First day shenanigans

[Skillet Liquor]

So today I picked up my '74 FJ55 from the seller and drove it home from a town about 30 miles away. I stopped a couple of times on the way home and had no problems until the last leg.

As I was coasting to a light, I smelled smoke and then noticed smoke enter the cab through the vent. It disappeared almost as quickly as it happened.

Once I got home, I parked it in front of the garage and turned off the engine to snap a quick pic for the insurance company.

Once that was done, I went to restart it so I could put it up for the night. No movement. Battery was fine, charge light came on as normal, but the starter was silent.

I noticed fresh carbon on the top of the starter. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that a cable or wire connecting the solenoid to the starter appeared to have just melted. I can see a sort of grommet where the cable used to enter the starter. Only a few bits of copper remain.

So... has any one had this happen before? Does this mean the starter is hosed, just the solenoid, or both? Thanks.

 

[bogus one]

Sounds to me like you torched the fusible link.

If that's the case, you may have some other electrical problems to contend with.

Check your voltage regulator for continuity.

 

[cruiserbrett]

sounds more like the starter solenoid stuck on. this will eventually overheat the starter and cause a direct short in the starter, so the tired, corroded short cable going from the solenoid to the starter melts...

before you put a new starter in it, make sure that the black/white wire going to the starter is only sending 12v to the solenoid when the key is in the start position.

 

[nat]

x2, sounds like the starter was stuck on.

It happened in my rig once..............the key did not completely return to the on position, so it was still sending a signal to the solenoid. I jiggled the switch and it stopped.

 

[Skillet Liquor]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

Tonight my father-in-law is bringing his multimeter over. We'll try to see if the voltage is correct and then pull the starter to see how badly fried it is.

PO has recommended I consider a gear reduction starter as a replacement, if necessary. Any pros/cons there?

Looks like a similar-to-stock starter runs $100-300 from SOR. Is that what I should expect to pay anywhere?

Please pardon my newbie questions. I used to work a fair bit on my own cars (Honda CVCC, Accord and Toyota P/U, Celica), but life kinda got in the way and I am trying to get back into wrenching... if for no other reason than I don't want my two young sons to see their stupid daddy running off to the mechanic with a wad of cash every time something goes wrong on a car!

I'll try to post some pics soon, just for grins.

 

[laguna80]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

Tonight my father-in-law is bringing his multimeter over. We'll try to see if the voltage is correct and then pull the starter to see how badly fried it is.

PO has recommended I consider a gear reduction starter as a replacement, if necessary. Any pros/cons there?

Looks like a similar-to-stock starter runs $100-300 from SOR. Is that what I should expect to pay anywhere?

Please pardon my newbie questions. I used to work a fair bit on my own cars (Honda CVCC, Accord and Toyota P/U, Celica), but life kinda got in the way and I am trying to get back into wrenching... if for no other reason than I don't want my two young sons to see their stupid daddy running off to the mechanic with a wad of cash every time something goes wrong on a car!

I'll try to post some pics soon, just for grins.

No way will a gear-reduction starter cost 300. You can easily find them for cheaper. I got mine from a local place for 100 with the core. I think toyota sells new starters. If you go in and ask, chances are you'll get a gear reduction one. BTW the same thing happened in my dad's T100 a few years ago. Ignition got stuck in the on position and fried the starter. Lots of smoke from under the hood.

 

[timmbuck2]

No way will a gear-reduction starter cost 300. You can easily find them for cheaper. I got mine from a local place for 100 with the core. I think toyota sells new starters. If you go in and ask, chances are you'll get a gear reduction one. BTW the same thing happened in my dad's T100 a few years ago. Ignition got stuck in the on position and fried the starter. Lots of smoke from under the hood.

If you can't find a gear-reduction starter, I have a collection of the 'regular' starters lying around, just have to pay shipping from Denver. I paid less than $50 for my gear reduction starter, and I am pretty sure Oleg at Irbis Offroad here in Denver has them for $50ish.


Timm

 

[Skillet Liquor]

Did I mention how awesome IH8MUD is?

 

[Pighead]

https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/96018-gear-reduction-starter.html

 

[Skillet Liquor]

Just some follow-up for anyone who later finds this thread using search...

It was the starter. I'm not sure how it happened, but I'm guessing the solenoid failed. Some of the dead starter's teeth looked really worn and it had pretty much seized up inside and wouldn't move. There actually was no fusible link present that I could see. I have one there now.

I picked up a couple of starters from a local MUD denizen whose 55 went to pig heaven.

I swapped out the fried starter with the replacement, treated the carb to a jigger of gas, and all was well.

Thanks again for all the replies.