Originally posted by roadnsky
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I want to eliminate ignition before looking at fule as the issue, and not arbitrarily. I think maybe what is missing here is the fact that the engine, minus the surging issue, which has been resolved, was running fine, even with the surge, after 18 months of time, money, sweat and cursing with fuel issues. All done. Successfully. Since then, no new maintenance, no new fuel, no new anything except the pleasure of having an engine that actually ran great since I replaced the tank and everything fuel related and totally cleaned my new carb. Runs great, come in, shut down, tie the boat up. Come back 2 days later, start it, idle it and have it just stop dead after a couple of minutes. In my experience, fuel issues do not lead to a clean, abrupt stop. Not on my boat, not in any of my cars, not even on my lawn tractor. Lose rpm, power, sputter, etc, etc. Not an instantaneous complete shutdown. Literally like turning off the key.
If you do not have fuel, you have no combustion, I get that, really. But, at the same time, if you have no fire, or inadequate fire, you get no combustion, either. I guess I understand why everyone wants to start at fuel, it is easier and more common, but I have been at fuel for 18 months. I have been living the fuel issue for a long time and finally resolved it with the new tank, etc. Sure it was a carb issue because it sucked up gunk from a rusty tank, as did the filters, and the tank allowed water seepage. This is a road very well traveled by me. And a motor that won't catch, even with no fuel line attached, when blasted with starting ether, tells me I have a fire issue. I had a terrible addiction to British sports cars in the 70s and early 80s, so I have certainly spent some time squirting ether to figure out fuel or ignition. Or both...... The sweet mysteries of Weber carbs. So I have, based upon my diagnostic efforts to date, come to the belief, perhaps erroneously, that altho I have some spark, I do not have nearly enough. I know what spark in a properly working ignition system should look like, and it is a nice bright blue white zap, not a weak flicker. Which then takes me into my weak spot, ignitions.
I gave up tuning my own cars when I tried to hook my timing light up to a car that had a "ëlectronic ignition module" on it. All my previous cars had points and condenser and I knew what I was doing (sort of). So all of that said, I still may be wrong. I ordered a new distributor cap, (mine looks funky) plug wire set, and plugs from Moyer, will get them Monday, put them on Tuesday. We will see what that does. As to the Ignitor electronic system I have, it is just a box and a bunch of wires to me, no clue. Do they just "GO BAD"? Seems like they would either work or not work. But again, I have no clue. So this is the area I really need some help with.
I have read virtually everything Don Moyer has ever written, I think...
I really do value the help given in these forums, the experience behind that help, and the spirit in which it is all shared. I just need someone to give me some thoughts on the ignition system, I really do understand the fuel system far better than I ever wanted to. To the forum, ""help me, Obiwan"". But just for now can we pretend that I DO NOT have a fuel problem? Please. If I turn out to be wrong I will gladly acxknowledge same and take public forum shaming.
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