so do i win a prize??

The motors have 72 hours on them now and maybe a total of 85 before this winter. I will have Dynamic Speed and Marine take them out and freshen them up. I have another set of Trs's with nose cones I want to put on and also I want to have the engine compartment painted and freshened up :).
Its like a hotrod to me I dont care to drive it I just want it to look nice.
When I blew the drive last year the insurance adjuster couldn't believe it was a 1986 she said it looks alot cleaner than most 5 year old boats she see's daily. So I got nothing but time this long winter in michigan to Dial It In.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMzfQgOGcdM

I went to go for a rip last night same thing Popping through carb, poor acceleration. But it idles down the canal fine and revs up fine with no load. I had the valves set buy a professional last friday "TFALK you would know Bruce from Naughtical Mile Marine" he said that cannot be the problem it has to be electrical. I checked the firing order 3 times last night checking it with the Mercuriser Service Manual and off the other motor.

So its not the coil wire or switching the coils didn't solve the problem. I dont understand it ran perfect Saturday after I replace the coil wire going to distributor and switched the 2 coils around. I thought maybe I didn't have a good connection to the coil.

So last night I swtched the msd boxes around. It cannot be a valve due to it ran perfect saturday after I messed with switching the coils around and wiring. It is happing intermittently. Idles fine but underload is the problem. Friday I will have to update you guys. I work 9-9 today.

Anyone ever have problems with MSD.
On the good engine
Im running the MSD-7ML-2, Mallory 29625 coil, Msd Marine Distributor, New Cap and rotor.

On the problem motor the only thing different is the MSD propower HVC Coil, and now this coil is on the good engine after the switch and that engine still runs perfect.

The only problem is if it is the MSD box they dont make it anymore so I have to find one that someone is selling one or go to the MSD-7AL-2.

TFALK it would be stupid to pay someone 100 per hour to switch things around and test drive it. I would be cheaper doing the labor myself. Plus it keeps the wife out of my hair. From other posts it could be somthing as stupid as a hair line crack in a plug remember I had to remove them to replace the gasket. So If it isnt the MSD box the Motor will get all new wires and Plugs. Bruce said switch things one at a time and run it untill you spend any money on parts. Thats what I would of paid him to do.

Hey Justin,

I just went through this with my engines, I assume you are running Thunderbolts with MSD boxes and MSD coils?

I have the exact same set up and it turned out to be the pickup in the distributor. It was the last think I tried since I was always under the impression that a magnetic pickup either works, or doesn't work. I had the same symptoms you are describing and after switching out the pickup it cleared up all my issues.

Worth a shot and a cheap fix if you haven't already tried it...

Do both sides if it's the culprit, my other pickup failed less than 5 hours later. Same symptoms.

Justin -

The MSD Distributors should have a pickup under the rotor. Kind of hard to tell from your pic but this looks like it -

here is an example from Summit on what a pickup looks like, just be sure to check the part # on the distributor so you get the right one.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MSD-84661/


Good luck!

Im goint to go home at lunch get the dist # and just order 2 I like having extra parts just incase

Before you spend the bucks to buy a new complete distributor check a couple things.
First check to see if the mechanical advance is working properly not stiff.
Second look at the pick up and trigger wheel (Reluctor) to make sure they are not rusty. If they are replace them.

The internal parts are the same on all MSD stuff and not really suited for Marine environment (Moisture).

Good thing is the box either works or it doesn't.

You can do all of the for $75-80 instead of $300+ for a new distributor. I carry a pick-up and reluctor wheel in my box.

The Distributor is a 8560 I checked it at lunch and under the weights its all rusty like. So I will clean and replace pick-up and reluctor wheel.

Have a chance to get it out this weekend? How'd it do?

I got tied up went the Detroit tigers game and a batchlor party after Saturday. Didnt get off couch sunday. I would of been better off stayng home. Ill keep you posted.