Engin cut out , could be kill switch or electrics??

[andy]

Was out on my 1998 1900sr 4.3 mercruiser last week and after an hour of normal use while driving along the boat just cut out. It was as if the kill switch had been flicked but it hadn't.
I had a quick look at the coil and tried to test to see if there was a spark but couldnt see one.
It turns over but doesnt fire.
Anyone have any ideas why it would have cut out like this or have a wiring diagram for the kill switch etc??

Thanks

[seapuppy]

well..if your not getting power to the sparkplug...then back check to the coil...if your not getting electricity to the coil 12vdc side..then your coil is probably gone bad.....there is a large 50 amp breaker on the engine..big red button...push that hard......it has to make a snap noise......
if that doesn't work...then it's probably a breaker on the dc breaker panel....check the ign. circuit......a few ideas for you...good luck...

SP.

[andy]

Thanks for the reply SP,
I have checked the coil and there is power getting to it. I couldnt see any big red button! where abouts is it on the engine?
Also wheres the breaker panel!?

[seapuppy]

if you have one..it's on top of the engine..can't miss it..it's a huge breaker if you have one...the dc breaker panel should be located near the feet of your helm ....either on the side or right under the steering wheel......if they are like the newer ones..it will have a plastic cover over all of them showing a red button out...should be marked as "ign"....

if those are both ok...get a volt/ohm meter and start tracing from the key to the coil....sounds like something is failed...it very well could be the emergency cut off switch or what is called the kill switch on the throttle quadrant.......

SP

[andy]

Cheers mate,
I dont have a big red button, if i did Id have pressed it by now as I can resist pressing buttons!
The breaker panel I think your talking about might translate into the queens English as the fuse box???
I think its got something to do with the kill switch due to the way it cut out suddenly.
Its just a nightmare to get to!

[seapuppy]

Queens English???....I'm merican man!!....haha...ok....just joking a bit...anyway...yeah...the dc breaker panel might be called a fuse panel.....but try cycling the cut out switch a few times and see if that helps.......
since you don't have a cut out breaker that is 50 amps..then....my thinking is this....make sure the throttle is in the neutral position...give it a shake a bit to make sure it's in neutral...
then....cycle the cut out switch.....try starting then....the only way to get to the cutout switch is to break into the throttle quadrant....go to your local maxum dealer and see if they can give you a breakdown of how to get into the throttle to access to the switch...I know there is a plastic key that has to be broken in order to access the throttle..then when you reassemble..you snap a new key back in place.....

sorry I couldn't be of more help but it's hard to analyze the problem from this far away.....hopefully this will get resolved soon...

SP

[Stressleave]

If you have a electric fuel pump, you could have a bad oil pressure switch which controls the fuel pump.
Check the two wire terminals that connect to the oil switch they could be dirty.
The fuel pump itself could be bad.
Did you change your fuel water seperater filter? It could have water in it.
After the motor stalled did it start back up and then stall again in a few seconds? If so check the oil switch.
I had this problem two years ago.
Hope this helps
Paul

[andy]

I have looked at the oil pressure switch or what I think is the oil pressure switch and it looks like it has been by passed as the 2 wires the connect to it ahv been taken off and just looped together. The engine was working fine before I noticed that so I guess its not that!
I changed the fuel filter a couple weeks ago.
The boat just cut out and didnt re start at all.
Ive check the coil and that has power to it and the distributor seems ok.
Could it be the Ignition amplifier? Do they tend to go and if so do they just go suddenly??
Anyone know where I can get a new one in the uk!!!

[seapuppy]

engine amp???...ok..lets start over....you checked pwr to the coil...but is there pwr coming out of the coil???...is there spark at the spark plug.....is the carb getting gas??...that's about all that can go wrong really...no gas..no go...no spark..no go...
are you talking about the module??....those are pretty common then and should be easy to get....
and the oil sensor that has been bypassed...might wanna replace that...
let us know...

SP.

[andy]

Ive checked the power to the coil and getting power in and out of the coil.
No Spark at the spark plug and no spark coming off the lead from the coil to the distributor but the lead seems to be ok.
Im getting fuel ok.
Im thinking it is either the ignition sensor (the sencor in the distributor) is that what you call the module? or the ignition ampifier(the black box that is bolted on just above near the coil, 2 connectors go into it with several wires in each connector.
Or it could be something to do with the kill switch, how does the kill switch work? does it stop the power to the coil??

Thanks!

[Stressleave]

If you have power to the coil but no power to the sparkplug then I would suspect the coil or the electronic ignition pickup in the distributor.
Paul

[andy]

yeah I think you might be right. I tested the coil and it seems ok so im guessing its the ignition pickup.
Anyone know where to get mercruiser parts in the UK or anywhere in the US that ships them over!!!

[seapuppy]

alot of places on line will ship to the eu....

[zt260]

Andy try www.aquaparts.co.uk they seem to stock merc parts i have bought from them

ash

[zt260]

Sorry i think its www.aquapart.co.uk

[andy]

Thanks for all your help, just to let you know it ened up being the ignition switch in the distributor.