Dead in the water!

WinkBuilt

Active Member
Aug 1, 2018
189
Green, Oh
Boat Info
Sorrento S230 SXL 1987.
2007 Jeep Liberty.
Engines
5.7 Mercruiser w/Alpha I
Morning started off pretty good.

Boat fired up at the docks.
Idle speed up the Huron River.

Boat stalled when we gave it some gas to get in plane. Took two tries to get going.

Then we were running nice. Certainly gotta figure out how to trim this thing. The hull rides nice but not as stable as what I’m used.

Anyway.
Got about 1 mile from where we’re staying and boom.

Engine just died and we lost power. Then boat wouldn’t restart!

$6,200 in repairs.

Called the mechanic he thinks it’s the coil. I confirmed that gas is shooting into the bowl.

Who is asked to go over the entire engine and outdrive and doesn’t replace the coil.

oh well playing while we wait for the tow boat.

beats a day in the office. Haha.

Any guesses on what to check after replacing coil?
Engine had a full tube up kit. F47C3436-FE61-4E21-B8B4-90EE538E4A7A.jpegBE2C48CC-046C-4FED-8412-C0344A1FF6FC.jpeg75692C3C-73F3-423A-8655-7985D8E59D13.jpeg17E86012-719A-4EC1-BB56-B12E68B81C24.jpegB3DECD19-6A6B-4B35-B9BB-61352EE4E1F3.jpeg6620F835-A61F-4097-84C7-834FB8C980FB.jpeg
 
Talking to my father, he has never had to replace a coil. And at 81 years old, he has had many vehicles. Me on the other hand, I've replaced the coil in everything with a gas engine.

So for the question about who doesn't replace them when going through everything? I would say everybody. I do have a spare on the shelf for when I will need it though. And for vehicles, these days? I choose diesel engines. No coils to fail or to light me up. Oh yeah, I've been lit up by every coil, in every vehicle I have owned.
 
A coil is pretty easy to check with a timing light. Don't use the old screwdriver trick we used to use on hot-rods. You don't need open sparks in your bilge.
 
Did you check the engine main breaker? Was the motor turning over or "completely dead" after it quit?
 
A coil is pretty easy to check with a timing light. Don't use the old screwdriver trick we used to use on hot-rods. You don't need open sparks in your bilge.
My dad was checking while I tried to restart before we called for a tow. He said there was a small burst of white between the main coil plug and the terminals.
 
Its the basic electronic ignition, unless yours is old enough to still have points/condenser.
It would be like turning off the key.
Sometimes they fail from the heat and will restart after everything cools down.

p.s.
82 and up should be Thunderbolt IV
 
This is the coil that I pulled out.

Anyone know if this is the correct one?
 

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Would that cause the motor to shut off while running 20-25 mph?

Yes - even if that is not the problem I would pre-emptively replace it, not a matter of if, but when it will fail if it is the older type. A very ease/cheap job.
 
Yes - even if that is not the problem I would pre-emptively replace it, not a matter of if, but when it will fail if it is the older type. A very ease/cheap job.
Thanks yea gonna replace and hope that does it.

I keep seeing threads to get away from Thunderbolt and switch to Davis or Mallory for the whole system…
 
Thanks yea gonna replace and hope that does it.

I keep seeing threads to get away from Thunderbolt and switch to Davis or Mallory for the whole system…

Yeah I see all that also, my 1999 4.3 has Thunderbolt IV, pushing 800hrs and never an issue with the ignition. I did replace the ignition module - I was not having issues, but replaced it anyhow. I don't think I would go replacing the whole ignition system unless I was starting to have bigger problems with the Thunderbolt. At that point, I probably would not throw good money after bad and would just replacing it with one of the after market systems.
 
New coil in. Tested at the dock today. Ran from idle speed up to 4k rpm. Ran smooth.

Had a short break between storms so real trial run will be tomorrow.
 
Made it away from the dock.

Ran from Huron River back to our cottage at about 30 mph. We got back anchored and then made about 12 passes with the kids and wife taking turns tubing. After we were done tubing, made a short run up the coast turned around and came back. Upon returning to anchor up for a bit, pulled up into neutral then stalled out. Tried to restart and it just cranked. Wouldn’t turn over. After dropping anchor for half an hr, got it to fire up with starting fluid assistance and made a run for the boat ramp. Ran great at 25 into a light chop. I’m thinking this old motor just needs some long boat trips to cycle through gas and get the cob webs out….

May start looking for an ignition module as well.
CCF057BA-170C-4A39-8AC4-F83671E49AF3.jpeg 2574D752-30A9-47C6-9A75-30D036D2CE65.jpeg AF275732-94D5-409A-BB62-C76A279D89D9.jpeg D931EAFC-F517-40C8-ADD2-35CFD2ACFD3F.jpeg A9B8D8F7-75C3-49EF-BB62-AC3E5A2F660B.jpeg 96319E80-E69A-484E-918E-5AA5C1522E66.jpeg
 
sounds like vapor lock, they make thermal sleeving for the metal gas lines or maybe it's running hotter than it should be. Sounds heat related to me
 

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