Were is magneto and how to tell if it is working

wickware

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Jun 20, 2009
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1,286
Re: Were is magneto and how to tell if it is working

Your later year and higher HP than my 1970 35 HP Chrysler is above my little experience. LOL!
1. I feel someone will jump in if you tell what you have tried toward finding the problem.
2. Tell the history leading up your problem and the motor history if known.
3. Are you sure the 1980 115 HP has a mag system? Have you pulled the flywheel or how do you know?
4. Did you check the points if it has points? Do you have a "Close Pic" of points under the flywheel.
5. The more you can give usually dictates the more and better feedback to help you.

I'll jump back in here If I see something I feel my little experience will help on. Goog Luck!
 

Frank Acampora

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
Messages
12,004
Re: Were is magneto and how to tell if it is working

That engine did not have a magneto. It had a Prestolite capacitor discharge ignition system. Intermittent spark problems are probably the worst type to find and definitely the most frustrating. Start by checking all wiring for loose connections and shorts. Pay special attention to the wires coming out from under the flywheel. They can be broken at the point where they enter the stator.

Disconnect the blue wire at the engine terminal board and try to start it. If it starts reliably and runs then the problem is in the stop circuit, ignition switch, or kill switch (if the engine is equipped with one.)
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2011
Messages
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Re: Were is magneto and how to tell if it is working

I removed the blue wires there are 3 and no start put back no start or spark go to pull flywheel do i need any special tools to pull off flywheel?
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2011
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Re: Were is magneto and how to tell if it is working

I removed the blue wires there are 3 and no start put back no start or spark go to pull flywheel do i need any special tools to pull off flywheel?

Your later year and higher HP than my 1970 35 HP Chrysler is above my little experience. LOL!
1. I feel someone will jump in if you tell what you have tried toward finding the problem.
2. Tell the history leading up your problem and the motor history if known.
3. Are you sure the 1980 115 HP has a mag system? Have you pulled the flywheel or how do you know?
4. Did you check the points if it has points? Do you have a "Close Pic" of points under the flywheel.
5. The more you can give usually dictates the more and better feedback to help you.

I'll jump back in here If I see something I feel my little experience will help on. Goog Luck!

how do you no if i have points?
 

Frank Acampora

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
Messages
12,004
Re: Were is magneto and how to tell if it is working

Are you certain it is a 1980? Before 1979 they had distributors and either points or electric eye inside. After 1979 the ignition systems were Prestolite distributorless ignition. These had only one blue wire coming from the dash and two white wires coming from the CD boxes for the stop circuit.

A Photo would really help and clarify things.
 

Frank Acampora

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
Messages
12,004
Re: Were is magneto and how to tell if it is working

Either the year is wrong or that was a 120 with Magna-Power II ignition that has been retro-fit with Motorola distributor ignition.

With this ignition the blue is power to the CD box. So, at the ignition switch it should be connected to the "I" or "A" terminal. You have a two wire distributor. The blue is power to the electric eye. It should be connected with the other blue wires. Thus there will be three blue wires connected together on the engine terminal board. There should also be a red going up to the CD box. This red powers the capacitors and is connected to the other red wires on the engine terminal board.

If the electric eye inside your electronic distributor is bad you will not get any spark. There is no good way to test this.

With the ignition switch in the run position, there should be 12 volts between the blue wires engine terminal and ground. If not you either have a bad ignition switch or the red wire from the terminal to the switch is not connected. If the engine cranks over then the circuit breaker below the engine terminal board is set. If the engine does not crank over, push the reset button.
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2011
Messages
21
Re: Were is magneto and how to tell if it is working

I tested blues wires i have 12 volts so i think i should buy an electronic distributor unless i can replace eye ? also i checked Model # and it says 1980 115hp ? so one more question what kind of electronic disributor should i buy?
 

Frank Acampora

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
Messages
12,004
Re: Were is magneto and how to tell if it is working

You don't want to buy a whole distributor--they are "wicked" expensive, even used, unless you get lucky on ebay. FIRST: Disconnect the distributor belt. Then, with the ignition on spin the pully by hand and test the black and white wire. It should show pulsing voltage--I don't know how much--as the shutter inside alternately blocks and clears the electric eye. This voltage signals a transistor inside the CD unit to dump the capacitors into the coil. The eye itsel is replaceable and screws down exactly where the points on the older distributors were.
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2011
Messages
21
Re: Were is magneto and how to tell if it is working

I did test and could hear click noise and there was a voltage pulsing so the only thing i did was wiggle a couple wire going to the stator and a black ground wire removed dis cap and replaced and it starts now i will try again tomorrow and see if it starts maybe it is a lose wire also i put water cups on the lower unit and no water came out of exhust ports on lower unit replaced water peller last year does water get drawn up the prop ?
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2011
Messages
21
Re: Were is magneto and how to tell if it is working

Today it will not start i tested the black and white wire there was voltage pulsing but no clicking like a sparking sound like yesterday?
 
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