Can anyone tell me about ignition timing on indmar monsoon?

So i got my new engine installed in my 1997 sunsetter and got it running. Installed the distributor for initial start up like you would on any vehicle. Boat sounds good at idle. I checked the timing at idle, its right at 0 degree.

So now my problem is disabling the advance to set it to 10 degree btdc. I have been told about possibly jumping two wires? do you back probe a connector and jump them? or completely remove a plug in at the distributor and jump just the terminals?

I can't say for sure on yours but there should a a shunt wire at the distributor that whan enabled disables the advance. Problem is i can't remember how it's done, i did it on another boat a few years back after rebuilding and i think i unplugged one wire and plugged it into the shunt wire and timed it. Maybe someone else here has more info.

Well i can't say this is the exact procedure for yours but i found this on timing an Indmar carb engine:

Carbureted Engine Timing Procedure

NOTE: Adjusting engine timing should not be attempted unless you have the proper tools and equipment. An improperly timed engine can be severely damaged. Do not attempt to start the engine unless the boat is in the water or an adequate supply of cooling water is applied directly to the cooling water intake.

Carbureted Engines

1. Install P/N 801012 timing shunt (plug with looped white wire and black wire shipped with each engine) into the plug on the distributor.

2. Attach an appropriate inductive pick-up timing light to the number one cylinder spark plug wire.

3. Start engine.

4. Connect the loose end of the black wire from the timing shunt to 12 volts positive.

5. Adjust the idle to 750-850 RPM by turning the idle stop screw on the carburetor.

6. Set timing to 8 degrees BTDC by loosening the distributor hold down bolt and rotating the distributor until the timing pointer indicates 8 degrees BTDC. 7. Disconnect timing shunt from 12 volts and remove plug from distributor. 8. Reset idle to 650 + or - 50 RPM for inboard engines and 1000 RPM for jet engines.

I did see something similar to this on themalibucrew. mine isnt a carb engine, but it seems to sounds like similar ignition. I do remember seeing a plug in with only a cap on it. maybe this is what i hook one of the plugs from the diistributor to disable the advance?? If it were vaccuum advance... I'd have it done by now ;-)

Bryce, I have a fuel injected Monsoon in a 2000 vlx and did something similar to Razzman's note. If you have the Indmar mechanic's book I think it tells you how to do this. I believe it says to use a bent up paper clip to "jump" two wires to disable the computer timing advance. Once you do this you put the timing gun on it, set your timing, kill the engine, pull the paper clip out and re-start...or something to that effect. I discovered that mine was off by close to 15 DEGREES because the Idiot before me had no idea how to set it. It made it run SOOOO much better (obviously, because the computer was having to compensate for the horrible manual timing).

anyone able to verify what to do via a service manual??

I'd ask Mona Lisa Vito

The way that Razz and M-Dizz explained is the same way that I have done them on all of my cars Bryce. I can't imagine why 10 btdc would be any different on a marine motor than a car motor. The timing, disty, electronics are all the same. I've always used a paper clip as my jumper.

I'm still looking for that PDF for you.

http://www.indmar.com/About/ContactI...94_2002web.pdf

I actually went up to midwest mastercraft today to get a fake a lake and picked up a clymer manual. Mark was super helpful there. I just wanted to make sure i jumped the right wires to disable the ecm's automatic advance.

It was as simple as jumping "a" and "b" on the 10 pin service connector. although my boat doesnt automatically idle up to 1200 rpm when put into "service" mode, from what the manual says some of the earlier ones wont do it automatically, so i used my digitach and dialed it at 1200 rpm (my tach on the boat is off by about 400) and adjusted the timing to 10 btdc.

none the less... the procedure for the carb engine is different, same principal/theory. I'm not old by all means, but the vaccuum advance is all i've ever dealt with. My time as a service tech in the powersports industry, everything was done by a simple click of the mouse with diagnostic software. Or the timing was 100% fixed and not adjustable at all.