www.iFourWinns.com

Ok, ill give that a shot. It Is pouring down rain right now and the cover is on...as soon as it stops

Correct me if I am wrong but, the purpose for the gray wires going to the ESA is that will produce a temporary ground, reducing or cutting the spark right? And of course the tach...that is where it get's the information to display; I guess it "knows" that every 6th pulse that is one Rev?

Thank you sir

_________________
1987 Sundowner 195, 4.3 OMC " Z boat"
1983 Wellcraft 248 Sportsman, 3.0L OMC Sea Drive "Born Again"
9' Patriot 40lbs TM "Quack Addict"

I'd love to I just don't know what wire this jump substituted. I know I bypassed the starter bypass circuit but, other than wires that go to ignition switch I wouldn't know which ones to check out. I have checked for continuity on about every wire I have had the notion to but, I know I am missing something.
I wish the rain would stop...I really want to get this thing figured out!

_________________
1987 Sundowner 195, 4.3 OMC " Z boat"
1983 Wellcraft 248 Sportsman, 3.0L OMC Sea Drive "Born Again"
9' Patriot 40lbs TM "Quack Addict"

correct it gives the coil a temp short

_________________

1989 245 vista
5.7 cobra

you have the same wires as on mine there is 2 gray on the neg plus a gray or black to the dist. 2 wires on the positive purple and black and a red or pink correct ? the wire you bi passed with your jumper would be the purple from the solenoid .when you turn on the key it sends power to the solenoid putting 12 volt to the coil

_________________

1989 245 vista
5.7 cobra

Yes sir, that's correct. That is the wires I've got and that is what I bypassed. So, if I remove the gray wires and it fires up...does that tell me either the tach is inop or the ESA is faulty (micro switch jacked up).

My conundrum with those gray wires is one of them is loose...the other goes into a bigger bunch or wires that are either taped or in conduit and that either splits off a couple times or gets added to a couple times before the main BIG plug that goes up front.
SO...if it does fire up with gray removed, I won't know where the ONE gray wire that is hooked up on the other end is going...either to ESA or tach

_________________
1987 Sundowner 195, 4.3 OMC " Z boat"
1983 Wellcraft 248 Sportsman, 3.0L OMC Sea Drive "Born Again"
9' Patriot 40lbs TM "Quack Addict"

Use your jumper and fire it up look at the tach if it not working then the one not hooked up could be tach

_________________

1989 245 vista
5.7 cobra

Ok, the tach did not work. Not sure if it just don't work or that wire isn't hooked up. BUT...I was in my shop looking through some of my old-but-working boat parts and found an ignition switch. The engine fired up. I will replace that but...I will continue to make sure that my ESA and tach are working appropriately AND that gray wire gets to where it needs to go.

So, I might put on the old ignition switch and remove the gray from the coil like you said and keep going from there. Because, if that fixes it too then I've got two problems. And this one just might rear it's ugly head while my wife and I are on the water. Of course I could just pull the gray wires then too right?

Thanks for stickin' with me on this Crossram

_________________
1987 Sundowner 195, 4.3 OMC " Z boat"
1983 Wellcraft 248 Sportsman, 3.0L OMC Sea Drive "Born Again"
9' Patriot 40lbs TM "Quack Addict"

It fired up without gray wires hooked up ?

_________________

1989 245 vista
5.7 cobra

I left them on. I just threw another ignition switch up there and it fired up

_________________
1987 Sundowner 195, 4.3 OMC " Z boat"
1983 Wellcraft 248 Sportsman, 3.0L OMC Sea Drive "Born Again"
9' Patriot 40lbs TM "Quack Addict"