EDIT: I now sell complete Delco EST ignition kit upgrades to replace the aged and failing Mercruiser Thunderbolt ignition systems. See this video for more current information.
1 - Genuine Delco EST Kits Sold Here - SPARKIE The EEL
• 1 - Thunderbolt Failed...
This video is Part 1 in a series where I am going to completely explain how to convert your ignition system from the obsolete Mercruiser Thunderbolt system to a Delco EST distributor, module, and ignition coil. I consider this to be one of the most valuable videos I’ve produced on my channel because of the millions of Mercruiser Thunderbolt Ignitions waiting to fail. If you have the Thunderbolt system you will likely be land locked for a while if the module fails because the modules are NLA (No Longer Available). Your only choice is eBay or maybe Facebook Marketplace for a replacement or, I recommend you upgrade the ignition to a Delco EST ignition system like I’m doing in this video series. I now sell the entire kit with genuine GM electronics.
There is also a V8 kit and it is installed just like the V6 kit. The only difference is you’ll set the base timing to a different value and I’ll show you how to do that in part 5. I’ll then discuss the importance of using the marine ignition module in part 6.
CORRECTION: At 6:00 in this video I state that the tan/blue wire is passed through to the yellow wire and the Thunderbolt V module just piggybacks on to these two wires to use the signal to disable a timing function. This is incorrect. The yellow wire actually goes to a thermistor temperature sensor which provides the temperature to the Thunderbolt V module. The TB V module has logic that then grounds the tan/ blue wire to turn on the over temperature alarm at a specific temperature. Removing the tan/blue and yellow wires from the module and connecting them together as I show in the video will cause the alarm to sound prematurely effectively creating a malfunction. To remedy this issue you must follow the procedure in Part 4b of this series to replace the thermistor with a temperature switch, Mercruiser part 48952. You can also retain the Thunderbolt V module to keep the over temperature alarm functional as is but that will be a messy two module system that I don’t recommend just to save $100. I don’t cover the two module system in my videos but if you are sharp with wiring systems you should be able to figure it out.
26 авг 2024
