Ignition stopped working, still turns over

[FirstBoatOhio]

So about a year ago I bought a 1985 Thunder Craft SS with a 2.5L motor. First thing I did was pull the motor and go through it, marked all the wires and cables with different colored zipties. After the motor was gone through I put it back in and hooked all the wires back up. It sat all winter outside, when I went to start it with the ignition everything seemed to work just fine. After about an hour or so of fiddling with it trying to get the motor in time and the motor running the ignition stopped working. After that I just started to jump the terminal on the starter and the motor would turn over, is there something I'm missing for the ignition to not be working? I've went through and checked the grounds I could see and they all seem to be fine any help would be much appreciated!

 

[bruceb58]

There are a lot of things you need to check. I would do the following first:

1) Check voltage at the coil with ignition on. Should be 12V with points open and 7V or so with points closed
2) Change the points, condensor, cap, rotor, plugs...

Did you pull distributor ever?
How did you determine ignition wasn't working?

 

[GA_Boater]

Welcome aboard.

You have a 2.5 what? Mercruiser, OMC, Volvo-Penta or ?

 

[Scott Danforth]

being a 1985, you most likely have points (its what came on all the 1985 3.0's)

did you service the points?