'60 won't start

[rcj1]

Hoping someone can get me pointed the right direction.

When I try to start my '83 FJ60, it doesn't turn. There's no power, no nothing.

I assumed it was a battery issue at first. When I attached my battery jump cables to it, it started right up without any issues. When the jumper is connected, note that the dash lights and the dome light turn on as well.

We drove around for about an hour, leaving the car on at various places to get the battery back going. When I got home, I tried to crank it again, and had the same result.

So I pulled out my trickle charger, and connected it. The indicator immediately showed 100% charged, which is where I'm thrown off.

Just wondering if anyone has any idea or can point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

C

 

[gregnash]

Alternator probably or some other form of electrical ground...
If you can get it started again and take it to an autoparts store and have them test the battery, alt, etc and it will tell you.

 

[the gimpey one]

Sounds like alternator but be sure to check the fuses as well. Pretty sure there is one labeled engine! Mine went out once and i did not know it. Felt pretty stupid when it was all said and done.

 

[pepela]

Hi, you probably got it fixed by now but couldn't help but think that the obvious was the battery itself as trying to recharge a dead flat battery might accept a charge but won't HOLD A CHARGE and never seen a charger that says its full but have seen them to say its completed its charged cycle. If your battery was good it may just have needed the terminals cleaned at the battery and all earthed ends. It got weirder by the fact a jumper cable attached to the battery and your lighting and keyed start started it but detached nothing happened again. I can only add for your regular yearly type service inspection that all terminals be cleaned including the Fuse Links within inches of the terminal on the positive power lead and the other slightly hidden Fuse which on mine is just behind the main fuse box under dash with larger red & white cable which is a reusable trip fuse which requires you to slip a small pin into the hole and push upward to re engage the fuse. An auto electrician can conduct a better test to decide if your battery is capable of holding the charge. 1 thing I insist is to clean terminals, cable ends and lightly lube them and make sure all ends are done up tight as loose ends can fail and even cause premature failures on others. If your battery is stuffed consider a Deep Cycle type which is far more expensive but has many advantages over cheaper types especially with many accessories and the possibles if auto Trans which the vehicle becomes very reliant on the battery to start you in isolated places. You got this reply as you had not updated fix yet.

 

[rcj1]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to give it a shot in the morning!

C

 

[the gimpey one]

so what was it?

 

[Gurr]

Clean the terminals when you take it out to get it tested or whatever, I've had the oxidation cause a no start issue when it didn't even look like there was corrosion.

 

[brett76]

or your battery is just done. sometimes they get to where they just wont charge anymore. it was running off your alternator when you were driving it around probably

 

[rcj1]

Sorry for the delay on circling back on this! Finally last weekend I had the battery tested and the tech described it as "deader than dead." Good news is that it was in-warranty so I used the credit toward a deep-cycle battery, and wow what a difference.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Davidilewallen]

Hi all, I'm having a very similar issue. A little history 1984 FJ60, was not ideling well and would die at stop signs and taking a while to start warm or cold, would have to turn the ignition and pump the gas like crazy but it would eventually start. Then took it to a carb mechanic and he checked the carb and it was fine, he cleaned out the throddle injector and that fixed the starting issue and the idle problem...then all of a sudden it would be difficult to start again once in a while (maybe one in every 10 starts.) Then One day I turned the ignition the dash lights turned on for a second, then I heard a click, then everything was dead, no lights, nothing (except a random key in ignition beeping signal). I figured it was the battery, I got a new battery and it was still dead then after a few tries it fired up...everything was fine for about a week on the new battery. Then yesterday it was dead again. Won't start. Everything is dead.

Could this be the starter? Starter solenoid? Alternator or wiring issue?
Thanks
Any ideas?

 

[The Machinist]

Hi all, I'm having a very similar issue. A little history 1984 FJ60, was not ideling well and would die at stop signs and taking a while to start warm or cold, would have to turn the ignition and pump the gas like crazy but it would eventually start. Then took it to a carb mechanic and he checked the carb and it was fine, he cleaned out the throddle injector and that fixed the starting issue and the idle problem...then all of a sudden it would be difficult to start again once in a while (maybe one in every 10 starts.) Then One day I turned the ignition the dash lights turned on for a second, then I heard a click, then everything was dead, no lights, nothing (except a random key in ignition beeping signal). I figured it was the battery, I got a new battery and it was still dead then after a few tries it fired up...everything was fine for about a week on the new battery. Then yesterday it was dead again. Won't start. Everything is dead.

Could this be the starter? Starter solenoid? Alternator or wiring issue?
Thanks
Any ideas?

The starter sounds like it should be fine, but it sounds like your alternator is acting up. Take it out and down to your local parts shop to have it tested. When it does run, is the voltage gauge doing anything funny like over or under charging? it could also be a bad voltage regulator.

 

[Davidilewallen]

When it was running the voltage was a bit higher than 12 with the new battery. With the old battery it was right at 12.