1st time FJ40 owner

[chriscam2]

Well I pulled the plugs, put a few drops of Marvel Mystery oil in each hole and turned the engine over by hand. It was not hard at all to turn it over. I could get it turning by just spinning the radiator fan. I was sure to check the belt was not just slipping. So that made me feel pretty good. I pulled the plugs as you can see below. How does that color look? normal? I should just get new ones right? Look a little carbon fouled.

I also pulled the starter because the previous owner thought it was bad and the reason it would not start. I had it tested and it's fine. But when I was taking it out half the mounting bracket just fell off. It must have been cracked already. It took no effort to loosen the bolts but when I pulled it off the busted piece just fell off. You can see that in the picture below. So new starter on the way.

So I think next I will drain the coolant, motor oil and gas. Get new fluids back in it, hook up the starter and battery and try and start the motor. will check back soon with how all that went.

thanks!

 

[78fj40mg]

Here's a guide

Yours look like they are carbon fouled, here are a few reasons for this:

Causes of Carbon Fouling:

• Continuous low-speed driving and/or short trips
• Spark plug heat range too cold
• Air-fuel mixture too rich
• Reduced compression and oil usage due to worn piston rings/cylinder walls
• Over-retarded ignition timing
• Ignition system deterioration

More info here:
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[Captn Conch]

Yes go ahead and dump the oil even though it looks clean. new plugs are in order for sure. could be running rich but does'nt matter those plugs need replaced just to be safe. Plugs do not cost much. Dump and clean the gas tank and any filters in the fuel path. Surely the fuel in the tank smells funky? Also if the plug wires are old that is a source of problems, you gotta have good spark.

 

[chriscam2]

I put the new battery and starter in and was going to try and turn it over but when turn the key i get nothing. No power to anything at all. No lights, no crank from the starter. Nothing. I checked to make sure the starter had power going to it and it does. Took a look at the fuses and they looked good but did not test them with multi meter.

Time to take a step a back and figure out this electrical issue. Looks like the electrical has been messed with a bit. Normal I suppose. A little lost on where I should start. Figure I just whip out the wire diagram and my multi meter and start tracing everything back starting from the starter. I feel like a new wire harness is in order. Maybe you all have a silver bullet for me Check back soon...

 

[kerplunk]

The starter should have 2-3 wires going to it. One large one from the battery, one small one from the ignition switch and possibly another small one to the coil.
Make sure the transmission is in neutral!!! (this is a good way to run yourself over)
Take a screwdriver, hold the tip on the big wire from the battery and tap it against the small wire from the ignition switch.
If the starter turns like that, there's a wiring issue someplace on the way to / from the ignition switch. If not, either the starter's bad, the battery is bad, the cable between them is bad, or there's a big issue with the ground.

I suppose a safer way to test would be getting a test light / meter. Check the big cable is getting 12v on the pole for the starter. Have someone turn the key and make sure the wire from the ignition is getting 12v.

That wire to the coil, I think (and there's a lot of room for error in this statement), should give the coil 12v to start instead of the lower voltage it normally uses. So with the key turned it should also get 12v. If it's not there, coil gets whatever it's normal voltage is for running when it's started and not a pressing concern at this point.

On my desmogged 74 with an HEI distributor and coil, 4-5 wires run the whole thing:
1- big 12v power to the starter
2- little 12v from the ignition switch to the start solenoid to turn the starter on
3- 12v from the ignition to the carb "idle solenoid" (not sure I got the right name for that)
4- 12V from the ignition switch to the distributor.

The wiring to your coil might be a little different (but pretty much the same), before tearing into the harness to figure out why lights and the ignition switch isn't all working you oughta be able to hotwire the thing and see if the engine can get started up and running.

 

[chriscam2]

Thanks Kerlpunk. the battery and starter are both brand new. I did use my multi meter to see that 12v was going to the starter but I did not check the ignition or coil wire. I can do that. I have a feeling something is not right at the ignition switch as the truck gets no power at all. No headlights or anything like that. Unless I wired up the starter wrong which is possible. I will also use the multi meter to make sure I am getting good ground.

