no spark from coil

[PSO]

ok i have a problem i winterized my boat it was running great last year and i'm not getting spark from the coil this year. i went out and got a new coil and no spark so i jumped from the battery to the coil and still no spark can anyone help with what i should look at now. the boat is a 1984 Imperal with a 120 mercruser.

 

[Scott Danforth]

check your points. they are probably corroded together. part of your spring dewinterization should be to reset the timing and dwell anyway.

 

[PSO]

ya i checked the points cleaned them and regaped them still no spark.

 

[PSO]

i also put my timing light between the coil and the distributer and got nothing

 

[Scott Danforth]

drop back to the basics

make sure you have +12 volts to the + side of the coil use a jumper wire from the battery if you have to

with a volt-ohm meter or a dwell meter, make sure the points are opening and closing.
with a dwell meter, set the point dwell

the points simply open and close the path to ground. you can mimic this with a wire to the coil - and to ground. the coil will fire every time you disconnect the wire (when the points open)

if you do not get a spark by firing the coil manually, your coil is bad

when you checked the points, did you replace the condensor as well? if it is shorted, you will not get a spark

 

[PSO]

hey thanks scott i didn't change the condensor but i do have a new one sitting at home and will give it a try when i get there.

 

[Scott Danforth]

make sure to properly trouble shoot prior to just replacing parts.

 

[PSO]

but then i wouldn't have all the extra parts :lol:

 

[PSO]

Well it stopped raining so I got the condenser in and still no spark

 

[PSO]

hey scott can i jump a wire accross the points to make sure i'm making a good ground from there