Hot Restart Solved...for now.

[Nvrgvup]

Please disregard this if it has been discussed. However I am so excited to get this hopefully figured out I have to tell someone.

Since I have had my 83' for the last 2 years I have struggled with hot restart issues and even a little cold starting. Always took some degree of cranking and throttle pumping. I figured it was always vapor lock. I changed the coil, plugs, cap, rotor, points, timing, thermostat, wrapped the fuel line to reduce heat, while it seemed like that helped a little and made it run really good it never started that good. I still have points which are correctly gapped and timed however my thinking was if I have problems with points going electronic shouldn't cure the issue directly.

So after some reading I found that many point ignition based cars and the Indmar's with points have a ballast resistor bypass wire. This wire runs from the starter solenoid to the output of the ballast resistor which goes to the positive side of the ignition coil. The purpose is to bypass the ballast resistor to deliver more voltage to the ignition coil during starting to overcome the voltage drop caused by the starter. The resistor is then only bypassed during starts.

So I took 10 minutes last night and made up a wire with with a couple terminals and gave it a shot. The results were amazing. It started so much faster. Barely cranked and fired up both cold and hot. A definite change. I know this is not how PCM originally wired it, I don't care it works so much better.

So to anyone out there with an older PCM still running points and having some starting issues, I suggest to give this a try. 5" of wire 2 terminals and ten minutes, beer drinking time included. If it doesn't help just take it off.

[thatsmrmastercraft]

Pretty sure that is missing from the PO who repowered my boat.

[Huskie05]

Originally Posted by Nvrgvup

Please disregard this if it has been discussed. However I am so excited to get this hopefully figured out I have to tell someone.

Since I have had my 83' for the last 2 years I have struggled with hot restart issues and even a little cold starting. Always took some degree of cranking and throttle pumping. I figured it was always vapor lock. I changed the coil, plugs, cap, rotor, points, timing, thermostat, wrapped the fuel line to reduce heat, while it seemed like that helped a little and made it run really good it never started that good. I still have points which are correctly gapped and timed however my thinking was if I have problems with points going electronic shouldn't cure the issue directly.

So after some reading I found that many point ignition based cars and the Indmar's with points have a ballast resistor bypass wire. This wire runs from the starter solenoid to the output of the ballast resistor which goes to the positive side of the ignition coil. The purpose is to bypass the ballast resistor to deliver more voltage to the ignition coil during starting to overcome the voltage drop caused by the starter. The resistor is then only bypassed during starts.

So I took 10 minutes last night and made up a wire with with a couple terminals and gave it a shot. The results were amazing. It started so much faster. Barely cranked and fired up both cold and hot. A definite change. I know this is not how PCM originally wired it, I don't care it works so much better.

So to anyone out there with an older PCM still running points and having some starting issues, I suggest to give this a try. 5" of wire 2 terminals and ten minutes, beer drinking time included. If it doesn't help just take it off.

In a million years I won't be this smart, well done. I would have sold the boat...

[ahhudgins]

Just curious as to what type of solenoid it was. 4 terminal ford type? Was there already a wire on the terminal marked "I"? That should be the terminal that you connected your wire. My neighbor had the same problem on his 81 MC and it was caused by bad connections on the crimp terminal. I just replaced the wire as you did.

When the ignition key is in the "start" position, 12V is present on the START and IGN poles of the switch. The IGN pole goes to the coil circuit via the ballast resistor. When the starter solenoid is engaged it bypasses the ballast resistor by outputting 12V on the "I" terminal. When you release the key to the "Run" position the 12V on the "I" terminal of the solenoid drops out and then the coil receives the voltage thru the ballast resistor from the IGN pole of the ignition switch.

[MasterKraftS&S]

Originally Posted by Nvrgvup

Please disregard this if it has been discussed. However I am so excited to get this hopefully figured out I have to tell someone.

Since I have had my 83' for the last 2 years I have struggled with hot restart issues and even a little cold starting. Always took some degree of cranking and throttle pumping. I figured it was always vapor lock. I changed the coil, plugs, cap, rotor, points, timing, thermostat, wrapped the fuel line to reduce heat, while it seemed like that helped a little and made it run really good it never started that good. I still have points which are correctly gapped and timed however my thinking was if I have problems with points going electronic shouldn't cure the issue directly.

So after some reading I found that many point ignition based cars and the Indmar's with points have a ballast resistor bypass wire. This wire runs from the starter solenoid to the output of the ballast resistor which goes to the positive side of the ignition coil. The purpose is to bypass the ballast resistor to deliver more voltage to the ignition coil during starting to overcome the voltage drop caused by the starter. The resistor is then only bypassed during starts.

So I took 10 minutes last night and made up a wire with with a couple terminals and gave it a shot. The results were amazing. It started so much faster. Barely cranked and fired up both cold and hot. A definite change. I know this is not how PCM originally wired it, I don't care it works so much better.

So to anyone out there with an older PCM still running points and having some starting issues, I suggest to give this a try. 5" of wire 2 terminals and ten minutes, beer drinking time included. If it doesn't help just take it off.

Did ya ever bother to replace the RESISTOR? Mine's gone bad twice in the past several years. Bypass fix'd temporarily but I'm told it fries the points pretty quick. Just my

[ahhudgins]

Originally Posted by MasterKraftS&S

Did ya ever bother to replace the RESISTOR? Mine's gone bad twice in the past several years. Bypass fix'd temporarily but I'm told it fries the points pretty quick. Just my

If your resistor keeps going bad, you might want to replace your coil.

If he installed the wire correctly, it takes the resistor out of the circuit only while the engine is cranking/starting, which should only be a few seconds. The ballast resistor is put back into the circuit once the engine is running. There have been discussions about bypassing the resistor completely, and I do agree that it can shorten the life of the points and/or coil.

I got tired of fighting intermittent problems on my 79 MC and rewired everything on the engine. It ran great up to the time I sold it (with the ballast resistor in it)

[Nvrgvup]

In my case the resistor is fine. The purpose of the bypass wire is to only bypass the resistor during starts due to the draw of the starter so the coil receives proper voltage and produces good spark. The resistor is still in the circuit when the engine is running so the points are protected. The bypass wire is attached in parallel with the starter and only takes the resistor out of the circuit when the starter solenoid energizes and closes.

[MasterKraftS&S]

Ah, understood! Important thing is it's starting with the flip of the key and THATs all that matters - When you're out on the water.

[Wouter]

You probably know this but why not switch to electronic ignition? Best upgrade I ever made for the money. + You get rid of the resistor permanently and never have to worry about points again... Maybe you like to keep it oldschool: much respect

[Nvrgvup]

I do have a certain fondness for the points...for now.

I have been considering upgrading especially when I was having the hot start issues. Now that it is starting so good I am going to keep it original and run it.

When I go electronic, will probably be doing the entire distributor.