90 Maristar no start/no spark

After running fine for 1 hr, my 90 Maristar (351/Holly Carb) would not start. Starter would turn but engine would not fire. Confirmed no spark by holding a spark plug against a ground and cranking the starter.

Dealer could not duplicate the problem and insists it runs just fine.

Any ideas?

Neil

[Double Overhead]

Couple of quick questions.. So when you took it to the dealer would it start up? You said he couldnt duplicate the problem so does that mean it was starting up? Could be a number of things. Just make sure to double check that it isnt getting spark. If you have a points/condensor ignition you should really think about an electronic ignition conversion - it solved my problems. Ive heard that when bad points get hot it will cause the boat to not start. So if it starts cold and you run it it might not start once its hot.

If the dealer doesnt know how to diagnose it I would consider trying another shop. Good Luck

[JimN]

Neil- when you turned the key to start it and it had no spark, did the gauges move? Your boat is old enough for the lanyard to have relaxed enough to not press the safety switch on a hot day. I would start by checking this, followed by checking all connections starting at the battery in the crank/starting circuit, as well as the ignition switch terminals(the screws can loosen over time).