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1975 Evinrude 115 no spark

G

gtabers

New member
Hi guys-
I posted this on another thread because it was similar issues but they suggested I start my own thread. This is what I posted:

I have been looking at this and looking over some other forums and I am still having spark issues. I have a 1975 Evinrude 115 that I got last year. I have done several of the steps suggested and still no luck. Here's the history: last year got the boat fixed interior and got motor working. Toward the end of the season it intermittently wouldn't start and I would have to disconnect the black/yellow wire and then it would start. I could even reconnect the black/yellow and it would restart several times. Usually only acting up after sitting a day or so.

Onto this year: it was still acting up so I set out to fix it. I ran several voltage and continuity checks and saw this post and figured it must be the ignition switch. So I ordered a new switch and it fired right up at the house. The next day I figured it was fixed and headed to the lake. Wouldn't start. No spark! I brought it home and it hasn't started since. I have done continuity tests again on the black/yellow and the switch. I tried a new power pack too, cuase one forum suggested it might be that. I am new to outboards so any help is appreciated
 
Will Bark said:
Maybe need to have battery load tested to see if is strong enough to spin the engine 250/300rpms to get a spark.
Click to expand...

Some suggested looking at CDI website and it said that also. I also read somewhere that for outboards it is recommended at least 850 cca and my battery is only rated at 690. I also was watching the tach and was barely reading 300 so I think you may be right. I am taking the battery over to see if I can exchange it for a stronger batt.
 
Ok. So now I am REALLY confused and frustrated. New ignition switch, new battery with 850 cca test ran the motor 5 times yesterday at different times of the day to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Fired right up every time no problem. Get up this morning, gonna take the kids after school. After they head out to school, i get everything ready fix my trailer light and one more test fire. Fired up no problem. Disconnect the hose, tilt up the motor, hook the boat to the truck and Im off to pick up a couple things and the kids. Get up to the lake and NO FIRE AGAIN?! I tried everything, disconnect black uellow checked the plugs, nothing? The only difference between running like a champ and nothing was transport. Is there a tilt fail safe or something. I am at a loss.

Oh yeah and an ex boat mechanic stopped by and tried to help and was stumped.
 
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Likely the cd ignition box!!!!!!!!!!!! Advice!!= Never -EVER=NEVER!!= Charge any marine ( in the boat) battery with cables connected!! WHY?? usually owners have a weak battery & when it wont start/ crank?? they leave the key "ON"!! Put charger on the battery & that alone will shock the cd box!! Will damage the box!! Speaking from experience too- almost 40 years in repairing this stuff!!
 
twinpilot001 said:
Likely the cd ignition box!!!!!!!!!!!! Advice!!= Never -EVER=NEVER!!= Charge any marine ( in the boat) battery with cables connected!! WHY?? usually owners have a weak battery & when it wont start/ crank?? they leave the key "ON"!! Put charger on the battery & that alone will shock the cd box!! Will damage the box!! Speaking from experience too- almost 40 years in repairing this stuff!!
Click to expand...

Dang it! I have done that. I will have to check that. Is there a good source for steps on testing? Is that the same as what is referred to as the power pack?
 
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The 12 volts from the battery is not used to generate spark on this motor !----------CD box = powerpack.-----The same unit.
 
racerone said:
The 12 volts from the battery is not used to generate spark on this motor !----------CD box = powerpack.-----The same unit.
Click to expand...
As I understand it, the 12v from battery is used to turn over the motor which triggers a signal voltage that is converted to spark through the power pack. Is that correct?

Can power pack issue present like that?
 
The spinning flywheel generates a voltage pulse ( not 12 volts ) to energize the ignition system.-----------That voltage pulse is stored in the capacitor.------------That stored pulse is released to the proper coil via the trigger coils and magnets on the hub of the flyweel.----------And the motor can be started with a rope when battery is completely dead !
 
Ok. Checked rectifier with meter it checks out. With rectifier connected tach is working. One forum someone stated that you could then assume the stator is good. Is that true? Is there a way to definitively isolate the power pack? To determine if it is good or bad?
 
There are 2 parts to the stator.-------------One set of windings along with the rectifier charges the battery.--------The other set of windings powers the ignition system.--------All this in one part called the ---stator.---------Suggest you test the charge coils for the powerpack in the stator and the sensor coils in the timer base.
 
I was looking at the cdi pages and it looks like the next thing I need is a dva. I assume it is just as easy to buy one as to make and prpbably not much different in price if you have to buy all the parts.
 
Ok, so I tested the stator and no grounds or breaks, but the CDI reference said the ohm reading should be between 650-800 and mine read 648. Is that enough out of tolerance to cause a spark problem? I also went ahead and changed the power pack to eliminate that as a possibility.

I am still stumped as to why after transport there is no spark. I did notice that when the motor is tilted it kinked the wire harness that comes into the engine. Is there a wire in there that could cause this? (Other than the black yellow it's still disconnected)
 
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Just for giggles, inspect every wire under the cowl to see if the insulation is worn thru on ay wire and is letting bare wire touch the engine block especially around the sharp edges of the block
 
So the only thing I found so far is the rectifier's red lead had dry rotted so the sheath was crumbling off of it. What is interesting though is I tested it before and it tested fine, but I hadn't noticed the wire.
 
is there an inline fuse in the wiring under the cowl?...if there is it will be in a red wire...is the kill switch lanyard in place?..did you try disconnecting the blacl/yellow wire from the power pack...this is the kill circuit and there should be an inline disconnect under the cowl..if you disconnect this wire and it starts then you cannot kill it from the switch..choke it down..
 
Kill wire is disconnected as stated above (post #20). There are 2 fuses one at the back of the boat and the one on the red wire you mentioned. I have doublechecked those and put the continuity tester on it juat to verify and they are both good.
 
Can someone verify? Rectifier has to do with battery charging not ignition, true or false? I electrical taped the open lead but still no spark. There has to be some wire that is making inconsistent contact, but I can't find it. The only other thing I can think of is the stator, I just haven't had a chance to get a dva yet. I posted the ohm readings above. Can a stator present intermittently like that?

PS maybe a little more history will help. When I first got the boat last year, we drained and dried the old gas and changed plugs. Eventually we got it to start and run last year and ran pretty strong. Occasionally we would have to pull the black yellow to get it to fire and then it would be fine for several starts. Usually after sitting a day or so we would have that issue. This year I was trying to fix it and after a couple of tests and a couple things I read, I felt it was the ignition key. So I replaced that. Still having spark problems, I disconnected the black yellow and no progress. About that same time was when Will Bark suggested the cranking amps on my battery. So I went and got a new battery. Hooked up the new battery and it fired up so we thought we had it. I started it 4 different times that day and again the next morning before hooking up to the truck. Only thing that changed was I tilted the motor to transport, drove to the lake and put it back down in the water. No spark and haven't had it since, which was last Friday. I have tested every component of the ignition that I know of (except dva readings on stator), new key ignition, new battery with 850+ cca, new power pack, disconnected and reconnected just about every screw terminal on the motor, and triple checked the 2 fuses I know of. I did the spark test with a light at the power pack. I ran a spark test the plug wires with plugs in and out. Continuity on kill circuit test, meter on the rectifier, and ohms on the stator. What am I missing? Thanks for your help and replies. I really appreciate it. This thing has me stumped.
 
Looks like everything on the starter is good. I was checking the main plug coming in on the main wiring harness and when I plugged it back together it started? Is there a wire in that plug that would allow it to crank but not fire? (Keeping in mind the black yellow was disconnected at the power pack)
 
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