Engine dies at 1300 RPMs and won't start....

[bshillam]

Great. Looks like a cruise this weekend might be in order...I got to track down the issue we had.

 

[FF]

To me one of the great joys of a gas engine (among dozens) is the ease of repair.

While the adverts for electronic ignition claim the world , what you loose is the ease of repair of simple points ,condenser, coil as used for decades.

AS a minimum keep the removed ignition parts , on board for future use.

 

[hollywood8118]

To me one of the great joys of a gas engine (among dozens) is the ease of repair.

While the adverts for electronic ignition claim the world , what you loose is the ease of repair of simple points ,condenser, coil as used for decades.

AS a minimum keep the removed ignition parts , on board for future use.

And after the conversion to electronic you never need to work on
points, condenser nor the coil for decades!

Next your going to try to sell us that a old school 1970 carbed v8 is better than a 2014 injected computer controlled v6!

HOLLYWOOD

 

[psneeld]

While my old boss at the assistance towing company did go with electronic ignition...he did shy away from fuel injection because he believed in and did keep the boats running 24/7/365 plus could get them home with a phone call between him and the captain.

Worked for him for over 15 years.

That carbed 454 has brought me home every time for 11 years and over 225 responses per year with nothing more than a screwdriver and some spare jumper wire plus filters...

I don't have a problem with any of the ways you want to rig your engine... and I'm probably never gonna cruise a fuel injected gas boat to where I wouldn't be relatively close to help/parts if I needed them.

 

[Art]

Ya know... Many years ago I was 11 miles off paved road in a rather obscure 6K ft elevation area of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, i.e. early 80's, Plumas County CA. A helper was with me in my one ton (electronic ignition) truck. We were gathering select stones to build face of fireplace. After a full day and filled truck we headed back to civilization. But whoopsie!! Engine suddenly died and would not fire a peep... BUMMER! It was late afternoon and I knew we had about 9 miles to go down the abandoned, overgrown, rugged, rutted, dusty dirt road. To get to paved road before dark meant we needed to jog pretty fast... which we did... reaching pavement by deep dusk and by hitching getting to phone in mid eve. My helper was overweight and not pleased – Oh well!! lol Next day I took another truck to retrieve my stalled truck. Electronic ignition had failed... if it'd been points - I most likely would have gotten it running... Just sayen!

In a twin screw, slight chance for both engines’ electronic ignitions to go out simultaneously... and, even in a single screw spare parts could be stowed aboard.

 

[FF]

Next your going to try to sell us that a old school 1970 carbed v8 is better than a 2014 injected computer controlled v6!

Anchored out , with limited start batts , which could be trouble shot with the least batt use?

Some folks leave the dock where it is loads harder to have a service call.

A single drawer full of spare parts is to me far better than a Sea Tow vacation.

 

[bshillam]

After digging through my spare parts bin I found the original points, condenser, I also found a complete change of brand new plugs, new impellers for the raw water pump, new cap and rotors. A complete tune up kit for each engine! As well spare belts and I also carry spare hoses in various sizes. This is going to start a new thread!

 

[bshillam]

Plug, cap and rotor

So I cleaned up the engine harness with dielectric grease, wire brush and sand paper, put it back together and changed out the cap and rotor. Now it fires right up. I need to adjust the timing/idle as now it idles too high since the change. Question,
When I went to replace the rotor I noticed the shaft had hair line cracks in it. Also I am guessing the cap/rotor were well past a year old. Could a worn out rotor cause the engine not to run? I am going to head down to the boat tomorrow and let it run again up to temp. I am hopeful the problem has been fixed.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. b. Congrats on the tune up. Now, are you saying the distributor shaft had hairline cracks in it or the rotor? Let's assume the rotor because if the metal shaft has hairline cracks it may be new distributor time I think. ANY cracks in the Bakelite, either the cap or the rotor could most definitely shut the motor down. Other than cracking, constant arcing across the gap between the end of the rotor and the cap electrode causes oxidation which eventually wears/falls off and affects performance.