45 SS Runs on one cylinder when warmed up

[jimi]

Compression is good on both cylinders. Thought it was the upper carb so I cleaned some gunk out of the high speed needle.

The coils, stator and power pack look fine but... Is there a good way to test these components?

Is there a way to test for spark without damaging the power pack?

Any suggestions for diagnosing this problem?

[SE23]

I would change the power pack!! It might look good but it might be bad.

[ricochet112]

The crude way to check for spark is to lay the plugs on the side of the block and look for spark, then do this after it's warm and is running on one cylinder. A spark tester that has a gap of at least 3/8" is a real test for the ignition system.

[ricochet112]

Compression is good on both cylinders. Thought it was the upper carb so I cleaned some gunk out of the high speed needle.

The coils, stator and power pack look fine but... Is there a good way to test these components?

Is there a way to test for spark without damaging the power pack?

Any suggestions for diagnosing this problem?

Yes, you will need a repair manual and a good VOA meter, a direct voltage adapter is the best tool for ignition system testing. You test all components except the power pack, there's no "real" test for the pp, if it has good voltage into the pack and none out, it's bad, but you need the direct voltage adapter for that test...

[Dave M]

Wait

Don't check your spark by laying the plugs on the block, or holding them against the block. if it grounds something wrong you have just blew the power pack. Do not check you spark unless you have the right set up, get some cheap spark checkers, plugs with aligator clips on them, and put these in your plug wires, and then clip them on a bolt on the engine, seperate. Don't have them to close, this is a good way to blow your power pack.

if you hold onto them, you might not be letting go of them as soon as you would like to.

[ricochet112]

Don't check your spark by laying the plugs on the block, or holding them against the block. if it grounds something wrong you have just blew the power pack. Do not check you spark unless you have the right set up, get some cheap spark checkers, plugs with aligator clips on them, and put these in your plug wires, and then clip them on a bolt on the engine, seperate. Don't have them to close, this is a good way to blow your power pack.

if you hold onto them, you might not be letting go of them as soon as you would like to.

Care to elaborate on how this can happen? What part grounding onto will cause this?

[Dave M]

Well

On the OMC ignition for the three holer if you don't do this, you stand a good chance of blowing up your brain box. I am assuming the twin brain box is very similar. I am assuming it is a stock set up and not an aftermarket igntion too.

Why chance any spark jumping and arcing somewhere it is not supposed to ? Those power packs are not cheap.

[Mark Monkres]

On larger OMC you can OHM out the coils and power pack, always insure a positive ground to the plug, Sometimes even if you have spark in atmosphere, under compression and heat (warmed up) they break down or cause an open condition, as the other guys said, it is a sure way to spend $$$$

[ricochet112]

On the OMC ignition for the three holer if you don't do this, you stand a good chance of blowing up your brain box. I am assuming the twin brain box is very similar. I am assuming it is a stock set up and not an aftermarket igntion too.

Why chance any spark jumping and arcing somewhere it is not supposed to ? Those power packs are not cheap.

Still didn't answer the question...
What does the spark jump to, to cause the PP to blow?

What causes the PP to blow most often during tests is if you don't have the plug wires connected to something and the voltage spikes inside the PP with nowhere to go. (as on any electrical system it must have a path to ground)

For someone without any test equipment, holding the plugs on the side of the block is the simplest test to do, in 28+ years of wrenching I've never seen anyone hurt a PP doing this. (of course I'm not factoring in stupidity...)

[Howie Nichols]

Change your stator. WHen the motor is cold it will run but once everything heats up and expands it does something to the windings and more often than no it is a bad stator.

[trapper]

once upon a time, we had the exact situation.it was a bad head gasket,that was letting in a very small amount of water fouling the plug. by the time you checked everything the water was dry. we changed the head gasket on the advise of some one else an it ran great.

[Mark Monkres]

Capacitive Discharge Ignition (CDI), This is the way I understand it.
The capacitor acts as a condensor does in a points type ignition.
The capacitor is more delicate than a condensor, it's like blowing up a baloon, if the capacitor is not grounded, ie letting it discharge it's stored energy, it's voltage increases
like blowing up a baloon till it bursts. Laymans way of thinking .02

[ricochet112]

http://www.cdielectronics.com/LinkCl...language=en-US

Go to page 34, it does show a resistance check for the newer style PP's, the only real good way to test is with a Direct Voltage Adapter...big file takes a while to download even at 10mb.

[Flint54]

DON'T Hold On!!!

This may have been seen by some prior but relates to holding onto plugs while testing. Use EXTREME CAUTION-Don't read with full bladder!!

Pocket Taser Stun Gun, a great gift for the wife.

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest.

The occasion was our 32nd anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Toni. What I came across was a 150,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser.
The effects of the taser were suppose to be short lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety.... WAY TOO COOL!

Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two triple-a batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button AND pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arch of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. Awesome!!!

Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Toni what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave.

Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that's it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-a batteries... right?

There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit, I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself
against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong?

So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in
one hand, taser in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water.
Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries.

All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and loaded with two itsy, bitsy triple-a batteries) thinking to myself, "no possible way!"

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best.....

