Update: The second Pertronix 40511 coil failed again after 8hrs run time. I placed my hand on the coil immediately after failed it was warm but not hot. Had a spare on hand that got me home. Overvoltage causing these failures ? Alternator voltage 14.5 as a precaution took the alternator into a shop to get it run tested they say there is no way this alternator caused the coil failure. Nothing wrong with it. The first time this coil failed it was immediate, like the wire broke internally. Crash stop. The second time this coil failed it was a gradual slowdown 2500rpm to stop over a period of perhaps 5 seconds. This gradual slowdown leads me to believe it is the secondary part of the coil that is the weak link. Contacted Pertronix they claim they have never had a coil fail it must be all my fault. Heard someone else that had a series of these coils fail suggest as the 40511 is oil filled maybe vibration has something to do with it. The Amazon reviews on this coil is not complementary. Now have the Pertronix 40611 installed and 8hrs later it has not yet failed. The 40611 is epoxy sealed so maybe it will have better vibration resistance. Still we do have another spare on board just in case.
great diagnostics! I just finished and tested my 190 hp and looks like the stator was bad. The battery voltage kept dropping at 3000 rpm's and with some accessories running. Batteries are new
Great video, And under a tarp nonetheless! I'm down here west of Seattle so definitely can relate. Your diagnosis is very thorough I learned a lot. I just purchased a Sierra/Mallory distributor for my new 470 need to equip it with Pertronix but after seeing this I'm going to keep a spare chill and the original plate with the points on it in my boat tool bag just in case 👍 I don't want to stranded in my 40+ year old GlasPly ha
I am restoring a 1981 Wilker with a 470. I noticed a fuel water separator on your fuel pump and was wondering: Can I get a part number for that for my 1981 470? Awesome videos btw. Thanks
My buddy was stranded as well, it turned out when the engine got to operating temp it was to hot hot for the 20 year old coil and would it produce very low spark. Replaced coil all is fine. On a side note, what does a ballast resister do in the circuit. And how is a " High Discharge" system different?
That is a good point. The resister decreases the voltage going into the coil so it does not overheat. So then the next logical question is why have these powerful coils, to only limit the output with the resister anyway ? Why not design the system to use the full vehicle voltage and dispense with the resister ?
Have been on a long 5 hour run since. Checked the coil occasionally it was not heating up beyond warm, voltage good. I see no problems and no explanation as to why it failed. As a precaution I have a spare plus the old points and the proper tools/multimeter on board now just in case.
@@Islandwaterjet Good that it's working well. Reason I asked is I have a similar setup and just added an alt. conversion last summer, fried the coil in the first 1/2 hour out. After some advice from Pertronix I reconfigured and switched coils but it happened again. Eventually I diagnosed as getting charging voltage at the coil even with the resistor wire in place, it runs awesome as a total loss system, but I had to add a ballast resistor to run with the alt. Anyway, good idea to keep a spare and points on board, I do the same. Love/hate my 470, good luck with yours. thanks for the vid
@@Direwolf269 You make a good point it is my understanding coils should be good up to 16v. The internal 3 ohm resister inside the coil is supposed to take care of this. Next run out will check the volt at the coil more closely.
Update: The second Pertronix 40511 coil failed again after 8hrs run time. I placed my hand on the coil immediately after failed it was warm but not hot.
Had a spare on hand that got me home.
Overvoltage causing these failures ? Alternator voltage 14.5 as a precaution took the alternator into a shop to get it run tested they say there is no way this alternator caused the coil failure. Nothing wrong with it.
The first time this coil failed it was immediate, like the wire broke internally. Crash stop.
The second time this coil failed it was a gradual slowdown 2500rpm to stop over a period of perhaps 5 seconds. This gradual slowdown leads me to believe it is the secondary part of the coil that is the weak link.
Contacted Pertronix they claim they have never had a coil fail it must be all my fault.
Heard someone else that had a series of these coils fail suggest as the 40511 is oil filled maybe vibration has something to do with it.
The Amazon reviews on this coil is not complementary.
Now have the Pertronix 40611 installed and 8hrs later it has not yet failed. The 40611 is epoxy sealed so maybe it will have better vibration resistance.
Still we do have another spare on board just in case.
great diagnostics! I just finished and tested my 190 hp and looks like the stator was bad. The battery voltage kept dropping at 3000 rpm's and with some accessories running. Batteries are new
Great video, And under a tarp nonetheless! I'm down here west of Seattle so definitely can relate. Your diagnosis is very thorough I learned a lot. I just purchased a Sierra/Mallory distributor for my new 470 need to equip it with Pertronix but after seeing this I'm going to keep a spare chill and the original plate with the points on it in my boat tool bag just in case 👍 I don't want to stranded in my 40+ year old GlasPly ha
I am restoring a 1981 Wilker with a 470. I noticed a fuel water separator on your fuel pump and was wondering: Can I get a part number for that for my 1981 470? Awesome videos btw. Thanks
that is a clean engine good work! what is the starter noise ?
My buddy was stranded as well, it turned out when the engine got to operating temp it was to hot hot for the 20 year old coil and would it produce very low spark. Replaced coil all is fine.
On a side note, what does a ballast resister do in the circuit. And how is a " High Discharge" system different?
That is a good point. The resister decreases the voltage going into the coil so it does not overheat. So then the next logical question is why have these powerful coils, to only limit the output with the resister anyway ? Why not design the system to use the full vehicle voltage and dispense with the resister ?
@@Islandwaterjet Well you got me there, that question is well above my pay grade. I really liked the series on the " man lift "
never seem to get a diagnosis this fast at the shop. Is it the rain?
Yes it was raining. Shop is not large enough to put the boat into, working under a tarp.
Any idea what caused the coil to fail? Has it run well since the repair?
Have been on a long 5 hour run since. Checked the coil occasionally it was not heating up beyond warm, voltage good. I see no problems and no explanation as to why it failed. As a precaution I have a spare plus the old points and the proper tools/multimeter on board now just in case.
@@Islandwaterjet
Good that it's working well. Reason I asked is I have a similar setup and just added an alt. conversion last summer, fried the coil in the first 1/2 hour out. After some advice from Pertronix I reconfigured and switched coils but it happened again. Eventually I diagnosed as getting charging voltage at the coil even with the resistor wire in place, it runs awesome as a total loss system, but I had to add a ballast resistor to run with the alt. Anyway, good idea to keep a spare and points on board, I do the same. Love/hate my 470, good luck with yours. thanks for the vid
@@Direwolf269 You make a good point it is my understanding coils should be good up to 16v. The internal 3 ohm resister inside the coil is supposed to take care of this. Next run out will check the volt at the coil more closely.