no starty (1 Viewer)

[Max.Powerzz]

I picked up this great 68 fj40 last summer and have been tinkering on it here and there. It ran the day I bought it and the day I brought it home (with lots of seafoam) but hasn't started since. After running it for one day I lost fuel pressure and spark. I replaced the fuel pump and filter and now at least get fuel to the carb, but now I can't get a spark. There is no spark at the spark plug. There is no spark at the coil. I have tried replacing the coil and there is no change. I tried using alligator clip jumpers to make sure I had good connections to + and ground, but no change. I am stumped! I've checked voltages and impedance on primary and secondary of the coils and they are okay.

The only thing I can figure is that the pick up coil in the distributor is shot. (It has a semi electronic distributor of an unknown japanese brand, and the ignitor looks trashed). Drive train is from a 76 so it has a 2f and 4 speed.

I have two thoughts: 1) replace the electronic ignition with points and condensor as a cheap solution just to get this vehicle running so we can get it inspected. Cost approx $30?
or 2) replace the electronic ignition kit with a new one so we have a new ignitor and a new pickup coil of known vendor and age. Cost approx. $130?
or 3) replace the entire distributor ....approx cost $350?

There are so many cut, open ended, and missing wires in this engine compartment, I don't know what is hooked up correctly and what is hacked. The fuse block inside the firewall has at least 4 jumpers. Fortunately, all the fuses are working.
This vehicle is driving me nuts. Its got to be something simple. Why in the world can't I get a spark from the secondary on the coil? Even if I bypass the ignitor?

 

[kurtnkegger]

Did you replace your high tension wire? I know it sounds silly, but small things can be overlooked...

 

[edwjmcgrath]

It sounds like you understand the basics of ignition systems and have checked the obvious. It could be the pickup or the ignitor but either way, you've got to replace the electronic ignition. If it were me, I'd be starting with going back to basics and installing points/condenser/resistor. This is really simple and easy to debug.

 

[Max.Powerzz]

Update: we have power coming out of coil, but not out of the dizzy. Any common problems? Igniter? Ignition coil resistor not hooked up.

 

[adanielfish]

Ballast resistor on firewall????

 

[byrd_hntr]

Trollhole sells a 2F dizzy for a lot less than 300 dollard. Ive installed mine and like it so far.

 

[Max.Powerzz]

I saw trollhole's and he recommended I stay electronic. I guess I need an ignitor either way, checkers wants $300!!

 

[edwjmcgrath]

Update: we have power coming out of coil, but not out of the dizzy. Any common problems? Igniter? Ignition coil resistor not hooked up.

What exactly do you mean by this? By "power" I assume that you mean 12v not high voltage ignition "power". Is that right?

There are two "inputs" to the coil-both go to the positive terminal. One comes from the starter and is a full 12v that is fed when the motor is cranking. The other comes from the ignition switch and that power runs through the resistor.

The "output", if you want to call it that, of the coil is the negative terminal. That goes to the ignitor. The ignitor basically connects the negative terminal of the coil to ground and then opens it up. It does this 6 times each revolution of the engine. Each time it does this, there should be a spark at the coil.

The dizzy doesn't have a "power" output. It has two control wires that run to the pickup that tell the ignitor when to do its shorting. I'm not sure what you mean when you say that there is no power coming out of the dizzy.

Have you looked at the dizzy to determine what brand it is or have a part number?
I'd be surprised if a random aftermarket dizzy would fit unless it was specifically designed for this engine. If you have a part number, that might help a lot.

 

[John Smith]

Please post up pictures of this mystery dizzy and ignitor. Have you performed the FSM tests on the ignitor? You can go to the parts store and buy a cheap GM HEI ignition module and hook that up instead of spending big money on a new ignitor if you want to troubleshoot that way.

 

[Max.Powerzz]

Here are some pics, I'll get better ones today:

 

[John Smith]

It looks like your ignitor is sitting on top of the battery. It needs to be grounded to the body or the negative terminal on the battery. The dizzy looks to be Toyota electronic to me.

 

[John McVicker]

X2 on grounding your ignitor and I don't see a rotor ??

John

 

[Max.Powerzz]

Woo-hoo! Finally got it running, it was the ignitor. We swapped in an ignitor from a 1978 Celica, do you see any problems with that? It's off of a 4-banger, would that affect the 2f? I'm running a 76 2f in the 68 body.