Fj40 not running to strong need HELP

[Kroozer74]

Hey guys,

I haven't been on here in awhile but I still have my fj and I finally have some money to put into it. But I have a question about it not starting and running right. I have searched the forum and found a few ideas to try but I thought id go ahead and post this thread and see what ya'll think.

It has a new battery, starter, alternator, and new battery ground and postive wires.

So heres what its doing: When I go to crank it over even if the battery has been charged over night ( I have had it tested so I know it works) the FJ will crank over very very slowly and kind of pulse between turning over and not. But if I sit there for a little bit and keep cranking on it and pumping the gas she will finally fire up. But last time I drove it, it started acting werid, I guess you would call it missing?? It felt like it had no power at all and I could here a popping sound in the header. But the werid thing is after I run it for a little while when I turn it off it will start up perfect, but if I let it sit over night it will do the same old thing.

My thoughts are maybe a bare wire? Maybe the distributor? I dont know hopefully someone has had this same problem

Thanks

Barry

 

[Magnum44]

It sounds like maybe more than 1 problem. The choke may not be closing when it's cold and running to lean. Maybe an open vacuum line, even the timing could be off. Just a few ideas, I'm sure someone else will come up with more possibilities.

 

[fireflyr]

Start with the basics. Tune it up, make sure the timing is correct and make sure the carb is getting clean fuel. I'd also check the charge on the battery.

 

[weez440]

sounds like you could possibly have something draining your battery or a bad battery.

 

[bsmith123]

ammeter

What's your ammeter reading when it is running---zero, to the left of zero, or to the right of zero?

on the backfire it can be caused if the timing is wrong and timing advanced too far can cause slow cranking too

the other possibility is something is draining it to the point that the ignition is not working right and you are firing off excess fuel in the exhaust now and then


Check the battery voltage with it running and not running it should be about 12 not running and 14 running approx

 

[Kroozer74]

The amp gauge is to the right when it is running as if the battery was low. But the more I think about it the more the timing being off sounds like it could be my whole problem. I was thinking that it could be all these random things but if it ever quits raining here ill get out there and check my timing.


And I really cant think of anything that could be draining my battery even though that's what it seems like is happening the only thing I can think of is that I have a radio/cd player that has a clock but I had that in my truck before I put it in the cruiser and it never drained my truck battery and I aren't turned on.

Hopefully the rain will let up this weekend and ill have some good news to report!!

 

[bsmith123]

ground

check your engine to frame ground is good too ---EZ to do

this may help as well
http://www.engine-light-help.com/voltage-drop.html

 

[65swb45]

Hunch: one of your 'new' parts may not be good. Just because it is 'new' doesn't mean that it is always good.

I had a customer with this EXACT scenario some years back. Replaced the battery. Same scenario. Had me change the cables. Same scenario. Had me change the alternator. Same scenario. By the time she came in to ask me about changing the starter, I told her I had enough and to take the 'new' battery back to Pepe Boys. She did. They said there was nothing wrong with the battery.

I don't get mad often, but I told her fawk Pepe Boys, go get a battery somewhere else. She did. Problem solved. THEN, and only then, would Pepe Boys agree to take the battery back. For store credit!

And, FWIW, I have seen bad starters exhibit the same scenario.

Best

Mark A.

 

[bsmith123]

X2

Hunch: one of your 'new' parts may not be good. Just because it is 'new' doesn't mean that it is always good.


Have to x2 on all that ---and whats worse is you go though hell trying to figure it out cause it "cant" be the new parts


A battery is pretty easy to swap from another vehicle though so that may be worth a shot too

 

[Cruisertime]

So heres what its doing: When I go to crank it over even if the battery has been charged over night ( I have had it tested so I know it works) the FJ will crank over very very slowly and kind of pulse between turning over and not. But if I sit there for a little bit and keep cranking on it and pumping the gas she will finally fire up. But last time I drove it, it started acting werid, I guess you would call it missing?? It felt like it had no power at all and I could here a popping sound in the header. But the werid thing is after I run it for a little while when I turn it off it will start up perfect, but if I let it sit over night it will do the same old thing.

My thoughts are maybe a bare wire? Maybe the distributor? I dont know hopefully someone has had this same problem

Thanks

Barry

Barry,

How does it run after warming and shutting down?

 

[Kroozer74]

Once the cruiser is warm it idles fine but when I am driving it, it just doesn't have the same amount of power it did before all this started happening.

I went through the problem with just because its new doesnt mean it works with the starter lol went to about 3 or 4 different stores and about 8 starters finally got one that seems ok.

Heres a question about the battery instead of buying a new one could I hook up a battery charger to it and run the charger on engine start mode and if it turns over and starts like it should then it is a bad battery? Because I still don't trust the dumbasses at the parts stores when they test stuff

 

[JohnnyC]

yes you could put it on start mode...but...dont have it on there very long...if it cranks over good then it might just be the battery...i would bring the battery to two places and have them check it...if it cranks over slow ....then...you need to keep checking.

have you gone thru all the battery cables and checked to see if any were frayed or bad? had you checked and cleaned all grounds?

 

[Kroozer74]

I have new battery wires on it but I will try cleaning the ground and ill get that battery tested this week at a few places around town.

It is still freakin rain here everyday so it has delayed my plans lol

Thanks for all the help so far