This is my first post. I've been reading as much as I can on this forum for the past few days, but I'm stuck...
I have an '82 Bayliner with the AQ125A and I recently installed the Pertronix electronic ignition, along with the Flame Thrower coil (the old coil was only 1.5 ohms). The short of the problem is that I do have spark and gas, but it won't start. Here's a list of what I've done/ troubleshot:
-I can manually approximate the correct timing by jumping 12V from the battery to the coil and turning the crank by hand until the timing light flashes. I'm pretty darn close to 10 degrees BTDC cold. That seems like it should be good enough to at least get it firing. (I make sure to limit the amount of time the coil is hot to under 30 seconds at a time)
-I do have spark at the plug. I know this both because the timing light lights, and because I pulled the #1 plug and physically saw-- and unfortunately felt (good times!)-- spark.
-I have fuel through the carb. I also have a can of starter fluid.
-I just filled the fuel tank with new gas within the last few days.
-I triple checked the firing order: 1342
-I did change the wires at the same time as the coil and module. I read somewhere (on these forums?) that the Pertronix doesn't play well with solid core plug wires. That may be wrong since I don't see anyone saying that anywhere else. I'm going back to the original wires next. The new wires I used are Beck/ Arnley 1755777. (Now that I'm searching and thinking, this may be an issue, but again... I'm getting spark). Saw someone on this forum saying he used these: http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-09232-Premium-Spark-Plug/dp/B000BYD5N4 (Bosch). This set was compatible on Rockauto with those (the Bosch were out of stock)
-I don't have 12 volts to the coil, only 9.5 ish. But I can temporarily remedy that by jumping directly from the battery to the coil for 30 seconds or so at a time while I crank it. I am getting 12 V into the ignition switch (red wire), but when I turn the key to ON, only 9.5 comes out the other side (pink wire to the coil). I'm assuming there's a resistor somewhere in the circuit there. I can troubleshoot that once I get ignition.
-I removed the resistor at the alternator. That didn't change the voltage at the coil.
-Possibly from all the cranking, something popped and now I have no power (no click). This happened the other day and I took the main fuse apart and it was fine (magic!). Gonna do that again once I stop cursing.
-The motor ran before the switch from points. The reason for the swap was that the engine was clattering under power, and it seemed that the timing/ points could be the issue. (All the valves gap out OK).
So... I'm not too worried at this point about the no crank issue (unless it remains an issue) or 9.5V at the coil (I'll get rid of whatever resistor is causing the drop). I just can't, for the life of me, figure out why I'm not getting any ignition at all when it's cranking (and cranking...).
Might the spark not be strong enough? Any other ideas? Also, does anyone know where I could find a replacement ignition switch? I'm not sure if that's an issue, but the voltage drop is (almost) definitely at the switch.
This seems like an extremely simple system. It needs 12V into the coil, a 3 ohm coil, correct timing, fuel... and voila! Fire! I'm banging my head here. I'd appreciate any help. I could go back to points, but I have over $100 in non-returnable parts in there.
Thanks,
Aaron
I have an '82 Bayliner with the AQ125A and I recently installed the Pertronix electronic ignition, along with the Flame Thrower coil (the old coil was only 1.5 ohms). The short of the problem is that I do have spark and gas, but it won't start. Here's a list of what I've done/ troubleshot:
-I can manually approximate the correct timing by jumping 12V from the battery to the coil and turning the crank by hand until the timing light flashes. I'm pretty darn close to 10 degrees BTDC cold. That seems like it should be good enough to at least get it firing. (I make sure to limit the amount of time the coil is hot to under 30 seconds at a time)
-I do have spark at the plug. I know this both because the timing light lights, and because I pulled the #1 plug and physically saw-- and unfortunately felt (good times!)-- spark.
-I have fuel through the carb. I also have a can of starter fluid.
-I just filled the fuel tank with new gas within the last few days.
-I triple checked the firing order: 1342
-I did change the wires at the same time as the coil and module. I read somewhere (on these forums?) that the Pertronix doesn't play well with solid core plug wires. That may be wrong since I don't see anyone saying that anywhere else. I'm going back to the original wires next. The new wires I used are Beck/ Arnley 1755777. (Now that I'm searching and thinking, this may be an issue, but again... I'm getting spark). Saw someone on this forum saying he used these: http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-09232-Premium-Spark-Plug/dp/B000BYD5N4 (Bosch). This set was compatible on Rockauto with those (the Bosch were out of stock)
-I don't have 12 volts to the coil, only 9.5 ish. But I can temporarily remedy that by jumping directly from the battery to the coil for 30 seconds or so at a time while I crank it. I am getting 12 V into the ignition switch (red wire), but when I turn the key to ON, only 9.5 comes out the other side (pink wire to the coil). I'm assuming there's a resistor somewhere in the circuit there. I can troubleshoot that once I get ignition.
-I removed the resistor at the alternator. That didn't change the voltage at the coil.
-Possibly from all the cranking, something popped and now I have no power (no click). This happened the other day and I took the main fuse apart and it was fine (magic!). Gonna do that again once I stop cursing.
-The motor ran before the switch from points. The reason for the swap was that the engine was clattering under power, and it seemed that the timing/ points could be the issue. (All the valves gap out OK).
So... I'm not too worried at this point about the no crank issue (unless it remains an issue) or 9.5V at the coil (I'll get rid of whatever resistor is causing the drop). I just can't, for the life of me, figure out why I'm not getting any ignition at all when it's cranking (and cranking...).
Might the spark not be strong enough? Any other ideas? Also, does anyone know where I could find a replacement ignition switch? I'm not sure if that's an issue, but the voltage drop is (almost) definitely at the switch.
This seems like an extremely simple system. It needs 12V into the coil, a 3 ohm coil, correct timing, fuel... and voila! Fire! I'm banging my head here. I'd appreciate any help. I could go back to points, but I have over $100 in non-returnable parts in there.
Thanks,
Aaron