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handala

handala

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Joined
Dec 21, 2004
Threads
55
Messages
381
Location
East Bay, CA
Gentlemen..

I'm hoping somebody can help me with this one.

This morning, my cruiser (1974 FJ40) was running like a charm. I parked her on the uphill on my garage and then it wouldn't start any more

I assume it was a fuel problem, but it looks now like it's electrical.

Basically she fires up perfectly fine but when I release the ignition she dies. If I keep the ignition cranked she runs perfectly without the grinding noise of a cranking over a running motor. As soon as Let go of ignition, she dies.

I finally drove her into my garage while cranking the ignition and having the engine running and now she won't even crank. Just makes a clickin noise when I try to start the engine.

The only thing the happened between the time she wa running and not, was that she was parked in an incline.

Any ideas? Weather too nice to have her grounded!

Thanks,

Sani
 
Okay. Now turned over and fires up, but does when I let go of the ignition!
 
Does that truck have a small ceramic resistor on the fire wall? James Risher bought his and it was doing the same thing. He repalced the resistor and all was good.
 
Don't recall my 74 having that resistor now that I think about it. It's worth a shot tho. You need someone to chime in that knows a lot more than me on electrical issues.
 
Tell me more about what is going on right after it dies. You let go of the key and the key/switch position falls back into the "run" position but the truck dies? What is going on with the dash lights, radio, accessories, etc? Are they still on or do the lose power like you turned the switch to the off position?

Thinking bad switch...
 
Bossman,


My only accessory is CB radio. dash lights come on even when switch is OFF.

Okay, here's the status:
key to acc... nothing
key to ON... CB radio on and single "click" from carb!!
Key to start.. engine turns
 
handala said:
Bossman,


My only accessory is CB radio. dash lights come on even when switch is OFF.

Okay, here's the status:
key to acc... nothing
key to ON... CB radio on and single "click" from carb!!
Key to start.. engine turns
Click to expand...

To be clear... Turning the key in the normal direction to the first location is On right? Turning it further is start right? When you release the key it goes back to On. In this "On" position your cb is working or not?
 
Correct.
4 positions on switch
off/accc/on/start

When I turn the key in the normal direction to the ON, I hear a click in the carb
Move it further to start, the engine turns and fires up, and only keeps running as long as key in start position. Once I let it go, it goes to ON, engine dies, but CB still running.
 
Been searching around MUD, and what seems to fit most with what's happening is a faulty ballast resistor. Unfortunately, I don't think there's one on a '74.

Still trying!
 
That's what I was talking about. Look around for a ceramic looking thing that is about 2.5" long with two wires plugged into it. Not sayin' it has one but the 76 that my buddy bought had one and it was doing the same thing. Napa has these if you find it.
 
Jeff,

good call

I was wrong. The '74 has one. Some post had mentioned only later models had it, but not true.

Headed to NAPA today to get it.

I'll let you know.

Hoping to experience the thrill of overcoming an obstacle soon.
 
Switch sounds ok from that description. Hopefully Jeff has you on the right track. If not, we will rig up a Hotwire and see if we can make it run.
 
SWEET....

The wire coming out of the ballast resistor had no charge when switch to "on". Got a new BR from NAPA, installed it, fired up and ran like a charm.

Problem solved.

thanks everyone for your help.
 
Oh, problem now it that when I removed the ignition cylinder the key was set to ACC. U put it on off, and now it's stuck there and I can't put it back in the steering column.

Starting it with a screwdriver for now!
 
Now I have no remedy for that. Damn Sani!
 
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