Logo

Mercruiser 3.0L ignition problem

Crossfire

New member
Hallo there,
First I want to apologize for myEnglish, I hope is not too bad.
I have a big problem with my engine,the Mercuiser 3,0 L from 1998 alpha one sterndrive. It is mounted in a searaypower boat. A few weeks ago I had a breakdown in my electronic ignition. It was completely out of order and had to be replaced. The electronic ignition was no longer manufactured so I had to replace it for a bobine ignition with distributor.The engine runs again and one day in the middle of the lake (IJsselmeer in The Netherlands), the engine was dead and would not start again. (It is not the dead mans switch)
In the harbor I checked everything according to the operating handbook. Fuelling,air, ignition, etc.
Everything is ok.
In the maintenance facility, I checked everything again with the mechanics and the engine runs a few seconds and stopped.They thought it could be the new bobine but I tried a other one and also a other distributerhead, nothing helped.
The engineers from the maintenance,the importer, nobody knows the solution and the engine stays dead.
Please can anyone help me with the golden tip. I am desperate, nobody can help me and I hope this forum can.
PB Crossfire, the Netherlands.
 
yes, i do have a spark at the coil. and the 12Volt circuit is ok. i disconnected the tachometer bud it didn't help. i run some tests and sometimes the spark at the sparkplug wasn't there when it suppose to. still the 12Volt was ok. fyi, new sparkplugs, new spark wire, new distributor and new ignition coil.......i'm out of suggestions, please help...:(
 
i run some tests and sometimes the spark at the sparkplug wasn't there when it suppose to.

Run a 12 volt wire from the battery to the + side of the coil and try to start it. If it won't start then use a 2cc syringe to carefully squirt some fuel into the carburetor while somebody else cranks the starter. If it tries to start look for a fuel problem. Fuel pump or carb. may be defective. If it still won't start then look for a defective ignition circuit wire.
 
i alreaddy tested the ignition by a direct line to the battery, no effect. the carb is working fine, fuelpump also. the main issu is that after a few cranks the sparks at the sparkplug are almoste gone or totally gone. the battery voltage, at that point, is still above 10,5Volts.
 
You ran a wire from the positive side of the battery to the positive side of the coil ? And you still have no spark at the plugs when you crank the motor ?

Yes or no ?
 
I hope he ain't cursing us out .

10 volts wont crank the motor. Dead battery. low volatage can and will mess up the electronic dist.

You need 12 volts.
 
take the lead out of the distributor cap[from the coil],and see if it will spark to an earth when winding motor over.it should give you a steady strong blue spark.that bypasses the cap and rotor and plug leads.if youre not getting the above,then youve got problems with the coil or the electronic pickup.You can make a spark testing tool out of two bent nails in a piece of wood,with one nail earthed to the motor,and the other connected to whatever you want to check.adjust the gap to about 3/16 of an inch.that will provide a good spark test.when winding the motor over,you should have at least 10 volts at the battery.the motor should also spin over freely,indicating the starter is ok.make sure your battery cables go directly to the motor
 
Back
Top