Esa module

recently installed new style e

recently installed new style esa module on 1990 4.3 omc worked fine in driveway got boat in water same thing hard shifting both micro switches meter out fine does any body know what could be taking module out

Hi James. I have the same exa

Hi James. I have the same exact Cobra and had the same problem. Using an OHM meter I found a broken wire/bad connector between the ESA and the coil. It's the two wire connector with white/purple wires. I bypassed the connector by running a jumper from the white wire straight to the coil. No more problems...
Hope this helps.

thanks for the reply chuck wil

thanks for the reply chuck will give that a try have you had any exp. with pertronix electronic ignition i have heard if i install one i will need a series diodes and resistors or i may blow esa or pick up module ?

"Yes, in fact I am running the

"Yes, in fact I am running the Pertronix Igniter. There was a diode/resistor fix for the original "old style" ESA. The new style ESA does not requie it. It also has a built in timer feature that eliminates the need for the overstroke switch."

thanks on that reply chuck i a

thanks on that reply chuck i am going to purchase the pertronix kit in my prestolite dist.did you have to alter timing ect. and do you feel it helped the performence of the eng. if so how thanks will keep you posted on what i find with esa mod.hope like you said just bad connection james

Can't say that I noticed a

Can't say that I noticed any real performance difference. I just wanted to try it out. I've run it for two summers now and I'm pleased with it. No need to change timing.
Check continuity carefully. You may have to move the wires around a little while checking to see the problem. Mine was like yours. It would work intermittently. Wire was broken inside the insulation......

chuck james here checked all c

chuck james here checked all connections from micro switch to coil with my meter everything is fine like i said before installed new style esa switch worked in driveway got to lake hard shifting again is there any way of testingesa switch its self to see if maybe something is taking it out or maybe wire directly from micro switch to ground out coil would be easy to do doing away with esa thanks for your help

"Are you sure that the ESA is

"Are you sure that the ESA is not working? With the engine running in neutral, lift up the actuator arm on the interrupt switch and see if the engine runs rough and drops RPM's. If it does then your problem might really be a bad sticky or mal adjusted lower shift cable."

"Have you watched the actuator

"Have you watched the actuator while having someone shift it while in the water to make sure the switch is being made? Also, what is your idle RPMs? Should be around 600. Is it hard to shift from neutral into gear or only coming out of gear?"

have lifted up actuator arm on

have lifted up actuator arm on micro switch with engine running makes no difference to engine rpm . rpm is set at about 650 is hard going into and out of gear

"You could possibly have a bad

"You could possibly have a bad ESA module but there is a couple of things I would do first. There are 2 cable assemblies coming out of the module, one goes to a 4 pin plug which is for the switches the other is a 2 pin plug, purple lead is 12v power and the grey lead goes to the neg side of the coil. There is also a ground wire (very important) that must be firmly attached for the module to work. Check to make sure you have power on the purple wire and make sure the grey wire is attached ok to the coil. The neg post of the coil should have 2 grey wires and a black. (Black from the dist/points) The other grey is for the tach, you can remove that to make sure the tach is not interferring with the ESA. If all that checks out I would then disconnect the 4 pin plug that goes to the switches and on the ESA end of that plug you should see a black and blue wire plus a blue jumper that wraps around at the plug. Take a jumper wire or paperclip or ?? and short the 2 pins together that have the black and blue wire (not the pins that have the blue jumper) while the engine is running in neutral and see if the ESA activates, this process just removes the switches and wiring from the equation. Using this wiring diagram hopefully you can see what I'm asking you to do.

http://www.selocmarine.com/content/manuals/3404/pdf/340410w151.pdf"

Sounds like more than one prob

Sounds like more than one problem. The ESA definatly needs to be working but in my "limited" experience it's function is more for getting out of gear. Interupting the ignition causes the engine to stumble therefore taking torque off the drive and easing shifting back to neutral. When in neutral trying to shift into gear there is no torque and the interuption really shouldn't be needed. You might want to disconnect both cables from the shift bracket and check them for binding.

chuck and bob thanks for all y

chuck and bob thanks for all your help was at lake through the week and checked all connections again? all was good voltage on purple wire cont. to ground micro switch fine by fluke had two wire plug male disconnected from two wire female plug that goes to dist. plugged back together tripped micro switch worked fine tried again no go bent wires at plug from new esa module worked fine let go no go cut plug out hard wired works like hot damm have not cut insullation off plug to look at connection to pins yet but problem was oviously there maybe a guy should pay a couple of extra bucks for oem parts rarher than sierra jobber parts? thanks again guys great site james

"Good chance the problem was a

"Good chance the problem was actually in the old part of the plug. Thats exactly where my problem was. At any rate, glad you got it working. Life is tough without that ESA!"