I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as to say, "don't do it master," reasoning that a one-second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad.... I decided to give myself a one-second burst just for the heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and

HOLY MOTHER, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION @!@$$!%
mailto: DESTRUCTION @ ! @$$!%>!@*!!!

I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again.

I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs.

The cat was standing over me making meowing sounds I had never heard before, licking my face, undoubtedly thinking to herself, "do it again, do it again!
Note: If you ever feel compelled to "mug" yourself with a taser, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one-second burst when you zap yourself. You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor. A three second burst would be considered conservative.

SON-OF-A-.... that hurt like hades!!! A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), collected my wits
(what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape.

My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. How did they get up here??? My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. I'm still looking for my testicles? I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return.

Engine ignitions were fore runners to TASER Type devices!! RK

[PROPDOC]

Too Funny!!!

This may have been seen by some prior but relates to holding onto plugs while testing. Use EXTREME CAUTION-Don't read with full bladder!!

Pocket Taser Stun Gun, a great gift for the wife.

Last weekend I saw something at Larry's Pistol & Pawn Shop that sparked my interest.

The occasion was our 32nd anniversary and I was looking for a little something extra for my wife Toni. What I came across was a 150,000-volt, pocket/purse-sized taser.
The effects of the taser were suppose to be short lived, with no long-term adverse affect on your assailant, allowing her adequate time to retreat to safety.... WAY TOO COOL!

Long story short, I bought the device and brought it home. I loaded two triple-a batteries in the darn thing and pushed the button. Nothing! I was disappointed. I learned, however, that if I pushed the button AND pressed it against a metal surface at the same time; I'd get the blue arch of electricity darting back and forth between the prongs. Awesome!!!

Unfortunately, I have yet to explain to Toni what that burn spot is on the face of her microwave.

Okay, so I was home alone with this new toy, thinking to myself that's it couldn't be all that bad with only two triple-a batteries... right?

There I sat in my recliner, my cat Gracie looking on intently (trusting little soul) while I was reading the directions and thinking that I really needed to try this thing out on a flesh & blood moving target. I must admit, I thought about zapping Gracie (for a fraction of a second) and thought better of it. She is such a sweet cat. But, if I was going to give this thing to my wife to protect herself
against a mugger, I did want some assurance that it would work as advertised. Am I wrong?

So, there I sat in a pair of shorts and a tank top with my reading glasses perched delicately on the bridge of my nose, directions in
one hand, taser in another. The directions said that a one-second burst would shock and disorient your assailant; a two-second burst was supposed to cause muscle spasms and a major loss of bodily control; a three-second burst would purportedly make your assailant flop on the ground like a fish out of water.
Any burst longer than three seconds would be wasting the batteries.

All the while I'm looking at this little device measuring about 5" long, less than 3/4 inch in circumference; pretty cute really and loaded with two itsy, bitsy triple-a batteries) thinking to myself, "no possible way!"

What happened next is almost beyond description, but I'll do my best.....

I'm sitting there alone, Gracie looking on with her head cocked to one side as to say, "don't do it master," reasoning that a one-second burst from such a tiny little ole thing couldn't hurt all that bad.... I decided to give myself a one-second burst just for the heck of it. I touched the prongs to my naked thigh, pushed the button, and

HOLY MOTHER, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION @!@$$!%
mailto: DESTRUCTION @ ! @$$!%>!@*!!!

I'm pretty sure Jessie Ventura ran in through the side door, picked me up in the recliner, then body slammed us both on the carpet, over and over and over again.

I vaguely recall waking up on my side in the fetal position, with tears in my eyes, body soaking wet, both nipples on fire, testicles nowhere to be found, with my left arm tucked under my body in the oddest position, and tingling in my legs.

The cat was standing over me making meowing sounds I had never heard before, licking my face, undoubtedly thinking to herself, "do it again, do it again!
Note: If you ever feel compelled to "mug" yourself with a taser, one note of caution: there is no such thing as a one-second burst when you zap yourself. You will not let go of that thing until it is dislodged from your hand by a violent thrashing about on the floor. A three second burst would be considered conservative.

SON-OF-A-.... that hurt like hades!!! A minute or so later (I can't be sure, as time was a relative thing at that point), collected my wits
(what little I had left), sat up and surveyed the landscape.

My bent reading glasses were on the mantel of the fireplace. How did they get up here??? My triceps, right thigh and both nipples were still twitching. My face felt like it had been shot up with Novocain, and my bottom lip weighed 88 lbs. I'm still looking for my testicles? I'm offering a significant reward for their safe return.

Engine ignitions were fore runners to TASER Type devices!! RK

Once while I was working at a marina I watched my fellow mechanic not once but twice touch the spark plug leads on a 20 hp Mercury with Thunderbolt ignition. Before he did it I told him that he didn't want to do this (he was checking for spark as this motor too was only running on one cylinder, turned out the spark was just fine) but he didn't listen. Then shortly after he did it the first time he turned right around and did it again with the other cylinder. This happened about 12 years ago and I think to this day that he will never forget that tingling feeling.

The problem with this motor was that the venturi in the carb had dislogded and got stuck in the reed block for the # 1 cylinder holding the reeds open causing it to only run on one cylinder.