Outboard problems.... no spark "help please"

[jj-da-fisher]

so my motor died the other day and i could not get it going again (when i finally made it back to shore) and back on my trailer.... which is another story all together.....
This is what i have done thus far....
no spark at all on either cylinders
Tested the kill switch wire (tests good)
no spark at all on either cylinders so i bought new plugs figuring the old ones were fouled up... nope new plugs still no spark...
so then i tested what i thought was everything to narrow it down to a bad power pack... so i bought a new power pack and installed it and still u guessed it no spark.....
is there any easy way to check to see if your coils are bad? i ohm checked them and seem to be within spec. I cant get the flywheel off to take a look at the stator.
Do or can coils go bad together? (at the same time)
The motor is
1994 30 Hp Johnson 2 Cylinder 2 Stroke electric start.
I am in Barrhaven and have looked into taking it into a few of the not so local shops but everywhere i check is 2 to 3 weeks and more then likely they will just start swapping parts.....
Does anyone have any suggestions or know guys who work on these on the side and are good and reputable? I am new to the area (military) and have not met or made many connections as of yet....
Thanks in advance
Jay

[RobM]

I just went through something similar with a 15HP Evinrude 4 stroke. There is a single coil in the motor that fires both spark plugs. If your motor is similar and has 1 coil for both cylinders, I would start there. It is pretty cheap and easy to replace. I hope you didn't spend too much on the power pack.

In my case the coil was replaced first with no improvement. Then I changed a bunch of other stuff, including the power pack ($300!!!), to no avail. I got fed up and sold the motor as a "parts motor". The new owner put in a new coil and it runs like a top now. Turns out the replacement coil was bad.

BTW - I have an older version of your motor (25HP though) and wouldn't trade it for anything. It has been ultra reliable for me.

[jj-da-fisher]

2 coils 1 per cylinder thinking

[smitty55]

To me it seems unlikely that both coils would go bad at the same time. That leaves the stator as the common factor. If you can access the leads from the stator at the coils or possibly a small terminal block you should be able to do a resistance/continuity test. You may get lucky and find an open circuit with no continuity.That being said, many times faults won't present themselves with simple tests like that as the voltage output of the meter is so small. What is needed is a "megger" check to test the insulation resistance of the windings under test by using higher voltages to test for shorts between the windings and ground . Most testers will have different voltage settings to use like 300v/750v/1000v, depending on the working voltages of the unit under test. A perfect reading would be infinite resistance but acceptable specs are ok for most coils. Probably measured in megohms.

Good luck with it. Cheers

[Daboss]

Evinrude / Johnson forum
http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=24
This guy is good,
http://www.leeroysramblings.com/Outboar ... icles.html

[jj-da-fisher]

i was also leaning towards the stator as well. only due to the fact that i as well thought it would be a very slim chance that bought coils would happen to go at the very same time.... so i am going to pull the flywheel when i get a flywheel puller (or make one) and take a look at the stator and see if i can see anything noticeable out of sorts. (freyed wires, burnt spots, anything at all the perhaps change it as well.... $$ i am guessing if i change that then there is only a few other things it can be then i will have an entire new igntion system.
When i pull the fly wheel do i need to worry about screwing up the timing?? or do i just mark it and make sure i put the flywheel on at the exact same spot?
Thanks again
Jay

[smitty55]

I can't answer about your timing question as I'm not sure and I wouldn't want to steer you in the wrong direction. There are people on this forum who know much more about it than I do. Hopefully someone can chime in and answer that for you. And there is always google.

Good luck with it. Cheers

[Roblin]

I had a switch box fail on a Mariner. Same thing, no spark. I'd check everything else first as switch boxes aren't cheap. Good luck.

[Daboss]

Flywheels usually only go on one way, hard to miss.

[smitty55]

That's what I figured Daboss. And if the woodruff key is worn or damaged replace it as that will affect the timing. They are dirt cheap anyway. Cheers

[moonshine]

check for power going to the coils. trace the wires back from the coil til you find 12 volts. there are also fuses you should check as well. double check every connection and check for voltages on both sides of connectors. I doubt very much if its the stator. you have CDI ignition so I would concentrate there

[SeaMonster]

Here's a troublshooting guide if you don't aready have one.
https://bpi.ebasicpower.com/downloads/c ... INRUDE.pdf

Regulator-rectifier/stator (coils)/switchbox are likely suspects.

[Daboss]

WTF? from the above guide...
"DUE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BATTERIES, NEITHER MAINTAINENCE FREE NOR LOW
MAINTAINENCE BATTERIES ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THIS APPLICATION! "