HELP no spark force l drive

Joined
Feb 9, 2016
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11
Hello I just got a boat the previous owner said it was winterized but soon found out it won't start! I did a compression test it reads 135psi on each cylinder this is a 4 cylinder I replaces the stator with one on ebay but I'm not sure if it is any good I'm hoping the cd packs are good. I ordered a new rectifier it is a universal rectifier 20 amp from cdi I can't remember if I grounded the cd packs to the battery I hope I didn't because I was told it will blow the cd units

Can some one help me test my stator cd unit rectifier and any other problem you think I may be having to get no spark on any cylinder. My model # is 120ld90c
 

pnwboat

Rear Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2007
Messages
4,251
First thing to check is to make sure that the Kill Switch is not engaged disabling the ignition spark. You can completely disable the ignition Kill circuit by disconnecting the White wire from the CD modules. This wire(s) gets shorted to ground either by turning the ignition switch to the "OFF" position, or by pulling the Lanyard clip of off the Kill Switch, or sometimes on the throttle control there is a "Run"/"Stop" rocker switch. If the engine starts with the white wires disconnected, the only way you can shut the motor off is to engage the choke or cover the carburetor openings with you hands to stall the motor out.

To test the CD Modules, you check the voltage from the stator to the modules, then check the voltage output of the CD Modules with a DVM adaptor on your meter.

The other thing to check is the wiring. Very easy to get the wiring of the CD Modules messed up which can be a bear to get straightened out if you're not familiar with it. A service manual is highly recommended as it has the wiring diagrams. First choice would be a factory service manual, second choice would be a service manual by Clymer, and third choice would be a service manual by Seloc.
 
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Messages
11
Thank you for the help I well post my results .. is there any way to test the cd without the peak voltage reader I only have a analog meter and a multimeter
 

SkiDad

Lieutenant Commander
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Jul 18, 2010
Messages
1,518
outboardignition.com is what I used several times to diagnose - and they have nice components too. My bet is you have no resistance on the stator.
http://www.outboardignition.com/support/176-3095.pdf

you can get a tester at Harbor Freight for cheap. Or if not there no more than 20 bucks at other places for a cheap one - they all do the same thing for what you are trying to test.
 

pnwboat

Rear Admiral
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Oct 8, 2007
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In your case where you have no spark at all, you may not absolutely need a peak voltage reader. Start by reading the resistance of the stator coils. Make sure the startor wires are disconnected from the wiring harness to get an accurate resistance reading.
 
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
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this is where I'm at my old stator has 678 ohms om on 2k on my multimeter because my multi meter doesn't have an option for 1k ohms anyways I'm getting 678 on 1and 2 blue and yellow on 3and 4 also I have 678 ohms.

​I got a new stator it reads 715 on 1and 2 on

3 and 4 nothing ! is this stator half dead it looks like a refurbished part. this is the second stator southcenteraloutboards.com has sent me!!

I'm reading 45 ohms on my trigger


heres the question I'm wanting to know IF U PUT A BATTERY ON BACKWARD WILL IT BLOW MY CDI BOXES??? has anyone had this happen to them

I have the kill switch disconnected from the cd boxes I taped them up individually and also I have the stator wires taped up individually that go to the rectifier.

I was told that the cd boxes should have constant power is this true and what wires to I check


PLEASE HELP I WANT TO GO TO THE LAKE!!!
 

Nordin

Commander
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Jun 12, 2010
Messages
2,641
The stator has two windings, one for the igniton and one for thje battery.
The Prestolite CD ignition system is self-generating and it produce the power to charge the capacitors in the CD boxes by one winding in the stator.
The other winding are for charging the battery through the rectifire/regulator.

Reversing the battery poles IS NOT GOOD. I do not know if it blow the CD boxes but it might do it.

Outboardignition has the values for the stator windings and the triggers, but 678 and 715 Ohm seems good and 45 Ohm for the trigger seems good to.
Nothing at the other winding seems not good.

The CD boxes does NOThave constant power, as stated above they are self-generating.
 
Last edited:

pnwboat

Rear Admiral
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Oct 8, 2007
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I don't think that hooking the battery up backwards will have any affect on the CD Modules. The CD modules are not directly connected to any battery power. The 2 CD Modules are powered by the 2 stator windings. As Nordin stated, it's self generating. You can disconnect the battery, wrap a rope around the flywheel and pull start the motor. It'll start and run just fine without a battery.

I would go back to the original stator. Like Nordin stated, the stator that reads nothing on 3 and 4 is bad and your trigger reads normal. That brings you to possibly one or maybe both CD Modules bad, there may be a wiring problem, or bad modules and a wiring problem.

You probably should check out the wiring first before buying anything. Eliminate the possibility that some inexperienced previous owner or someone got in there and really messed up the wiring.
 
