Electronic Distributor Swap (1 Viewer)

[1977FJ40]

I know this has been discussed but I still have questions...

Bought a '78 distributor and matching coil/ignitor to install in my '77 FJ40

I pulled #1 plug, covered it with my thumb and rocked my truck until I felt a jet of air come out but it wasn't right on the bb, had to move it just a touch more, this is TDC, correct?

I installed the dizzy per Haynes, Jeff Zepp and directions found here, Does it look like it is close to where it should be in the pic? (And I'm SURE it's seated all the way in!)

Drilled a hole in my air cleaner, found the port on the carb...

OK, the dizzy is finished (I hope)... now the hard part, the coil/ignitor!

All of my wiring has been butchered by PO... I split the black/yellow wire to connect to the green 2 prong connector on the coil/ignitor

I have a black/white wire coming from the solenoid, what do I do with that?

I have a white/black wire coming from the alternator, where does it go?

I have a red wire that went from the old coil to the dizzy, does it need to be connected?

Do I need a ballast resistor or anything else? The coil and ignitor were already wired together when I bought them, it doesn't appear to have been taken apart, do the wires look like they are correct?

 

[1977FJ40]

another pic

pic of air cleaner port

 

[tornadoalleycruiser]

Dunno bout any of that other wiring cause it don't do nuttin to your ignition but black with yellow stripe is hot with key and is what you hook both (yes both) of the wires on your 78 ignitor to and it'll fire right up.. Nothing else is needed. Might wanna test it with a voltage tester prior to trying to cook your truck tho!

The red to your old coil? Nope shouldn't need that at all, it should have been connected to your old dist and coil so you pulled it out right?
The one from the starter was something for 12volts stepup or whatever, don't need that either..
white with black from alt? You got a manual? Might wanna check, where was it hoooked to earlier? Ground?

 

[1977FJ40]

delete

double post, why can't i delete?

 

[1977FJ40]

white with black from alt? You got a manual? Might wanna check, where was it hoooked to earlier? Ground?

Yes, it was hooked to ground under the coil/ignitor mount. I tried starting it with this disconnected and it melted the whole wire half way to the alternator. One wire comes off the alternator and grounds the horn, I guess the coil/ignitor (still can't believe it melted the whole wire) and I don't recall what else.

 

[1977FJ40]

Can anyone else help

...please!

 

[mattg]

OK, the dizzy is finished (I hope)...

Sounds like this is properly installed.

All of my wiring has been butchered by PO...

That's the problem. You need to find out if you've got 12 volts at the black/yellow wire.

I'm not sure what else to tell you. Here's what I would do in the same situation. Figure the rest of the wiring is too messed up at the moment. Hot wire from the battery positive straight to the coil positive. Disconnect all the alternator connections being sure to insulate them from accidental shorting/grounding.

Then try starting the engine. If it doesn't start, continue trying to diagnose ignition problems. Once the ignition is resolved then you can figure this issue with the alternator.

If you do this remember not to leave the "hot wire" connected for too long with the engine off as it can damage the coil/igniter.

As far as wiring:
Forget the solenoid wire, and the old red wire, and the white/black/burned wire. All you need to get this going is this:
-Distributor to igniter. This looks correct, the wires with the gray sheath.
-Igniter to coil. Looks like this is alreadydone. Just make sure the tan wire gets power and the yellow does not.
-Power to the coil. Either from a "hot wire" or the black/yellow wire. On mine, the black/yellow connects to the coil +, and from there I made a lead from the coil + to the tan wire (at the green plug).

Let me know if this isn't clear or you have other questions and I'll do my best to help.

 

[1977FJ40]

thanks fj40matt, I'm going to try to get the rest of this hooked up tomorrow morning, I really appreciate your help!

 

[dmaddox]

red/white to dizzy
thick black/yellow from starter, + on ignitor
thin blay/yellow from starter, also + on ingitor

the testing is easy. the negatives all have an "eye" terminal on them so ground them. Then its just a matter of which positives get continous + and then which ones just get power on start.

when i first hooked mine up, mine would start, but then when I put the key to run, the engine would die. So, I just had to get the ignition to continual power, done.

there are really only two positive wires coming from the rig. the negatives all should be right there, one from the rig (thin white/black) and one from the ignitor. then its just the red/white to the dizzy.

pretty simplistic.

HTH,

ragman