Home › Forum › Ask A Member › 1946 elgin 1.25hp coils keep burning up
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outbdnut2.
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June 8, 2025 at 9:01 pm #297164
Hello everyone,
I have a 1946 Elgin 1.25hp outboard that my grandfather restored a while back and couldn’t get it running due to a engine failure, He gave it to me where I got it running a couple months ago. I replaced the engine and put a new to me coil on it. The original coil had spark and made it for days until I put the new engine on and it bit the dust. I consulted a member and got a coil from them and it ran flawlessly, ran it for a hour probably. I let it run out of gas in the bowl and put it in the rack in the back of my shop and it has sat util yesterday, I pulled it out and it has fried that coil as well(this time so good that the multimeter wont even pick up a connection between the secondary).
Any ideas on what could cause this motor to fry 2 coils?
June 9, 2025 at 8:32 am #297169are you testing the coil by itself or from the plug boot ?
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June 9, 2025 at 9:58 am #297174I have tried both at the boot and at the coil itself.
June 10, 2025 at 4:26 pm #297201Sounds like something is stressing the coil… causing higher than normal voltage buildup. What could do that ?? high resistance in the secondary circuit caused by…
- way too big a spark plug gap
- carbon core SP wire
- real bad connection in the SP boot
- real bad SP
- maybe a resistance core SP
- a combination of the above
- I’m running out of ideas here… Help !
Joe B
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June 10, 2025 at 11:13 pm #297209High coil burning voltage is always looking for the shortest path to ground which we assume would be the SP but…
check your installation in the dark to see if HV is jumping were it it is not suppose to.
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June 13, 2025 at 11:36 am #297295It has the spark plug the manual calls for and I bought it new a when I got it running, also replaced the spark plug wire with 7mm wire they have on the shelf at napa.
June 13, 2025 at 11:59 am #2972967mm metallic conductors… not carbon fibers hopefully if not NAPA motorbike and lawnmover shops usually use metallic wires
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June 13, 2025 at 10:27 pm #297311You want hi voltage fine stranded wire. It can be bought at your local neon shop, called G.T.O. wire good for 15,000 volts. Get hi flex GTO if they have it. It’s for moving signs & works great with magnetos, all I ever used on my mags.
What is the resistance on your secondary wibding from ground to spark plug terminal? Too high, look for a blow out on the coil, tiny burn mark caused byleaving the plug wire loose while spinning, The coil makes electrical energy & if disconnected it may blast a hole in the insulation & may have only a carbon connection in the windings.
Another overlooked item is the condenser, actually capacitor, the other is slang term & incorrect. Dielectrics fail in old caps, that is the insulating value correctly called dielectric value or how well it insulates, anyway old (condensers) caps go bad from insulation failure. It should be replaced but must know how many microfarads is used with your motor. HELP GUYS
look at the points using a magnifieing glass at the contact area. Look for build up or pitting, sure sign your cap has failed.
Check all connections with a ohmeter for non resistive connections.
I had problems with a mercury magneto, drove me nuts. I added a ground wire from the mag plate to engine block & it fixed it. A losse fitting mag plate to block does not have a good electrical connection.
& know I’m long winded.
JeffJune 14, 2025 at 11:16 am #297319Was that replacement coil used? or very old, new stock? If so, the insulation may have degraded with time and been ready to break down with the hour use you gave it.
Dave
June 14, 2025 at 3:34 pm #297322The secondary’s don’t register as being there if I check… The condenser is good, and I have removed the points to thoroughly clean them. The coil I believe was used, but not much. I don’t believe I have a neon sign shop near by but I’ll look.
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