Mercruiser Ignition Failure

[jezanke]

A recent ignition failure on Hardtop & Tails could have been prevented with a little information and preventative maintenance. It is common for the distributor sensor to fail on older Mercruiser V8 & V6's. A simple check could prevent a failure in the water. Remove the distributor cap and look past the signal wheel on the rotor to inspect the sensor. If it's an older sensor with exposed metal and it's corroded, it might be a good idea to replace it! The new sensors are totally encapsulated in plastic and epoxy. No exposed metal. They are available from West Marine. Note: the rotor is extremely difficult to remove, as the shaft corrodes and locks it in place. You will probably destroy the rotor when removing it. There are no warning symptoms prior to failure, we fished without issues on Tuesday and the boat wouldn't start on Friday.