 

[78fj40mg]

The ignition switch is most likely toast, it looks like this:

 

[chriscam2]

I dont see that anywhere on the truck. Where is that coming off from? The starter? The key'd ignition switch?

 

[78fj40mg]

It's located inside the ignition switch housing.

 

[chriscam2]

could that be for a newer fj40? I have a 1970. My ignition switch is in the dash. All the connections are just on the back of the switch. no cable or anything

 

[kerplunk]

I work on computers, big company IT, and see a lot of DOA equipment. Just because something it new doesn't mean it actually works, I test it anyways. (QA failures on $50K computer sound ridiculous, but are very common)

Battery should have 2 wires coming off it, although more is not uncommon. Assuming any of this is original, one (about 10 gauge) should go to a fusible link (basically just a 30 amp fuse). Test there's 12V to each side of that. Right inside the drivers door (assuming 70 is the same as 71 or 74), under the dash, on the door frame should be the fuse box, check that there's 12V there.

 

[chriscam2]

I agree on the DOA equipment. I have ground coming off the battery and the positive terminal goes right to starter. No fusible link. I will check for 12V at the fuse box when I get home. I will also test the starter to make sure its not bad.

 

[78fj40mg]

I agree with conducting voltage tests at various locations as suggested above, however, I've had the identical problem in past where nothing worked while ignition switch was in the on position and the culprit turned out to be the ignition switch, replaced it and everything was back to normal operating condition. Had I know about the faulty switch prior to conducting numerous test I could have saved some time.

 

[ErikinSC]

STOP - If you have 12V on battery, but NO lights -

diconnect the battery, remove the screws that hold the instrument cluster to the dash, and check the connections on you Amp-meter (Ammeter? spelling....). The Amp-meter is connected in SERIES and if you have an open one of the terminals - NOTHING else will work.

Check for a corroded terminal on either end of the Amp-meter.

If your lights work - you have current thru the Ammeter, and the problem is after the Amp-meter, and likely in the ignition switch circuit.

I did mine with the battery connected, but I like to live dangerously like that....

 

[sggoat]

For the electrical it could be something as simple as a bad ground (check the fuse box and battery cables), the flushable link could be bad, the power flows into the back of the gauge cluster so it could be one of those points are corroded. Don't remove the cluster without disconnecting the battery first though. Or it could be the starter solenoid as you said. These rigs are so simple that it hopefully something simple.

Remember Claudia's Admonition---"It's a bad ground"

 

[bikersmurf]

Search "Never underestimate the importance of a Ground" for info on grounds....

No wait, stop now before the sickness gets worse, sell the truck, and get help before the sickness spreads too far and you can't recover.

 

[chriscam2]

After a few months of not doing anything with this i finally got it started. It was just a bad ground. Motor fired right up after one turn of the key. Seems to idle smooth. Excited about that.

However im not sure i really want to get into this thing. Thinking i want to sell it. I don't have a lot of experience with these trucks and dont really know what its worth. Maybe you all have some idea on the value?

 

[ginmtb]

After a few months of not doing anything with this i finally got it started. It was just a bad ground. Motor fired right up after one turn of the key. Seems to idle smooth. Excited about that.

However im not sure i really want to get into this thing. Thinking i want to sell it. I don't have a lot of experience with these trucks and dont really know what its worth. Maybe you all have some idea on the value?

I'll give you $1,000. You turn a nice little profit. Actually a huge profit as you save yourself from these money pits!!!

 

[ginmtb]

Aw heck I'm feeling generous tonight. $1,500.

I have a friend in Centennial and my sister lives in Denver. Would give me a GREAT excuse to visit them...

 

[chriscam2]

Thanks for the offer ginmtb. I will have to think on that. I'm thinking its worth much more than that but maybe my research will prove me wrong. Body is in good shape compared to many of the FJ restore trucks I have seen for sale. Thing could be driving if I would get off my lazy butt and service the breaks and the clutch petal. I'm thinking maybe I need to do that. I know there a lot of variables when it comes to trying to find the value in this. At the end of the day its only worth what someone is willing to pay. A few friends of mine who know more about FJ's than I do have been telling me it could be in the 5k to 8k range. I'm just trying to fact check that.