87 FJ60 starter issues?

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smoregon said:
Thanks NeverGiveUpYota. I do not know what you mean by unclipped. If you will tell me, I'll give it a shot. I would rather spend time troubleshooting than replacing parts.

I also have a random question about an unattached hose leading from the sensor that is connected to the distributor and the air filter (those hoses are connected but the hose in question isn't connected to anything at the moment) but that might need another thread and a picture.
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Vac advance. A hose typically goes to that port on the rear of the carb(facing the 4 ports, it would be the furthest to the left) then to one of those two on the diz: inner port is 13 degrees and outer is 7 degrees. Depends on how the truck is desmogged/timed. For now I have my vac advance on my carb plugged and neither port hosed on the diz. From what I have read they don't need to be plugged if they aren't being utilized. @LAMBCRUSHER?
Sometimes the advance doesn't work on the diz so all it ends up being is a vacuum on the carb.
Someone can correct me if they chose but it's what I've gleaned w/ all my desmog back and forth.
 
I unclipped the alt (thanks NeverGiveUpYota) and it still didn't start. Then I pulled the plugs, tightened the alt tension as much as I could and couldn't budge the power steering nut. So what do I do now?
 
Have you pulled the clutch inspection cover to see if the starter is still engaged with the flywheel?
 
If the starter isn't engaged with the flywheel (and it shouldn't be) and you remove the clutch inspection cover, you should be able to rotate the flywheel by hand while wearing gloves if all the spark plugs are removed.
 
Ok, I'll give that a shot next. I might have time to do it on Thursday as long as the weather cooperates. Please don't abandon me if it takes me a few days.

Assuming the starter is disengaged, what is the next step if I can't move the flywheel by hand?
 
Just double checking, but you did have the transmission in neutral when you tried to turn the engine by hand before?

If it still won't move, I'd take off every belt and try again to turn it over from the flywheel.
 
Silly question but your getting fuel into carb? 100% sure your pump hasn't blown? It's
 
It was in neutral. I am confident that fuel is hitting the carb. I can maybe upload a video of the sound it is making but I am not sure it would help, and I don't think I want to keep attempting to start it if the engine is seized.

Assuming it is seized, what is the next step? Do I need to take things apart or can I maybe get away with trying to lube the pistons through the spark plug holes?

Currently it is sitting in my driveway. Yesterday, half of my driveway was a glacier, the other half was water saturated gravel (in kind of a calico pattern). Now it is snowing again and tomorrow's high might hit 20. Not ideal conditions for crawling under there. Trying to get it into the garage so I have a reasonable place to do what I have to do will require my ford 600 tractor, and cooperation from either a gung-ho 11 yr old or a very skeptical spouse. I need to figure out who (of the 2 of them) needs to drive what. It may be a while...
 
smoregon said:
It was in neutral. I am confident that fuel is hitting the carb. I can maybe upload a video of the sound it is making but I am not sure it would help, and I don't think I want to keep attempting to start it if the engine is seized.

Assuming it is seized, what is the next step? Do I need to take things apart or can I maybe get away with trying to lube the pistons through the spark plug holes?

Currently it is sitting in my driveway. Yesterday, half of my driveway was a glacier, the other half was water saturated gravel (in kind of a calico pattern). Now it is snowing again and tomorrow's high might hit 20. Not ideal conditions for crawling under there. Trying to get it into the garage so I have a reasonable place to do what I have to do will require my ford 600 tractor, and cooperation from either a gung-ho 11 yr old or a very skeptical spouse. I need to figure out who (of the 2 of them) needs to drive what. It may be a while...
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Sucks. Sorry man. Anyone here on mud local to you? Have you asked around?
 
Try marvel mystery oil into the spark plugs, a tablespoon or so. Let it soak, and if the engine is seized you may be able to break it free... Rotate the crank in both directions if you can?

I have used a sheet of cardboard as ground pad, also if you have a spare square of remnant carpet, that helps the 'comfort' factor of being undercarraige.
 
Thanks NeverGiveUpYota, and micruz60. I haven't asked around. I'm in central Oregon if there are any volunteers...

All things considered, It could be/have been worse. It died in front of my garage while warming up; not 2 miles down the road while taking the kids to school. I pushed it downhill and out of the way so I could get the civic out of the garage and manhandle it through the local conditions (and got the kids to school). We have had record setting snowfall (roofs around town collapsing and such) and unusually cold temps, combined with inept road care. So the commuter got parked and the Cruiser was enlisted. The Cruiser doesn't drip in the driveway so I wasn't watching the fluids real close, and the gauges looked normal. It is not a daily driver, but I want to get it back in service as soon as I can. Pushing it into the garage (or anywhere at this point) isn't going to happen without mechanical advantage (tractor) and hopefully I will be able to get away with it being out of service for a bit.

I have thought of marvels mystery oil or diesel into the plug holes, and being that it is in the drive and not the garage that would certainly be an easier route to take than crawling under. Pulling out the tarps and moving blankets is not something I am excited about.
 
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My 60 recently had an issue with it barely being able to turn over. Voltage and everything was fine, barely would start, and was spinning the motor about 1/3 or 1/2 the speed it had been the day before. Best I could figure one of the brushes in the motor had gone so it no longer had enough kick to spin the motor. Then two days later the starter self destructed on the freeway after not disengaging... New starter fixed the problem, until I broke something else later the same day....
 
If you can't turn the flywheel and the starter is not stuck then the next step is to probably pull the pan. Mine died slowly, like yours, but on the road. I had 10 miles on my freshly rebuilt 2F and found that the #1 rod seized on the crank. If you didn't overheat your engine then the Marvel Mystery Oil will probably do nothing since your pistons are not seized from overheating issues. It sounds like you were losing oil somewhere and may have starved something. Good luck.
 
Well, I finally got it into the garage and just pulled the clutch cover. The starter is not engaged and I could not move the flywheel with the plugs out and it in neutral (I did not loosen any belts). Where do I go from here (other than the beer fridge)?
 
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Piss man. Drink a beer or three then pull the pan like the guy above you suggested?
 
When I pull the pan, is there anything specific I should look for? I mean other than twisted bits of metal stuck where they shouldn't be and parts that should move but don't.
 
@Homey55, said seized rod. I'd start searching in that direction. Maybe you'll need to pull the side cover too? @HemiAlex... you tore your engine down that far right? Maybe you'd have a suggestion?
 
Drain the oil into a clean container so you can inspect the oil. The side cover will not show you anything and it's a pain in the ass to remove. It's going to be difficult to confirm anything other than a seizure, but look for the metal to be discolored wherever it got hot. My crank and rod were black where they seized and the rest of the crank was dark gray. The oil is going to be your indicator and if you drain it and it comes out looking like a gold pan, then you're probably going to need to pull the motor and you might just forego pulling the pan.
 
I drained the oil, and there were no bits and pieces in it. Before I drop the pan and wade into that, what are the chances I might be able to fix it without pulling the engine? I do not have a lift and I am limited to jack stands, and I don't have the space or equipment to pull the engine. I am wondering if I should begin the next step if there is little chance I would be able to do anything about what I find.
 
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