I have a 1987 Bayliner with a 350 engine in it.

I am not getting any spark to the plugs. It is a breaker points system.
Is the coil supposed to be hot with the key on at both the positive and
negative sides? I touched a test light to both the + and - terminals
and the light glows on both. I also touched the wire inside the
distributor and it is hot but the other side where the contacts touch
is not hot when the points are closed.

Any body know anything about this?

Thanks,
Bayman.

bayman wrote:

I have a 1987 Bayliner with a 350 engine in it.

I am not getting any spark to the plugs. It is a breaker points system.
Is the coil supposed to be hot with the key on at both the positive and
negative sides?

(+) 12 volts to GROUND(not (-) cranking, less while ON or running.

I touched a test light to both the + and - terminals
and the light glows on both.

Points are shorted to ground, or stuck closed, or shorted through the
tachometer or harness to ground.

I also touched the wire inside the
distributor and it is hot but the other side where the contacts touch
is not hot when the points are closed.

?


Any body know anything about this?

See thread above titled "Mercruiser Still Won't Start"

Rob



Thanks,
Bayman.

Normal test results.
Diagnosis:
Put your test light on the - side of the coil and crank. The lamp should
flash. If no, the points are not closing, they are burned up, the
condenser is toast, or the breaker plate isn't grounded. If it does
flash, check the dwell with a dwell meter (35°) and test the condenser
with the condenser test function of the dwell meter. Doesn't have one?
Buy a better meter. Test the coil with an ohm meter. Look for 1-5 ohms
across the primary terminals, and over 1K secondary between the coil
tower and either primary terminal. If this tests ok, look for the rotor
grounding through the distributor shaft; an open coil wire, a missing
distributor cap coil terminal button, or less than battery voltage at
the + coil terminal during cranking. All OK? Make sure the distributor
is actually turning when cranking. It is? Replace the coil. Still no
spark? Hire a mechanic.
JR

bayman wrote:
I have a 1987 Bayliner with a 350 engine in it.

I am not getting any spark to the plugs. It is a breaker points system.
Is the coil supposed to be hot with the key on at both the positive and
negative sides? I touched a test light to both the + and - terminals
and the light glows on both. I also touched the wire inside the
distributor and it is hot but the other side where the contacts touch
is not hot when the points are closed.

Any body know anything about this?

Thanks,
Bayman.



--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

BBBZZZZZZTTTTTT!
If the points are shorted, the - terminal won't glow-the current all
goes to ground. If the - terminal glows, the - circuit is open.
JR

trainfan1 wrote:



Points are shorted to ground, or stuck closed, or shorted through the
tachometer or harness to ground.





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--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive
The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me
No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dependence is Vulnerability:
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"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."

JR North wrote:

BBBZZZZZZTTTTTT!
If the points are shorted, the - terminal won't glow-the current all
goes to ground. If the - terminal glows, the - circuit is open.
JR


How does a terminal glow?

Rob

The test lamp ON the terminal.....tap, tap, tap
JR

trainfan1 wrote:
JR North wrote:

BBBZZZZZZTTTTTT!
If the points are shorted, the - terminal won't glow-the current all
goes to ground. If the - terminal glows, the - circuit is open.
JR


How does a terminal glow?

Rob


--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

JR North wrote:
The test lamp ON the terminal.....tap, tap, tap
JR

trainfan1 wrote:

JR North wrote:

BBBZZZZZZTTTTTT!
If the points are shorted, the - terminal won't glow-the current all
goes to ground. If the - terminal glows, the - circuit is open.
JR


How does a terminal glow?

Rob




So, if the points are not shorted or closed, and the OP is getting ~12
volts with a test lamp at the (+) & (-) terminals of the coil, where is
the ground/negative return for this circuit?

Rob

points closed completes the circuit.
Jim

"trainfan1" wrote in message
...
JR North wrote:
The test lamp ON the terminal.....tap, tap, tap
JR

trainfan1 wrote:

JR North wrote:

BBBZZZZZZTTTTTT!
If the points are shorted, the - terminal won't glow-the current all
goes to ground. If the - terminal glows, the - circuit is open.
JR


How does a terminal glow?

Rob




So, if the points are not shorted or closed, and the OP is getting ~12
volts with a test lamp at the (+) & (-) terminals of the coil, where is
the ground/negative return for this circuit?

Rob

Jim wrote:

points closed completes the circuit.
Jim


Right, So, if the points are not shorted or closed, and the OP is
getting ~12 volts with a test lamp at the (+) & (-) terminals of the
coil, where is the ground/negative return for this circuit?

The OP also says his "hot" circuit does not continue across the points,
which would indicates the points are not closing.

Rob

There isn't a ground return. That's why he reads the same voltage
everywhere. He is reading the total circuit voltage across an open
circuit.The points must not be set right or the contacts are contaminated. I
think we are saying the same thing different ways.
Jim
"trainfan1" wrote in message
...
Jim wrote:

points closed completes the circuit.
Jim


Right, So, if the points are not shorted or closed, and the OP is getting
~12 volts with a test lamp at the (+) & (-) terminals of the coil, where
is the ground/negative return for this circuit?

The OP also says his "hot" circuit does not continue across the points,
which would indicates the points are not closing.

Rob