94 FZJ80 won't start after engine swap

[furryapples]

Alright mud, I am posting this out of desperation. Long story short, I just swapped a 1FZ from a low mileage 93 in to my 94 and its not cranking. No click or anything from starter when turning key. The motor ran great in the parts truck I pulled it from and it cranked fine on the old motor as well.

Pulled starter and bench tested it and it works great. Cleaned contacts, terminals and mounting face (on starter and block) to make sure it was getting power and ground. If I run power straight to the solenoid on the starter it cranks the motor. But when I plug it in and turn the key... nada.

Tried starting in park and neutral to try and rule out the neutral safety switch. Tried starting while jiggling the key around in the ignition. Checked all fuses, connections to the ECU, made sure all the engine grounds were in place. I've had the battery on a charger to make sure its got a full charge and am getting 12.6 volts. The main fusible link was damaged so I just have the wires soldered together at the moment with no link in place (have a new one on the way).

Is there something I'm missing? Anything else I need to check? I've looked around on here and in FSM and not having any luck. I'm sure its something super simple that I'm forgetting but its driving me to the point of insanity. I just wanna drive my 80 again!

 

[jonheld]

Search search search. From a post a few years ago:

"The starter circuit is very simple.
The logic side of the starter solenoid: battery positive terminal; fusible link AM1; fuse AM1; ignition switch; neutral start switch; starter solenoid.
The load side of the starter motor is a direct connection to the battery positive terminal."

Nothing else effects the starter circuit. The ECU and the entire ignition system could be in your neighbor's garage and the starter will still crank the engine.

 

[Infinity00]

Sounds like a bad solenoid, but I’d suggest if you don’t have these already, buy cheap circuit tester or digital volt meter and logically work your way through the circuit until you find the break. Sounds like you’ve done your homework on all the connections. What have you found when you’ve traced the circuit?

 

[bigredmachine]

does your cel come in with the key on

 

[furryapples]

does your cel come in with the key on

Yep solid CEL comes on with key in ON position. When I jump the diagnostic port it just flashes continuously

 

[furryapples]

Sounds like a bad solenoid, but I’d suggest if you don’t have these already, buy cheap circuit tester or digital volt meter and logically work your way through the circuit until you find the break. Sounds like you’ve done your homework on all the connections. What have you found when you’ve traced the circuit?

I’ve tested the circuit with volt meter and it looks like there is power everywhere there should be... I can do some more digging around in there. Would the starter still work if the solenoid is bad? When I run power straight to the switch on the starter (little black connecter next to main power terminal on starter) The starter engages and crank the engine.

The connection on the starter looks like it splices in with main engine harness. So I was thinking it's somewhere between the key and that switch on the starter.

 

[jonheld]

does your cel come in with the key on

Not relevant to the starter circuit.

 

[jonheld]

I’ve tested the circuit with volt meter and it looks like there is power everywhere there should be... I can do some more digging around in there. Would the starter still work if the solenoid is bad? When I run power straight to the switch on the starter (little black connecter next to main power terminal on starter) The starter engages and crank the engine.

The connection on the starter looks like it splices in with main engine harness. So I was thinking it's somewhere between the key and that switch on the starter.

So you're seeing +12 on the starter logic side when you turn the key to start? If not, work backwards with a meter. I gave you the path.

 

[bigredmachine]

Not relevant to the starter circuit.

yes I know that, but a no start could be something other than a bad starter. cel wasn't mentioned in the first post so its not an unreasonable question trying to track down a no start

 

[furryapples]

So you're seeing +12 on the starter logic side when you turn the key to start? If not, work backwards with a meter. I gave you the path.

I figured it out this morning and it was of course the stupidest thing you could imagine. Somehow when I reinstalled the shifter it was off a tooth and was not fully engaging in to park. I noticed when I put it in reverse it was actually showing neutral on the dash. Fired right up and runs great now

 

[bigredmachine]

Yep solid CEL comes on with key in ON position. When I jump the diagnostic port it just flashes continuously

that's a good sign, cel coming on shows power going to the ecu and if I remember correctly the light flashing at .25 second interval continually is no codes stored

 

[jonheld]

yes I know that, but a no start could be something other than a bad starter. cel wasn't mentioned in the first post so its not an unreasonable question trying to track down a no start

The OP said "no crank", not "crank-no start".