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Spark issues on a 79 Mercruiser 288, Chevy 305 Please Help

ken7237

ken7237

New member
Spark issues on a 79 Mercruiser 288, Chevy 305
The problem that I am having is that I am not getting a continues spark out of the coil sometimes I get spark and sometimes I don’t. When I do get spark out of the coil it is very weak. I checked it with my timing light it’s the kind of timing light that goes around the spark plug wire. When I hook it around the wire that comes out of the distributor from the points the timing light lights right up and matches the points. I can see that the points are sparking like they should. The trouble I think starts with the coil cause the spark does not come out of the coil all the time like it should when it does come out of he coil and go into the distributor it is a weak spark. The spark does not come out of the distributor cap and go to the spark plugs I checked the spark plugs with my timing light nothing no spark at all. I have used three different coils one coil sparked like it should for about 5 seconds got hot then started screwing up like the other 2. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. PLEASE HELP
 
ken7237 said:
The spark does not come out of the distributor cap and go to the spark plugs I checked the spark plugs with my timing light nothing no spark at all. I have used three different coils one coil sparked like it should for about 5 seconds got hot then started screwing up like the other 2. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. PLEASE HELP
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My first guess would be the ignition coil, and possibly whether or not you have the correct coil (internally resisted, or requires external resistance).
Or as Bill says, points/condensor.
A perfectly good coil will not produce a spark if the condensor is bad, nor if the contact points are dwelled incorrectly.

You mentioned The spark does not come out of the distributor cap and go to the spark plugs
If the distributor cap is not correct for the distributor, the rotor/cap towers may not be indexed correctly.
Is the cap seated and/or indexed correctly?
See this thread post #2.
 
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