Ignition Points Grounding... help

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gayle23

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I am working on a 1973 2 hp Evinrude. The motor will not spark. I have determined that the primary wire from the coil is creating a ground where it attaches to the "screw plate" of the points. The motor thus doesn't produce a spark because the effect is the points are "always closed". If I touch an ohmmeter to both sides of the points it reads .00 whether the points are physically open or physically closed.

I am confused. I read somewhere that one should be careful the primary wire does not touch the magneto plate, thus creating a ground. My primary wire is not touching the magneto plate, but one of the coils tests is to make sure there is continuity between the coil's primary wire and its ground wire. That seems to indicate the ground wire will always automatically create a ground with the primary wire, and thus with the magneto plate.

Maybe I am way off, but I think it is important the "screw plate" of the points is not grounded, and I don't really know how to accomplish this.

I would appreciate advice. Thank you very much.
 
64osby

64osby

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Re: Ignition Points Grounding... help

23 - Any chance of posting a picture of what you have going on. Might make things easier to see.

You have a ground issue, either the points are bad, installed incorrectly or a chance you have the wrong wire off the coil hooked to it.

I've never seen or worked on a 2hp but most of the little ones tend to be the same. Just thinking out loud.
 
G

gayle23

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Re: Ignition Points Grounding... help

HighTrim said:
You sure they are wired correctly?

http://www.pochefamily.org/outboard/Coils.htm
Click to expand...

Thanks for your help. Chris, the pochefamily stuff was particularly helpful. I used that information to test my coil and it tested good. Then I tested the points both open and closed and they tested good BUT the article first had me disconnect the ground wire from the coil so as not to ground out the points when they are open. That is exactly the issue I am struggling with. The coil is grounded to the plate and thus will ground out the points, open or closed. I have two other motors exactly like this (which DO spark) so I believe I have hooked everything up properly... primary wire and condensor wire to the point plate, and the secondary or ground wire to one of the three bolts attaching the coil itself. The points and condensor are new. I am either missing something or perhaps the points are defective. One would think the points would be insulated some how so as now to ground out from the plate so a ground and complete connection are created when the points touch together. I will think about this further. If anyone has other thoughts I would appreciate them. Thank you.
 
B

boobie

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Re: Ignition Points Grounding... help

Post some pics if you can.
 
kbait

kbait

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Re: Ignition Points Grounding... help

I always test the points w/o condenser or coil (or kill switch) wires hooked to it. If the top coil wire goes to grounded mounting bolt, and lower coil wire goes to points, and condenser is working, you should have spark (assuming coil, wire, connections from wire to coil = plug boot are solid). You may be getting a normal meter reading across pointset if wires are attached.. ?

Good luck!
 
HighTrim

HighTrim

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Re: Ignition Points Grounding... help

Very good link for understanding how to test the coils and points.

Im going to second posting a pic of what you are dealing with if you can. If everything is disconnected from the points and they are showing continuity when open there is something strange going on.
 
F

F_R

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Re: Ignition Points Grounding... help

Are you sure that you are sure it is grounding? With the wire attached to the points, there should be about an ohm resistance to ground when they are open and zero ohms when closed. Some multimeters can't tell the difference between an ohm and zero ohms. The "ground" (actually an ohm +/-), is the resistance of the primary winding.

Another possibility is a shorted condenser. Try the continuity test with the condenser disconnected.

You might try the points test with the wires connected to the points, but the coil ground wire disconnected. In that situation, there should be zero ohms when points are closed and infinity (open circuit) when open. Well, I'll put a little disclaimer in there---there is the condenser leakage again, which will show a fairly high resistance to ground
 
A

AlTn

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Re: Ignition Points Grounding... help

pop the f/w off of 1 of the other motors and start switching components one at a time
 
G

gayle23

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Re: Ignition Points Grounding... help

Good idea. I can't do that now but will do it Monday or so. Thanks.
 
cajuncook1

cajuncook1

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Re: Ignition Points Grounding... help

Make sure your plate is properly grounded to the motor. There is a ground wire from the plate to the motor. Make sure it is not damage or that is making good contact and grounded. (Clean off ends to be sure!). The ground wire grounds to a bolt on the exhaust cover. If removed please re-torque it. I think a 1/4 screw is about 60 inch pounds retorqued Frank may be to clarify the torque value.

Please make sure the end of the spark plug wire going to the coil is not oxidized. You may have to snip off about 1/4inch of the end of plug going to coil spike to get a clean contact and then twist the plug wire securely back on the coil.

Also physically inspect all your coil and condenser wires for slight physical damage that may be causing a ground condition.

Again, as Frank always states, make sure your points are shiny clean!! Also, make sure your breaker cam is facing the correct side.


Here is a picture of what I was referencing regarding the ignition plate ground wire.

1972Johnson2hpgroundandcoilwire.jpg
 
G

gayle23

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Re: Ignition Points Grounding... help

FIXED!! Thanks for all your help. I have the Evinrude Service Manual for this motor so believed it was hooked up properly, and it was. I installed a new coil as that was the only ignition component which hadn't been replaced. I now have a bright blue spark. I believed the tests I had performed on the old coil indicated it was good, but I was clearly wrong, and then got stuck on the grounding issue as that was the only thing which appeared to possibly be off. And thanks for pointing out the need to have the ignition cam pointing in the right direction. I have made that mistake in the past and now look for the word "TOP." I need to understand how to test coils.

Thanks again.
 
HighTrim

HighTrim

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Re: Ignition Points Grounding... help

It is not easy to test a coil without the proper equipment. A meter will tell you if there in a severe cut in the winding, but thats about it.
 
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