No spark, died as if kill switch pulled, have replaced most electrical..help

591nick

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Jun 30, 2020
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2
Alrighty....going to see how a forum goes because I'm this close to taking it to a boat mechanic so I thought Ide try this.
My boat is a 2001 Chapparal SSE with a Volvo Penta 4.3GL in it. I've had it 3 years, and last season it died out on the water as if the kill switch was pulled but the kill switch was not pulled (the cable on the throttle body). I wasn't getting any spark yet I was getting power coming out of the coil into the distributor. None of it had been replaced so I went ahead and replaced the Plugs, Wires, Ignition Relay, Coil (I put a new coil in it and it didn't solve the issue so I put the OEM back in its the only thing i didnt replace cause of the cost), also replaced the Distributor, Cap and Rotor,I also by passed the kill switch with the wiring but have hooked that back up, got it timed and it ran perfectly the rest of the season. I winterized it and than this year de winterized it, it started right up! I put it in the water and it wouldnt start. I let it sit a few minutes and turned it over turned it over and it started! but than it died again as if the kill switch was pulled like maybe a short somewhere? Took it to my buddies.... He has a power probe ground tool which adds ground where ever you put it and I think now it was a coincidence but it started, so I put a ground cable from the engine block to the battery. Didnt start. O reilly's tested my batteries and alternator and said the alternator was bad, even though it has no symptoms of that I pulled it and took it to a local electrical mechanic shop to be tested. Alternator pushing 14 amps its good. So as of right now
-There's no spark again
-There's power coming out of the coil into the distributor (just using a light bulb volt tester on the wires) I'm going to use my actual volt meter to see how many volts are coming out of the positive terminal wires ill re post after.
-The local boat shop was asking me about the coil having an external resistor or internal, even though I told him I put the OEM coil back in it and it wasnt the problem last year I realize it could be the problem but it does have power coming out of it but I'm going to re post the volts which will tell us whether or not it has an external or internal resistor.

The 4th is this weekend and I'm jobless at the moment so I've wanted to do nothing but GO BOATING!!! Its dry out here fellas, please help!!!!
 

alldodge

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Mar 8, 2009
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43,153
Howdy
You have some ramblings here.

Said the ALT is putting out 14 amps, I'm thinking probably 14 volts, which would be good

When the key is turned ON, do you have 12V on the positive side of the coil?

What is your motor serial number?
 

591nick

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Joined
Jun 30, 2020
Messages
2
Thats what happens when I explain things while I'm a bit mad lol. Sry mate.
Yes 14 Volts ALT
Almost I have 11.5 POS side of coil.

On another forum I found the Delco EST Ignition system troubleshooting guide. I had 11.5V connecting multimeter to purple terminal and ground. Than the same volts connecting pink terminal and engine ground.

Now next I did the ignition coil resistance test... checks for open circuits and shorts to grounds in coil. All 3 of the tests came back with no OHM reading on meter. connecting ohmeter to the coil frame and purple wire terminal indicates a short to ground. The other one was purple wire terminal and gray wire terminal no reading. Than to purple wire terminal and the high tension terminal no reading...All say replace coil. Is this correct?
 

alldodge

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Mar 8, 2009
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43,153
Its hardly ever the coil, but if your testing showed open then guess so

EST Dist.jpg
 

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