3,2,1, Lift Off...Sometimes (1 Viewer)

[Swampfox58]

Hey everyone. Hope all is well. It's been awhile since I've posted which means I have a problem I need some help with troubleshooting. Pig is running good and besides the usual slow leaks she's good to go except for one thing.
Sometimes when I go to crank her up she turns right over and fires up. Other times she'll start to fire strong and then begins to grind down like the starter is loosing power. I can switch off the ignition and turn the key and nothing, nada, zero. I still have full electrical to the vehicle just not to the starter. Other time I can crank her up drive somewhere, stop get out and go to crank her and again nothing. It's just so random. Would love some feedback on possible culprits.
Here's what I've done so far to try and find the problem:
1. Rebuilt starter
2. Replaced solenoid
3. Replaced battery / tested new battery 12.4 v w/ 945 cranking amps
4. Disconnected, cleaned and used dielectric grease on all ground connections.
5. Replaced negative post terminal.
6. Disconnected ground and used a jumper from the negative to the frame to make sure ground cable wasn't bad.
I'm stumped. I know troubleshooting electrical is hard enough in person but if someone could point out something I've missed it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance

 

[NikP]

Bypass the key and stock wiring and see if it changes. Might be ignition switch related.

 

[RocketCityCrzrs]

yep that. Try running a push button into the cab and wire it from the battery to the button then to the starting solenoid. You should put the ignition in the run position then hit the button to engage the starter

 

[J Mack]

6. Disconnected ground and used a jumper from the negative to the frame to make sure ground cable wasn't bad.

Do you have a ground going directly to the engine block from the battery?

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Fusible links/ bad connections of factory harness. Bypass key to starter as stated

 

[Megadoomer]

Im on board with grounding issue. I had this problem and it it was worse when it was warm, or if I was just running and tried to start just after, like getting gas.

 

[Swampfox58]

Do you have a ground going directly to the engine block from the battery?

Ground goes from the battery to the fender and to the frame. Not the engine. It's been like that since I bought it.

 

[J Mack]

Ground goes from the battery to the fender and to the frame. Not the engine. It's been like that since I bought it.

IMHO the ground on a pig should go directly to the engine block then secondary grounds would go from the block to the firewall and frame.
Too many rust prone areas to properly ground any other way.

Your ground connection could be good at the fender but the fender has an oxide layer between it and the rest of the vehicle.

 

[Swampfox58]

Took y'alls advice and used a push button remote between the solenoid and the battery. Fired right up. I may just bite the bullet and replace the wiring harness from the ignition to the starter. Never done that before so should be interesting at best, backbreaking, mind blowing, followed but a litany of curses at worst. Any hints from previous experiences would be greatly appreciated.

 

[J Mack]

Any hints from previous experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Buy one of these and try it first before you start cutting wires.

Ignition Switch FJ40, FJ45, FJ55 1972-1984

fj40 ignition cable switch

cruisercorps.com

 

[bobm]

Yup, happened to me in my 66 Cruiser! All it was , was 1 wire from solenoid I followed across firewall and wasn't plugged in! Plugged it in and it started!! So look before tearing things apart, especially if it was intermittent

 

[Swampfox58]

Buy one of these and try it first before you start cutting wires.

Ignition Switch FJ40, FJ45, FJ55 1972-1984

fj40 ignition cable switch

cruisercorps.com

I hate to seem like a moron, but it wouldn't be the first time. This cable is located in the steering column?

 

[Swampfox58]

I think I just found the culprit.
Anybody got a link to the female end?

 

[abqcruiser]

Try @Coolerman .
This is his site:

Cruiser Wiring

 

[Swampfox58]

Rhetorical question. Do I have to have a connector? Wouldn't it be easier to straight wire and just not have a connector?

 

[RUSH55]

Rhetorical question. Do I have to have a connector? Wouldn't it be easier to straight wire and just not have a connector?

You don’t have to. Back in the day, I had the same problem and cut the wire on either side of the plug and crimped on some male/female bullet connectors so that it could be disconnected and reconnected if need-be. It’s a red-neck fix, but I never had another problem with it.

 

[bobm]

Hill Billy

 

[Swampfox58]

You don’t have to. Back in the day, I had the same problem and cut the wire on either side of the plug and crimped on some male/female bullet connectors so that it could be disconnected and reconnected if need-be. It’s a red-neck fix, but I never had another problem with it.

Yeah, I'd love to replace the connector but I've never wired one of those connectors and don't have a clue how to do it. As with most projects it would take me 3 tries to ge it right.

 

[PabloCruise]

Try @Coolerman .
This is his site:

Cruiser Wiring

x2 - @Coolerman

Probably one of those deals where you can de-pin the connector, use some contact cleaner on the connectors and reassemble, as long as the wires aren't burnt.

The engineer in me wonders what caused that lead to burn in the first place?

 

[scrapdaddy]

The engineer in me wonders what caused that lead to burn in the first place?

The bad luck Larry in me was wondering the same.