Ignition Problems, with EVERYTHING replaced!

[System_Error_117]

Hello everyone,

This problem has stumped me for a few weeks now. I am usually pretty good at doing maintenance work myself and even moderate repair work, but this problem with my Atomic 4 on my Pearson 30 has really thrown me, and everyone I've spoken to for a loop!

The problem started when the boat started sputtering and popping on my way in to port one day a few weeks ago. I throttled back and it seemed to run a little smoother. Got her docked and tied up for the night just fine. I inspected the engine and noticed it was rather oily in behind where the ignition components are. so I first washed the block down a little, let it dry out. Started the boat again briefly to make sure everything was ok, then shut it down and cleaned the plugs, wires, cap and rotor to make sure everything was 100 percent. I noticed however the plugs were incredibly dirty. I mean way dirtier then I've ever seen plugs. So I called it a day a got new plugs the following morning and put the cap rotor wires and plugs back in and tried to start her.

Absolutely nothing, turns over great and pops a few times when you hold the starter down from the engines own compression, but that's it. No catching no coughing or sputtering or back firing. I checked the fuel and rebuilt the carb. With the choke and throttle on full I turned it over and quickly checked the plugs, they had fuel on them so I know its getting gas. Then with quick start in through the spark arrestor still nothing.

So I changed the cap, coil, wires and plugs over the next couple days playing around. Still had a weak spark. I tried getting a rotor but it was a discontinued Mallory E-spark kit with the optical shutters on the rotor and just couldn't get one anymore.

So I bit the bullet and got the whole kit from Moyer, Ignitor kit, new cap and rotor, new wires and plugs again. Basically everything in the ignition as I had already changed the coil and ballast resistor 2 days before.

I just put it all on last night and still nothing! However it is acting slightly different upon investigation. The coil is no longer getting warm when I turn the key on or turn the motor over. I noticed before with all my tinkering around when trying to start it it would get quite warm. Now its stone cold.

I noticed my old Mallory Kit had a three wire harness, with an extra wire that went to the block for ground, the Ignitor kit does not, I can only assume it relies on the Distrutor plate as a ground and down through that to the block and back to the battery ground. I thought then that maybe that was my problem all along, a bad distributor ground causing the weak spark, and now that the ignition kit doesn't have a ground wire, its stoping the coil from charging too!

But after putting a test wire from the distributor plate to a known good ground on the block its still not starting and the coil or resistor is not getting warm yet either.

I am really really REALLY stumped at this point, and can only think of turning to the wisdom of the Atomic 4 gods at this point to remedy the situation...

Any thoughts?

[JOHN COOKSON]

A BIG WELCOME TO THE FORUM

1. Take a voltage reading at coil+ with the key on.
2. Once you can demonstrate that you have 12 volts at coil + pull the big wire out of the center of the distributor cap. Remove all the wires from coil + except the wire from the key. Remove all the wire(s) from coil - and attach a wire bared at both ends to coil -. With the coil powered up hold the big wire near ground while you quickly touch the wire from coil - to ground. This simulates the EI\points opening and closing. See if you can throw an arc.
Since the coil isn't getting warm when it is powered up most likely the EI is stuck in the open position and never closing.
Let us know what you find.

TRUE GRIT

Edit: Are you sure the choke is 100% closed when you think it is?

[romantic comedy]

I would be thinking about why the oil was there and where it came from.

You might have a mechanical rather then ignition problem.

Check compression. Did you blow a head gasket? Blow a piston?
Is the cam timing correct? Is the distributor spinning correctly?

[JOHN COOKSON]

Next Step

Once you are sure you have a working coil take the temporary wire off coil- and reconnect the EI to the coil. Hold the big wire from the coil near the engine and turn the engine with the starter* and see if you can throw an arc.
* A remote starter switch is handy to have.

TRUE GRIT

[tenders]

She was running (perhaps with a partially closed choke or slipped choke cable, causing fouled plugs?) before you removed and reattached the plugs, cap, rotor, and wires. Then she stopped running altogether. Then you went nuts replacing a whole lot of stuff that does not really seem related to the sooty plugs.

Once you've verified you have power to the coil, let's go back to the point at which the engine actually stopped running.

Are you positive you put the wires on the cap the way they were before? Is it possible your setup was not "stock" but you reassembled it "stock"? Just for fun try moving the 1-2-4-3 wires around the distributor cap, one stop at a time - it'll take a minute or less to do all three other positions. You might be trying to run the thing 90, 180, or 270 degrees out of time. The popping sound you're getting, coupled with the lack of joy that the starting fluid is bringing to the situation, could be the engine trying to tell you this.

DAMHIKT

[JOHN COOKSON]

You also can put #1 piston at TDC compression then check inside the distributor to see if the rotor is pointing to the distributor cap terminal that the wire to #1 is plugged in to. I would strongly advise doing this.

TRUE GRIT

[roadnsky]

Welcome to the crew. You're in the right place.

Good advice by all.
I would especially agree with checking timing, considering the "pop".
As has been already said, you've thrown a LOT of water on this fire.

...I had already changed the coil and ballast resistor 2 days before.

Can I ask WHERE did you get the coil from?
Do you know what it's rated resistance is?

[JOHN COOKSON]

I inspected the engine and noticed it was rather oily in behind where the ignition components are. so I first washed the block down a little, let it dry out. Started the boat again briefly to make sure everything was ok, then shut it down and cleaned the plugs, wires, cap and rotor to make sure everything was 100 percent. I noticed however the plugs were incredibly dirty. I mean way dirtier then I've ever seen plugs. So I called it a day a got new plugs the following morning and put the cap rotor wires and plugs back in and tried to start her.
Any thoughts?

"Rather oily in behind where the ignition components are"
Where exactly where was the oil? A picture would be helpful.
Was the oil on top of the transmission cover? If so probably came from the coil because the bottom had rusted through. This exact thing happened to me a number of years ago.
Oil slowly leaking from the coil would explain the initial rough running an finally the no start.
Don't know about the current no start situation. You have been given many diagnostic tips. Please follow through on them. It will give us actionable information if we need to drill down further to get you running.
BTW, maybe it has already been mentioned, but are you keeping the cooling raw water valve closed when you crank the no start engine?

TRUE GRIT