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Messages
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THIS IS HOW MY WIRES ARE PLACED CAN SOMEONE VERIFY IF THIS IS CORRECT



MOD 4 BROWN / WHITE . 4 BROWN / BLACL / YELLOW STATOR



MOD 3 BROWN / BLUE . 3 BROWN / BLACK / BLUE STATOR



MOD 2 BROWN / YELLOW . 2 BROWN / BLACK / BLUE STATOR



MOD 1 BROWN / BLUE . 1 BROWN / YELLOW STATOR





CD4 WHITE / GREEN . 4 WHITE / BLACK / GREEN TRIGGER4



CD4 WHITE / RED . 4 WHITE/ BLACK / RED TRIGGER 4



CD3 WHITE / ORANGE . 3 WHITE / BLACK /ORANGE TRIGGER 3


​CD3 WHITE GREEN . 3 WHITE / BLACK / GREEN TRIGGER 3


CD2 WHITE / GREEN . 2 WHITE /BROWN / GREEN TRIGGER 2

CD2 WHITE / RED . 2 WHITE / BROWN .RED TRIGGER 2


CD1 WHITE / ORANGE . 1 WHITE/ BROWN / ORANGE TRIGGER 1

CD1 WHITE/ GREEN . 1 WHITE / BROWN GREEN TRIGGER 1
 

pnwboat

Rear Admiral
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Oct 8, 2007
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OK, I see some issues. I have made some notes Highlighted in Blue below where I see discrepancies.


MOD 4 BROWN / WHITE . 4 BROWN / BLACL / YELLOW STATOR MOD 4 BROWN / YELLOW . 4 BROWN / BLACL / YELLOW STATOR

MOD 3 BROWN / BLUE . 3 BROWN / BLACK / BLUE STATOR This is correct

MOD 2 BROWN / YELLOW . 2 BROWN / BLACK / BLUE STATOR The Stator wire for this connection should be Brown/Yellow.

MOD 1 BROWN / BLUE . 1 BROWN / YELLOW STATOR The Stator wire for this connection should be Brown/Blue

NOTE: According to your wiring above, it appears that you have 2 Stator wires that are Brown/Black/Blue for cylinders 2 and 3. You should have one that is Brown/Black/Blue, and one that is Brown/Blue. Getting these two wires mixed up won't hurt anything, however, I believe it may affect the output voltage from the stator. This is because if these two stator wires (Brown/Black/Blue and Brown/Blue) are reversed, one end of the stator winding is hooked up to the first CD Module and the other end to the second CD Module.


CD4 WHITE / GREEN . 4 WHITE / BLACK / GREEN TRIGGER4 This is correct

CD4 WHITE / RED . 4 WHITE/ BLACK / RED TRIGGER 4 This is correct

CD3 WHITE / ORANGE . 3 WHITE / BLACK /ORANGE TRIGGER 3 This is correct

​CD3 WHITE GREEN . 3 WHITE / BLACK / GREEN TRIGGER 3 My manual shows colors as follows: CD3 WHITE/YELLOW 3. White/Black/Yellow TRIGGER 3

CD2 WHITE / GREEN . 2 WHITE /BROWN / GREEN TRIGGER 2 This is correct

CD2 WHITE / RED . 2 WHITE / BROWN .RED TRIGGER 2 This is correct

CD1 WHITE / ORANGE . 1 WHITE/ BROWN / ORANGE TRIGGER 1 This is correct

CD1 WHITE/ GREEN . 1 WHITE / BROWN GREEN TRIGGER 1 My manual shows colors as follows: CD1 WHITE/YELLOW 1. White/Black/Yellow TRIGGER 1

Based on what I see, I would guess that your trigger is probably wired correctly. There is a wire color discrepancy with the first trigger winding going to each module, but I've seen some mistakes with the aftermarket manuals, so at this point, I would say that it's probably OK.

The wiring on the stator is suspect. Take a closer look at the Brown/Black/Blue wires and see if one of them is actually Brown/Blue per my note above. Some of these components are pretty old, and the wire colors often fade or change hue due to age. Yellow fades to white, or white changes to a yellowish hue etc....
 
Last edited:

Nordin

Commander
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Jun 12, 2010
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First of all I want to correct myself from my answer in this thread above. The stator has three windings not two as I said. Two windings for charging the CD boxes and one for the battery.

Two yellow wires for the battery charging which goes to the rectifire/regulator.


SOO my factory manual 1990 thrue 1991 models shows the following wiring for the 4 cyl. 120/125Hp L drive.

STATOR

CD with channel 1 and 2 (cyl. 1 and 2) BROWN/BLUE- terminalbord- BROWN/BLUE-stator BROWN/YELLOW-terminalbord-BROWN/YELLOW-stator

CD with channal 3 and 4 (cyl. 3 and 4) BROWN/BLUE- terminalbord-BROWN/BLACK/BLUE-stator BROWN/YELLOW-terminalbord- BROWN/BLACK/YELLOW-stator.

TRIGGER

CD with channal 1 and 2 (cyl. 1 and 2) WHITE/ORANGE-terminalbord-WHITE/BROWN/ORANGE trigger cyl.1 WHITE/YELLOW-terminalbord-WHITE/BROWN/YELLOW trigger cyl.1.


CD with channal 1 and 2 (cyl. 1 and 2) WHITE/GREEN-terminalbord-WHITE/BROWN/GREEN trigger cyl.2 WHITE/RED-terminalbord- WHITE/BROWN/RED trigger cyl.2.


CD with channal 3 and 4 (cyl.3 and 4) WHITE/ORANGE-terminalbord-WHITE/BLACK/ORANGE trigger cyl.3 WHITE/YELLOW-terminalbord-WHITE/BLACK/YELLOW trigger cyl.3.

CD with channal 3 and 4 (cyl.3 and 4) WHITE/GREEN-terminalbord-WHITE/BLACK/GREEN trigger cyl.4 WHITE/RED-terminalbord- WHITE/BLACK/RED trigger cyl.4.


Hope you will understand.
 
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