Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

[seakingbob]

I have to buy a power pack and was wondering if anyone had a preference to what they had good experiences with. The price isn't really that much in difference and I'm stuck on what I should buy. It for a 1990 Evinrude 70hp Model #E70TLESB. The motor has no spark and I think that I'll just replace the power pack and take it from there. Hopefully that's why it has no spark. If I figure that its never been replaced so it's not a bad thing to put in a new one.

 

[dehydrated]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

cdi has a great trouble shooting guide for electronics visit the site you may save yourself some bucks by determining the problem first.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

The OEM was being made by CDI for BRP until deal fell thru and it is rumored they are made in South America now. CDI still has the best and the Mallory is usually a Sierra with their tag applied on it.

 

[kbait]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

Once I determine it's indeed the cd box, I call tim's outboard and get a good used one and save some serious dollars - 218-682-2331. If not available, click for more salvage yards to try: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=438822
Good luck!

 

[Jim311]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

I bought a CDI, seems to work great and fixed a tough to diagnose problem with idling and running crappy.

 

[jere1972]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

I'd go with CDI, thats all they do is ignition, great tech support, 2 year warrenty...... Far superior(my opinion) they have worked out the bugs of OEM, and much cheaper then OEM!

 

[jere1972]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

http://www.outboardignition.com try this site got my parts in 3 days fair shipping prices, your pack in CDI is $95 from them, just replaced most of my ignition system 99 Johnson225 , so did alot of price shopping! everyone wanted between 289 and 379 (CDI) for my stator from them $247....

 

[larryg]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

no spark could be the coils,maybe.start with the simple inexpensive things first.such as testing powerpaks coils,coil wires before shelling out good mney for something that wasnt the problem.cdi is a great company and people to deal with.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

I've had a CDI timer base and a Sierra power pack in my '72 Johnson 65hp for several years and haven't had any problems with either. I did find, however, that there was a great deal of difference in price between those units and the OEM parts, which as mentioned, are rebranded aftermarket parts anyway.

I try to support my local OMC/BRP dealer as much as possible, but its pretty hard to justify paying twice the money for the same part, with a different part number on it.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

I run a CDI power pack and coils and both have worked fine for 3 years now, as long as you are throwing parts at it might as well change the coils too but I agree with Larry, you should trouble shoot this and find out what the actual problem is, always do the free stuff first.

 

[Jim311]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

I've had a CDI timer base and a Sierra power pack in my '72 Johnson 65hp for several years and haven't had any problems with either. I did find, however, that there was a great deal of difference in price between those units and the OEM parts, which as mentioned, are rebranded aftermarket parts anyway.

I try to support my local OMC/BRP dealer as much as possible, but its pretty hard to justify paying twice the money for the same part, with a different part number on it.

My local dealers wanted nearly 200 or more for the powerpack on mine, and of course they didn't have them in stock, they had to order them. So I would have had to pay more than twice as much and have to wait for weeks.. no thanks. I bought online from iBoats.

 

[WernerF]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

Last year I took the Sierra power pack (CD3/SL6700) for my 1989 60hp because it was the quickest to get here in Germany. I was surprised the power pack was from Pr?frex, a German manufacterer. It works fine, but I had to readjust the spark timing a little.

 

[seakingbob]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

I guess it's going to be the CDI

 

[seakingbob]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

Ok so the wiring is all hooked up and the motor won't start. I ordered a power pack because I really don't like or know that much about wiring for the motor. If that don't work then what could it be ? The motor is hooked up to different controls then the ones I tried to start it on and the old motor ran on those so I don't think it's a kill switch problem. If it's not the power pack witch I will know Monday night when it comes. What should I look at then. I am stumped when it comes to this wiring of the motor thing.

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

get a DVA adapter and follow the free troubleshooting guide. both linked in my sig below. post #2 instructed you to do this, now you have spent money you could have saved with a $25 DVA adapter.

 

[archcycle]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

If it's not the power pack witch I will know Monday night when it comes. What should I look at then. I am stumped when it comes to this wiring of the motor thing.

Listen to everyone who has said perform the proper tests. It could be the kill switch which you are pretty sure it's not but not really sure it's not(it could be the circuit, not the part of the switch you can touch), it could be the stator, it could be the timer base, or in a really unlikely scenario you could have 4 bad coils.

SparkieBoat's sig line has the standard tools and troubleshooting procedures. Let's just say for the moment that it is the powerpack - maybe it's the powerpack because of a part earlier in the ignition system which will kill this powerpack.

Don't let the testing scare you. If you just but the $25 tool and follow the instructions (check the blue wire for this number, check the orange wire for that number, etc.), it is really easy.

I'll throw another recommendation in for CDI. And don't buy used ignition components Used cost + New cost > New cost, and you spend more time boating and less time wondering if you're still having the problem because the used part was no good.

 

[seakingbob]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

Ok I rolled the dice and came out winning. Put the power pack in today and she started right up. Ran nice, just have to make some little adjustments to the control cables and she should be good to go. thanks for all he advise. You guys really are the best to talk to.

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

I hope you do not have an issue that will cause premature failure of your new power pack. the roll the dice thing rarely works out in the long run. I hate gambling, I like to operate the most sure and proven methods I can find. much less heartache. and cheaper in the long run. good luck.

 

[seakingbob]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

Thanks for the thought, I'm just thinking that the guy I bought it from didn't hook it up right and just maybe thats what burned up the pack. When I bought the motor it didn't run and the guy I got it from wasn't that smart with the motor. I am hoping that was the case. When he took the motor off the boat he had it ran and then didn't when he tried to start it. I'm thinking why would it go bad from just sitting there. He said he tried to start it after that off the stand and couldn't get it running. Lets just say if he hooked it up wrong and that made the pack go bad. Could that happen if you don't hook it up right. Maybe he crossed the poss and neg terminals ? who really knows. But I'm happy with all the responds I have been getting.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Whats the best brand power pack to buy, OME CDI or Mallory

Thanks for the thought, I'm just thinking that the guy I bought it from didn't hook it up right and just maybe thats what burned up the pack. When I bought the motor it didn't run and the guy I got it from wasn't that smart with the motor. I am hoping that was the case. When he took the motor off the boat he had it ran and then didn't when he tried to start it. I'm thinking why would it go bad from just sitting there. He said he tried to start it after that off the stand and couldn't get it running. Lets just say if he hooked it up wrong and that made the pack go bad. Could that happen if you don't hook it up right. Maybe he crossed the poss and neg terminals ? who really knows. But I'm happy with all the responds I have been getting.

Sure...maybe.
But the detailed ignotion troubleshooting for that motor is not very complicated, there is lots of available help and advice in here (if you pay attention to any of it ) , and then you would know for sure.
It would also help you to ensure hat this PP is not going west in a hurry as well, due to some background problem that you have not looked for..