FJ40 won't crank & I know I'm forgetting to look somewhere

[badsamaritan]

My 40 has been sitting for a few months while I slowly worked on a disc brake swap. Went to start it yesterday to troubleshoot some other issues and nothing. No Crank and no clicking. Truck had been running fine before the swap, and only things I did electrically during the swap was disconnect the negative on the battery and clean the starter ground.

• Battery charged up, all new terminals and cables. Battery shows 13.05V
• Check Engine fuse, looked good and showed continuity on my multimeter
• cleaned and re-cleaned the starter ground its also a brand new cable.
• All lights etc work fine

With Key On:

• Showing 13.05V at the coil on both sides
• Showing 13.05V at the small wire going into the starter

It's almost 1230am and I am tired, and surely not thinking straight. Guessing starter (stock type, but hasnt given me any issues) or IG switch. Thanks in advance for any help

 

[jmylie]

Fuse or fusible link?

 

[greenbeasty]

Jump across the starter post mabe?

 

[brooklyn]

Jump across the starter post mabe?

Agree - first place I would start.

 

[Steamer]

I'd do what Greenbeasty said first. And make sure you didn't knock the small wire off the starter.
If jumping at the starter doesn't work, check for voltage on the small starter terminal/wire with the key in start postition.

 

[3_puppies]

try at the starter as stated above, make sure it is out of gear.

I once had a bad battery cable, good voltage at the battery, had voltage but no amps at the starter, that took awhile to find, I ended up using jumper cables from the battery to the starter to get home and then repaired it.

 

[badsamaritan]

Thanks for the suggestions I'll try them here in a few....last night I did make a repair on the small starter wire and noticed the threaded stud it was connected to moves freely in/out of the solenoid I was able to get the little 6mm nut to tighten but thought that was odd

 

[badsamaritan]

Voltage at the starter wire was 12.95 with the key in start position

 

[Steamer]

Voltage at the starter wire was 12.95 with the key in start position

And if that was with it connected, and there's not even a click then it's the solenoid. I'd say that loose terminal stud lost it's connection inside.

 

[Living in the Past]

The large wire at the starter always has power. It's the small wire that only gets power when the ignition switch is in the start position. With the hand brake set and transmission in neutral put a jumper from the large wire to the small wire. If the ignition switch is off will will still turn the engine over but not start. With the ignition switch turn to on it may start if the engine turns over.

 

[Living in the Past]

Loosen the starter and wiggle the starter then tighten back down. Back ground may make a better connect. Twelve volts to solenoid and good ground the starter should work.

 

[badsamaritan]

The large wire at the starter always has power. It's the small wire that only gets power when the ignition switch is in the start position. With the hand brake set and transmission in neutral put a jumper from the large wire to the small wire. If the ignition switch is off will will still turn the engine over but not start. With the ignition switch turn to on it may start if the engine turns over.

Sounds like I have a different wiring setup. I have 1 black wire connecting to the solenoid and then the battery cable...is my setup incorrect? I have a 73 FWIW

 

[badsamaritan]

I jumped the starter and the starter spun, but did not turn the engine over

 

[badsamaritan]

I'll try wiggling the starter next

 

[badsamaritan]

My starter wiring looks incorrect,. I have nothing connected to the spade terminal on the left side of this photo.. is the black/white wire supposed to go there?

Redirect Notice

 

[badsamaritan]

Well starter is working, but I have more questions than answers as to why.

I have two black/white wires on this new harness one was significantly thicker than the other. Grabbed the thicker one and with key on, no voltage, with key in start position it had 13v. Crap. I moved my battery cable and I could the spade terminal in the pic I posted above. I connected the thicker BW cable there and it fired up. No idea how it was running before, but it's running now. I have no clue what the red wire is for in the pic above

 

[badsamaritan]

I think I am still missing something.

• Red and black wires are to the pertronix straight from the coil.
• The BW connected to the starter in this pic was wrong. I disconnected it and connected the other BW with a spade terminal to the spade terminal to the left of the batt cable. This configuration gets the starter working. I'm unsure how the starter even worked at this point, but not I'm not sure I have all the connections in the right place.

What is supposed to connect to the wire to the right side of the battery lug?

 

[badsamaritan]

Here's a better pic, what goes to the red wire ( I found this in another thread on Mud)

?

 

[badsamaritan]

bump

 

[73FJ40]

@badsamaritan

The horizontal yellow arrow points to the lug that will power up the starter when energized. A wire that is hot only when the key is in the start position needs to be attached to this lug.

The red wire would connect to the positive terminal on the coil if it has a external resistor. This provides a hotter spark while the starter is powered, for extra spark in cold weather. Not necessarily required in warmish climates.