel line comes out the top of the electric fuel pump and its a full metal line to the carb

92 OMCs did not have electric fuel pumps. Someone added that later. Wonder if its marine!

 

[grizz 454]

Re: esa switch?

not sure but, the fuel pump is in a braket that has a sticker on it that tells spark plug gap, and timing set, and not sure what all. it looks factory but maybe not for that model boat. it may be a newer model, i dont know