Ignition System Components & Locations

A/C & D/C Wiring, GPS, Radios, etc.
Supersport18
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Re: Ignition System Components & Locations

Post by Supersport18 »

Another option. Save some bucks. And you keep your original advance curve. You can keep your points as a backup. I've used these and can vouch for their dependability.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pnx-1381a
Last edited by Supersport18 on Fri Jul 10, 2015 4:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1986 Sedan Flybridge
Twin 318 closed loop
" Little Martha"
Traverse City,Mi
Hydraulic Steering (both helms)
Autopilot (both helms)
Supersport18
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Re: Ignition System Components & Locations

Post by Supersport18 »

1986 Sedan Flybridge
Twin 318 closed loop
" Little Martha"
Traverse City,Mi
Hydraulic Steering (both helms)
Autopilot (both helms)
Tranquilo
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Re: Ignition System Components & Locations

Post by Tranquilo »

Thank you for the awesome diagram Supersport! I now understand why there was no resistor. The coil in the engine had white print on it that said "use without ballast resistor".

The Accel one I have in now doesn't say that, so I'm building a module so I can put it in and see what happens in the morning.

I'm going to have to continue on with the system because I popped the breaker again when revving the engine. After resetting the breaker, I couldn't duplicate the fault again.

I got yelled at by guy who had a new born living close by so had to cut out the revving for the night :)

I'm going to continue shooting the system in the AM. I have a new alternator because I see my volt meter spike and swing at high RPMs.

I'll see if the breaker is just going bad first :) Update soon
2x 1973 28 Express - Single 318
New electrical panels, water system and velvet drive
Miami FL & Catawba OH
Tranquilo
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Re: Ignition System Components & Locations

Post by Tranquilo »

Update:
Installed ballast resistor and swapped breaker.

At 600rmp, breaker popped in 13 minutes. Alternator was reading about 11 volts
Reset and started again
Ran it at 900-1000 rpm, voltage about 13.5vdc for 1 hour without incident.

My suspicion here is that it is not a wire short but perhaps an under voltage condition that is drawing more amps or the alternator is just shot internally.

I'm going to bite the bullet and change the dMn alternator
2x 1973 28 Express - Single 318
New electrical panels, water system and velvet drive
Miami FL & Catawba OH
Roger2
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Re: Ignition System Components & Locations

Post by Roger2 »

Take to Alt. repair shop, sounds like a bad diode.
Roger
"Sea Jay" a 37' Double cabin with twin factory Volvo diesels, 230 HP each. Twin Disk 1.54 Trans turning DynaQuad 19X21 props.
Roger Brown
Petersburg, IL
Tranquilo
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Re: Ignition System Components & Locations

Post by Tranquilo »

Good call. I replaced the old one with this one (first part I ordered)
http://www.amazon.com/WIRE-MARINE-ALTER ... ALTERNATOR

Like I saw elsewhere on this forum, it took a spike in RPMs to get it going (1100 rpm) then back down to 700 (was sweating bullets)

I ran it at idle for about 30 minutes without incident. I saw my voltage gage hovering at 13.2 VDC BUT my battery was sitting from 11.9 - 11.8 after the session. I read in the same post from Bill that the one wire alternators don't really charge at low RPMs. Then again, I could have something messed up in the charging circuit. Not sure how to test for that but its on my list next. I don't understand how the 1 wire alternator is able to remove the line directly to the coil but I was trained on aircraft, not cars or boats :)

I tried finding a shop to look at the original one first but I'm in Miami and they think you smoke crack when you ask about component level repair. I'll take it back to Cleveland with me in the next couple of weeks when I visit my baby (another 73 M). The old one fits better IMO - the new one was practically stomped into place.

Any ideas on how to test the charging circuit?
2x 1973 28 Express - Single 318
New electrical panels, water system and velvet drive
Miami FL & Catawba OH
jralbert
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Re: Ignition System Components & Locations

Post by jralbert »

There is, or at least was, a highly qualified, reasonably priced alternator/generator repair guy in FastJeff's neighborhood. I used him once but forget the contact info (actually it was on the old site, but that's now wiped out). Jeff may respond to this and post the info.

(and I still have the repaired unit in my garage - I think it was a Motorola alternator)
-joel-
former owner 1988 '32 FB Sedan
Chesapeake Bay
twin 318 / 240 hp
Potomac MD
TinLizzy
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Location: Lake Superior-Michigan's U.P.

Re: Ignition System Components & Locations

Post by TinLizzy »

Tranquilo wrote:What am I buying?
This?: http://www.boatersplus.com/chrysler-ele ... 2738m.html - looks like it has a ballast resistor too
I went with this system through Marysville Marine, it says Chrysler but it is a Mallory distributor, Prestolite coil, Sierra ballast resistor. It has been working great on both of my motors. It does cost more than the Pertronix ones though. I don't know which one I would go with if I had it to do over again, knowing that the Mallory's have been trouble free.
Rodney
1975 28 Express-Twin 350 Chevy's, SOLD
1990 32 Express--Twin Mercruiser 454 with Bravo I outdrives
Portage Canal Waterway-Upper Peninsula,Lake Superior
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tundrarules
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Re: Ignition System Components & Locations

Post by tundrarules »

There were scads of threads on the old site. I put Pertronix on my engines. After one season they were rusting at an alarming rate (in freshwater). Worked with Pertronix engineering to help them test a new marine design. First attempt failed; rotor was contacting cap. Long story short, they would not refund my money and I was doing testing for them. They sent me a couple of improved distributors, but I never installed...got tired of missing boating season and installed Mallorys...been running great every since. Not sure how they are holding up as far as corrosion. Will report at end of this season. I would personally go with Mallorys. No resistor, just run straight 12V with Mallory high output marine coil....end of story :ugeek:
1985 29 Sedan
Edelbrock 1409 carbs
Mallory distributors
Pertronix Flame-Thrower coil & wires
780 hrs/eng
TN River, MM 213.8

:mrgreen:
Tranquilo
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Re: Ignition System Components & Locations

Post by Tranquilo »

Grrrrrrrrr. So the new one wire alternator puts out enough juice to keep the breaker from blowing at idle. Bad news is that is just blows when I turn the key off. Pretty lame.

So..... I dug into the wiring some more. Isolated the components of the ignition system and got some strange readings that I still don't understand. I would really love to se a damn wiring diagram for this system. So I started making one of my own with a big "?" in the middle because I don't know where the transition is made from battery power to alternator power in the ignition circuit.

I'M NOT GETTING A CHARGE AT THE BATTERY DURING OPERATION

Here is what I drew up and where my meter is getting strange readings:

Battery + terminal connector to A side of the circuit breaker - no grounding, no resistance - clean run

B side of the circuit breaker to ground - measures 135 OHMS

B side of the circuit breaker to the Alternator + lead - clean run, no resistance

Alternator + lead to ground - measures 135 OHMS to ground

Now here's where I think the monkey lives -

The lead that goes to the resistor & coil (all disconnected) reads 10 OHMS to ground and 145 OHMS to the alternator lead.

So the question is "WHAT SITS BETWEEN THE COIL LEAD AND THE ALTERNATOR???" :?: :?: :?:

Image
2x 1973 28 Express - Single 318
New electrical panels, water system and velvet drive
Miami FL & Catawba OH
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