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Mercruiser 454 will turn over but will not start

H

H1100xx68

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I have an 89 baja with a 454, this weekend it started fine and went out on the water and turned it off then would not restart. I have plenty of battery power. Then engine turns over but will not start. Seems like it is getting fuel but no ignition. I need some place to start if anyone has any idea.
 
Check for spark at plugs or coming out of the coil wire.

If none then need to do the ignition test procedure.

will post it if you need it
 
make a jumper to go from the +battery to the +side of the coil. see if it runs. remove the jumper to kill the engine and report the results
 
kghost said:
Check for spark at plugs or coming out of the coil wire.

If none then need to do the ignition test procedure.

will post it if you need it
Click to expand...
Hi there -

Found this thread when looking into similar issue. Engine cranks all day and won’t start. Initially it clicked with key and I replaced batteries, same problem, but also then lost dash power which hasn’t came back. Found that ignition coil wire to distributor was poor connected. Plugged it back in tightly and now engine cranks all day.

Would you mind posting this procedure + any ideas you have? I’m going to be looking into it today.

Additional details-
Accessories would not work (trim, engine hatch) but came back after messing with coil wire (?)
1994 Baja 260 7.4 Thunderbolt Ignition
Noticed that flipping the battery selector between choices would sometimes bring dash back, only to lose it after turning the key.
 
Last edited:
Points ignition? Check the gap- my friends' 1989 Carver has Crusader engines and it suddenly had a problem with one engine. The gap had closed. Ran fine after re-setting it.
 
jimn said:
Points ignition? Check the gap- my friends' 1989 Carver has Crusader engines and it suddenly had a problem with one engine. The gap had closed. Ran fine after re-setting it.
Click to expand...
I’m not against just replacing the cap. it was replaced at beginning of season. Ran fine. Im curious about what else it could be though, because the dash is dead now too.
 
Peckadelic said:
I’m not against just replacing the cap. it was replaced at beginning of season. Ran fine. Im curious about what else it could be though, because the dash is dead now too.
Click to expand...

What other parts were replaced along with the cap? How old are the points? If the distributor cam isn't lubricated, the fiber wedge wears down and eventually, the gap closes.

Make sure the coil wire is good and fully inserted at both ends, too. I have seen those fail and slip out of position.
 
jimn said:
What other parts were replaced along with the cap? How old are the points? If the distributor cam isn't lubricated, the fiber wedge wears down and eventually, the gap closes.

Make sure the coil wire is good and fully inserted at both ends, too. I have seen those fail and slip out of position.
Click to expand...
Had new cap, rotor, and wires installed as part of a tune up kit.

The coil wire was one of the culprits as the engine didn’t even crank prior to me unplugging and plugging it back in correctly. Now it cranks but I’m wondering if a fuse somewhere got shorted out or something when turning the key and getting that click noise. Only suspicion being the dash is now dead, like I said.

Haven’t spark tested just yet. Going to dive in after church.
 
AllDodge said:
Need a voltmeter and with key ON you should have 12V on each side of the switch.
Can also measure any of the gauges which have a purple wire attached to them and see if they have 12V
Click to expand...
My kill switch has only 1 wire coming off of it. Where would I put the leads exactly?
 
AllDodge said:
Need a voltmeter and with key ON you should have 12V on each side of the switch.
Can also measure any of the gauges which have a purple wire attached to them and see if they have 12V
Click to expand...
Using the meter on the ignition switch, the yellow/red wire terminal reads 12V. The purple terminal reads nothing.

Is that the problem? Lol
 
Peckadelic said:
My kill switch has only 1 wire coming off of it. Where would I put the leads exactly?
Click to expand...
Then prior owner disabled it, and could very well be the problem.
Power comes from purple wire on key to kill switch then back to helm gauges and to motor. Look for a wire that someone used a wire nut, crimp connector, or other connector. Might find some electrical tape on something on it. You have a bad connection somewhere

Peckadelic said:
Using the meter on the ignition switch, the yellow/red wire terminal reads 12V. The purple terminal reads nothing.

Is that the problem? Lol
Click to expand...
You should have 12V on purple with key ON or while cranking
You should have 12V on Yel/Red only when cranking

If you don't have the above than your key switch is the problem
 
AllDodge said:
Then prior owner disabled it, and could very well be the problem.
Power comes from purple wire on key to kill switch then back to helm gauges and to motor. Look for a wire that someone used a wire nut, crimp connector, or other connector. Might find some electrical tape on something on it. You have a bad connection somewhere


You should have 12V on purple with key ON or while cranking
You should have 12V on Yel/Red only when cranking

If you don't have the above than your key switch is the problem
Click to expand...
The kill switch does work. I ripped the lanyard off once when parking and yeah, it shut off lol. It’s a single wire from there to the ignition switch. I bypassed the kill switch, still no 12V reading

You said 12V on yellow/red only when cranking. I have key on but not cranking, and it’s giving a reading..? I’m putting the ground terminals on the ignition post that connects to the fuse
 
Peckadelic said:
The kill switch does work. I ripped the lanyard off once when parking and yeah, it shut off lol. It’s a single wire from there to the ignition switch. I bypassed the kill switch, still no 12V reading

You said 12V on yellow/red only when cranking. I have key on but not cranking, and it’s giving a reading..? I’m putting the ground terminals on the ignition post that connects to the fuse
Click to expand...
I don't know how your wired or what switch you have.
Manual 15 is for your year motor, and the wiring does not show a kill switch so the single wire kill must ground something out it the ignition

Here is the wiring except it shows the newer style kill switch on base of handle, and the Yel/Red goes the throttle handle neutral safety switch

With purple having nothing and yel/red having 12V than main power to the key is there on the Red/Purple. Your key switch is bad
I’m putting the ground terminals on the ignition post that connects to the fuse
Click to expand...
Also when you put your negative lead on the post with the fuse, your meter should be reading Neg (-) 12V because the leads are swapped. Find a black wire under helm and connect Neg to that and measure again


Wiring Helm.jpg
 
Measuring with Neg voltmeter lead on ground Blk wire

Do you have 12V on the Red/Pur on key switch?
When Key is turned ON is there 12V on Purple?
 
Here's what i'm looking at behind the ignition.

Like i said, put a new key switch in. Engine cranks, no dash power. Assuming same thing with no spark.

1756663585523.png

1756663606116.png
 
FYI,
When testing simple 12VDC wiring it is much better/ea
SG-21000__87819.jpg
sier to use a 12VDC test light. Simply connect one end to a good ground and then probe for 12VDC on any terminal.
 
AllDodge said:
Measuring with Neg voltmeter lead on ground Blk wire

Do you have 12V on the Red/Pur on key switch?
When Key is turned ON is there 12V on Purple?
Click to expand...

When using the meter, could get 12V on the red/yel and the fuse wire (which i think is battery power)-

With key on, could not get reading off of purple


1756663744363.png
 
AllDodge said:
Your missing a purple wire on the kill switch and I think I see it in the first pic upper right side
Click to expand...
That purple wire goes up to the buzzer behind the dash. It is zip tied for some reason to the rest of the ignition.

Should there be 2 terminals to the kill switch? Also how would that kill the dash power?
 
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