Choke Cable arcing to my Throttle arm (1 Viewer)

[Kroozer74]

Hey guys I haven't been on here in awhile but I have recently ran into another problem with my FJ40.

When I go to start her it will crank over very very slowly and very roughly if that's a word. I have tested the battery, starter, alt. and they all are in good shape.

So I got to messing with it the other day and the piece that connects to the carb. from the gas pedal arm was super hot and burned the crap out of me. The engine had just started so it was hot because it has alot of electricity flowing through not because the engine was hot. So I had a buddy crank on it while I watched the engine and the choke cable and the throttle piece that was so hot is arcing and turning bright red.

So I checked for bare wires and didn't find anything. But I did find that my ammeter or voltage regulator which ever it is called (its the little black box bolted to the fire wall) it has a wire that all the insulation was burned off of and it was bare. If you need to know which wire it is I can go look.

But I am wondering if anyone has any idea what could be making it do this. I know I need to replace the ammeter but is probably what is making it arc from the choke cable to the carb. or could it be something else?

I was thinking it was probably just a bare wire but so far I have yet to find any bare wires.

Thanks

Barry

 

[Gumby]

Your grounds are bad. Probably the one that goes from the engine to the block. It's trying to ground the starter (200A) through whatever it can.

I've seen it on a Honda that kept burning up clutch cables.

 

[Kroozer74]

Well I have replaced the ground going from the battery to the frame. I cleaned the ground location very good too.

Am I doing something wrong or missing something?

 

[lostmarbles]

Your grounds are bad. Probably the one that goes from the engine to the block. It's trying to ground the starter (200A) through whatever it can.

I've seen it on a Honda that kept burning up clutch cables.

Well I have replaced the ground going from the battery to the frame. I cleaned the ground location very good too.

Am I doing something wrong or missing something?

Yes.

Check the ground from the engine to the frame.

(Gumby is getting like me....... I think he meant to say "frame" or "chassis" rather than "block". )

 

[Kroozer74]

Ok so just to clear it up is there more then one ground? Like I know I have one from my battery to my frame/chassis. But is there another one from my engine to my frame?

 

[bikersmurf]

There should be more than one. You need a return route from the engine and starter back to the battery.

 

[lone gunman]

you should have one from engine to the frame most people use a starter bolt for one end of that one. and the battery to the frame and i run one from the engine to the body (on my firewall) and if you want to go overkill (i did) one from body to frame. i was tired of grounding issues and when i went TPI i fixed some electrical problems while i was at it.

 

[Gumby]

The ground to the frame/chassis is fine. That's why there is power going through the cable.

The ground to the engine block is bad. The starter is on the engine block. The engine is mounted in rubber. It is isolated from the frame except where things like the throttle cable connect them. You need one from either the frame to the engine or the battery to the engine (better)


Actually I meant to say engine to the battery in my previous post.

 

[Kroozer74]

Sounds to me like you guys hit the problem right on the head!

One last question. Is there a bolt or a place on the 2f engine that the stock ground should be mounted too?

 

[Rocky_LC]

You can go from one of the Motor Mount Bolts, or the bolt that holds the starter on.

You can test it by just running a jumper cable from the engine to the battery negative terminal. Give it a crank, and see if it fixes your slow cranking & red-hot wires.

Did you / are you going to fix or replace the Voltage Regulator?

Rocky

 

[Kroozer74]

I am in the process of fixing/replacing my voltage regulator.

And I will try this tomorrow and see what happens but judging from what ya'll have told me that should do the trick!

Where was the engine ground from the factory located?

Will it blow my alt. if i start it without the voltage regulator?

 

[Rocky_LC]

Mine ('74) went from the Starter Attachment Bolt (Lower) to the bolt on the frame that held a 90 deg. brake line fitting securely to the frame. On the passenger side.

Not sure if it's stock or not.

Rocky

RE: Alternator: No - since the voltage regulator is not connected - there is no Field Voaltage input - so there will be no alternator output.

 

[Kroozer74]

Sounds good to me!

Thanks alot guys for all your help.

I will get the engine grounded out and put in the new pinion bearing and she will be good as new!!!