carb backfire and smok'n starter (1 Viewer)

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Joined
May 11, 2003
Threads
34
Messages
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Location
Elmwood, WI
My 71 FJ40 was starting and running fine until today.....

I removed the battery, dizzy cap and air cleaner cover. Put everything back and the air cleaner cover a little too tight. Get in and attempt to start it and POW!!! Loudest backfire I have heard. Realize it came from the air cleaner cover. Take it off and there is fuel in it. Smoke coming out of carb. Few minutes later attempt to start it and smoke coming out of the carb along with smoking coming from bolt on the end of the Starter Solend. Attempt to take the nut off from the starter slent and basically burn my finger. Positive lead hot along with white/blue strip wire right behind the nut. Now it turns over but does not start :crybaby:

Ideas :confused:

Thanks

:cheers:
 
1) Did you put the distributor cap back 180 degrees off?
2) Excessive cranking caused the overheating of the starter due to 1)?
 
Distributor cap is on the correct way. It is the kind where there is a nick out of one side and the other side is solid. My plug wires have been on so long they bend to the spark plugs. 180 degrees off and they are bending towards the battery.
 
If it didn't do this before you fiddled with the battery, distributor cap and air cleaner, then it is likely that the problem is related to what your were folling with. Of the 3 only the distributor cap makes sense.
 
What damage could the backfire do? Any? Maybe I put the wrong distributor cap on :confused: I was taking this stuff off to try and get the 70 started :rolleyes:. Yeah, I went from having the 71 that started and ran and the 70 that did not even have the battery hooked up at the beginning of the weekend to both of them just cranking at the end of the weekend. :crybaby:

I will switch the distributor cap and if that is what it is. I have not even begun to ask about the 70's issues as it sat for about 10 years. Thanks Pinhead for your help. Like I said I will switch out the distributor caps.

:cheers:
 
Thanks pinhead,

Embarrassed to say I had the plugs hooked up totally backwards :eek:. 1 was hooked up to 6, 6 hooked up to 1. Damn.

1 is closest to the radiator, 1 is closest to the radiator, 1 is closest to the radiator.

She starts and runs again. :bounce:
 
I used to have a 75 fj-40 with a chevy 350. one of the cam shaft lobes wore all the way down, and another was about half way down. My dad and I decided to just rebuild since we would have to tear it down anyway (also we were going to replace the clutch and it's just easier to pull the engine)

anyway, we just about had everything together and my brother-in-law showed up and decided to pitch in. He put the spark plug wires back (In wrong order)

that thing backfired like an SOB. I couldn't figure it out. I had every wire specifically labeled. My dad said "Well, let's check that firing order again" and sure enough.

it's a bitch, aint it?

what are you doing with the other Cruiser?

-Lance
 
Last edited:
seventysixforty

Yeah I just felt like a moron. Opened the POS Haynes manual just to page though and saw No 1 nearest raditor and thought :doh: if that is I am going to be p#ssed. Sure enough......

The other I am currently attempting to figure out why it is not sparking. It is turning and but no spark. Pulled #1 spark and gounded it to nut on top of the block and nothing. Am going to pull #2 hopefully on monday and see if it is just #1 but highly doubt it. I hate not being able to start cars.... being so close and yet so far away. I know alt, battery, starter, and plugs are good but that is about all I know for sure. I had it fire about 9 months ago but had POS rochester carb on and dist was crap. Only got it to fire by spraying carb cleaner in it constantly. As soon as we would stop it would die. Replaced dist (used) points (new) carb (used) and had alt rebuilt....Got a LONG way to go before this thing moves but would like it to start. Than everything else is that much closer. :cheers:
 
I wouldn't feel too bad about it; everyone has done it sometime. I would only worry about it if you do it again.
 
Yeah if I do it again I may have see medical attention........or should i say mental attention..... :D
 

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