Battery CD Ignitions
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A large portion of the problems with the battery CD units are caused by low battery voltage and/or bad ground connections. Low voltage symptoms are weak fire or weak erratic firing of cylinders. Warning: Battery reversal will cause severe damage to the CD units and to the rectifier. While the Chrysler/Force battery ignitions are similar to OMC's, care must be taken with regards to the color codes of the wires. The following list will assist you as a general guideline.
- Red: +12V direct battery connection
- Blue: +12V ignition switch
- Gray: + Terminal of coil
- White: OEM Tach
- White/Black stripe: Points or preamp
- Black: Engine ground
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1) Check all battery and ground connections. Maximum battery voltage is 16v DC.
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2) Check the voltage on the blue wire at the CD unit. If the voltage is less than 9 1/2 volts during cranking, there is a problem in the battery circuit. These units require at least 9 1/2 volts to fire properly. Connect a jumper wire directly from the + battery terminal to the CD and retest. Warning: If the motor starts with jumper wire connected, you will be required to remove the jumper to kill the motor. If motor starts with jumper connected, there is a problem with voltage in blue wire. Repair as necessary. |
3) Disconnect points/sensor wire. Strike the points/censor wire against engine ground. The CD unit should fire every time. If the CD unit fails to fire, check the ignition coil for cracks or poorly grounded condition. A poorly grounded ignition coil can burn out a battery CD. Connect a spark gap tester directly to the coil. If it doesnt fire, replace the coil with any known good CD coil. If the CD unit still fails to fire, it is normally bad. |
4) Check the DVA voltage on the gray wire primary input wire to the coil. Using a DVA meter, readings should be 200 volts or more. |
Magnapower II CD Systems
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Disconnect the white and blue kill wires from the CD and connect a DC voltmeter between the kill wires and engine ground. Turn the ignition switch on and off several times. AT NO TIME SHOULD YOU SEE THE BATTERY VOLTAGE ON A KILL CIRCUIT. |
Connect a spark gap tester to all ignition coils and test with the spark plugs in and out.If the coils fire only with the plugs out, check compression with all spark plugs removed. A blown head gasket on these engines can cause a no fire problem if the plugs are installed. NOTE: This is an unexplained situation, but experience has shown that it can occur. |
Check the DVA voltage on the T1 and T4 terminals using the Fluke meter with the peak reading adapter (CDI #511-9773), or CD 77, by cranking the engine over and stopping to read the voltage. You should read between 170-270 volts. |
If either T1 or T4 has a low reading, disconnect the trigger module wires (white/blue and green/white) and retest. If the readings are now correct, the trigger module is probably bad. If there is still a low reading, use a set of jumpers and swap the green and white capacitor leads. If the low reading stays on the same terminal, the CD is bad. If it follows one lead of the capacitor, then the capacitor is bad. |
Check to see if the ignition coils are wired properly. On a 2 cylinder engine, #1 is connected as NEGATIVE ground and #2 is POSITIVE ground. With a 4 cylinder, #1 and #2 are NEGATIVE ground and #3 and #4 are POSITIVE ground. |
FORCE / U.S. MARINE Alternator Driven Ignitions
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For P/Ns: 475301-1 (300-F475301-1), 653301 (300-F817974A1), 658301-2,685301-1 (300-F658301-2)
(NOTICE: Maintence-free batteries are not recommended for use with these systems)
DVA readings should always be taken with everything connected. |
Check for broken wires and terminals, especially inside the plastic plug-in connectors. We recommend that you remove the pins from the connectors and visually inspect them., |
Check the flywheel for broken or loose magnets. |
Disconnect the kill wires from the CD and connect a DC voltmeter between the kill wires and engine ground, turn the ignition switch on and off several times. If, at any time, you see voltage appearng on the meter, there is a problem in the harness or ignition switch. AT NO TIME SHOULD YOU SEE BATTERY VOLTAGE ON A KILL CIRCUIT. |
Visually inspect stator for burned or discolored areas. If found, replace the stator.If the areas are on the battery charge windings, it indicates a possible problem with the rectifier. |
If no fire on any cylinder:
Disconnect kill wire AT THE PACK. Check for broken or bare wires on the unit, stator and trigger. Using a Fluke meter with a peak reading adapter, measure DVA voltage of the stator between the output wire sets. With everything connected, readings should be approximately 180 volts or more. The OEM stator resistence between the blue and yellow wires is 700-900 ohms. Disconnect the rectifier. If the engine fires, replace the rectifier. |
No fire or intermittent on one cylinder:
Check stator and trigger resistence. Trigger wire sets read approximately 50 ohms between the wire sets(DVA-5V or more), OEM stators read 700-900 ohms (DVA 180V or more) from blue to yellow. If readings are good, disconnect kill wire from one pack. If the dead cylinder starts firing, the problem is likely the blocking diode in the other pack. |
No fire on two cylinders:
If two cylinders from the same CD unit will not fire, the problem is usually in the stator. Test per 5 above. |
Engine will not kill:
Check kill circuit in the pack by using a jumper wire connected to the kill wire coming out of the pack and shorting it to ground. If this kills the pack, the kill circuit in the harness or on the boat is bad, possibly the ignition switch. |
Coils only fire with the spark plugs out:
Check for dragging stator or low battery causing slow cranking speed. DVA test stator and trigger. |
High speed miss:
Using a Fluke meter with the peak reading adapter, DVA check stator voltage to each pack at high speed. If it exceeds 400 volts, replace the pack. Disconnect the rectifier and retest. If the miss is gone replace the rectifier. |