Got stranded by my 40 last night (1 Viewer)

[paulj]

Last night I took my '76 FJ 40 on a quick fishing trip after work. I got to the place out in the country and the truck stalled out on me right in the middle of the road. I thought I let the clutch out too fast as I was going from a dead stop to off-road. I had just put it in 4 wheel drive. I went to start it and it wouldn't fire up. Cranked it and cranked it. Tried it with the choke pulled out. Nothing except Rrr, Rrr, Rrr.. Waited 10 minutes, tried again with the choke pushed in. Wouldn't start. Brand new battery. Full tank of gas. Took off the air filter housing. A farmhand came buy and looked into the carb as I was cranking it and could see a mist of fuel.

It seemed to be getting no spark at all. I've got a stock distributor. I checked the wire to it and took of the cap and checked the rotor. Everything seemed normal. I don't understand electronics very well. Can someone diagnose this problem? What's the cylindrical thing on the inside passenger side fender? And whats the rectangular thing? Is it a condenser? Can they just die with no warning? How do I tell if thats what it is?
I had to have my truck towed home. The first time it's ever stranded me.

One other clue. Every once in a while I'd be driving down the road, and the engine would kind of hiccup. It would be running like a top and then out of the blue just hesitate for no apparent reason. Other times it would completely stall but I could always restart it. That happend once last night on my way to the fishing hole. I was driving down the interstate and it just did a little hiccup. Didn't die. It just kind of missed for a second.

 

[greenfox]

It sounds like your points in the dizzy, or you have a wire grounding out somewhere between the coil and dizzy.

 

[fj40ec]

The coil is that cilindrical thing on the passenger side fender, the points are in the distributor, the condenser is attached to the outer part of the distributor.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

With no spark, you know where to start looking. Check the points as mentioned, look for loose wires, etc. You could hot wire to the battery so you know it's getting power and thus not the ignition switch.

Unfortunately, the other item that goes like this is the ignitor. For your sake, I hope it isn't that.

 

[JohnnyC]

check the ignition fuse next to drivers foot well and also fusible link.

 

[1973Guppie]

do your self a favor, tow it home and put in an electronics ignition, will solve alot of issues for later, I am building a 2f and for sure will be tossing the points dizzy, PIA setup.

Noah

 

[snailwagon]

Things like the fuse block rattle loose and can ground out, but you have a whole system to go through here. You can take your coil to any chain autopart store and they will test it for you. They can also test your ignitor, both services are free from autozone or kragen's. If you do not understand the concept of points, do a google search. But pull off your distributor cap and look at them. Are they burnt, loose, or do they not open or close? Do a visual inspection on the fuse block, a ground should be noticable.

The small cylinder inside your dizzy is the condensor, which also goes bad without notice but usually not with your symptoms, that is a $3 part, as are the points.

Also, check that wire from your distributor to your coil, its kind of important. A simple manual like a Haynes ($15) for a landcruiser will help give you a simple description and some basic troubleshooting information. That is a goood start.

 

[paulj]

What is an "ignitor"? What is it's function, and how does it work? Can someone explain how the whole ignition system works step by step?

 

[rjcruiser]

do your self a favor, tow it home and put in an electronics ignition, will solve alot of issues for later, I am building a 2f and for sure will be tossing the points dizzy, PIA setup.

Noah

Ditch the points and go with pertronix. It is cheap and easy to install...definitely a job.

 

[honk]

Paul, where is the truck now?

You need to get it home if it isn't.

Do you not have a repair manual at all? If not, get one. The factory manual is good but can take time to obtain so find the Hayne's manual - the one with a brown/orange cover for 1968 to 1982 Toyta Land Cruiser. It has a very good ignition system chapter.

If you are in such a state that you ask "What's the cylindrical thing on the inside passenger side fender? And whats the rectangular thing? Is it a condenser? Can they just die with no warning? How do I tell if thats what it is?" I think you need more help than you'll be able to use from a series of disjointed well meaning posts in a forum. You need solid step by step procedures or better yet you need a friend with experience to come over to help you.

No reflection on any poster is meant by this. I just think that without hands on assistance this truck may get worse rather than better.

And Paul, take heart! It's likely a pretty simple repair.

 

[Cammy]

Honks post X2. Start looking in your area for a club or just another cruiser rolling down the street. As with others on this board I have yet to meet a cruires head that isn't willing to help.

 

[Trollhole]

Ditch the points and go with pertronix. It is cheap and easy to install...definitely a job.

Not that easy for a 76 as they do not make a module that fits 76-77. You have to go with a newer distributor.

 

[JohnnyC]

use crane cams ignition they go in all dizzys

 

[spctrbytz]

X2 on the ignition fuse as well. I was replacing signals, markers, etc on my 1974 FJ40 last night, and ran across a "no-fire" situation. Since it had run earlier that day and had not moved, I started poking around.

The culprit ended up being a dirty contact in between the fuse and the clip that holds each end. Tapping the block lightly with the handle of my trusty screwdriver caused all manner of things to fail and then spring back to life. Ended up *DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY*, then cleaning each and every fuse holder with a little round wire brush. All is well now, or as well as can be when your rig is more rust than Toyota.

 

[Doug_S]

Paul,
If you pull the distributor from the engine block, be very careful when you put it back in. The two "tangs" on the bottom of the distributor must align with the two slots on the oil pump at the bottom of the distributor bore. Make sure you get it seated correctly otherwise you won't have any oil pressure.

Hth.

 

[nspctr1]

the wire connected to the points on my 75 had a small bare spot on it that would do the same thing your describing and then it just quit w/ no fire, I replaced the points and condensor and was back on the road... check those first..

 

[paulj]

Just wanted to answer some of the above responses:

The truck was towed to my house and is sitting in my driveway.

I more or less understand how the ignition works, except for the coil, condenser, and ignitor. I was just wanting if someone could outline each of the components in a standard ignition system. What they do, how they work, and how to diagnose where the problem might be. I was mistaken about a "rectangular thing" mounted on my fender wall. there used to be one because the PO had a jury rigged electronic ignition installed. I think it was from a 4-Runner. It quit on me once, which is why I had a mechanic put in the OEM setup. If memory serves, there is something about that which isn't totally stock. Or at least it isn't from a 1976 FJ 40. In addition to the coil it's got a ceramic insulator with some electrical contacts mounted on it. I'd like to put up a photo and get an opinion on it.

Don't worry, I have no intention of pulling out the distributor.

I appreciate the all the tips. I'm going to check the fuses, contacts, and points.

I had a Haynes Manual but can't find it. I guess I'll go get another one.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

The 76 is a weird hybrid year. It has an ignitor like electronic ignition, but still uses points as the switch. If it turns out that the ignitor is bad, there is a field fix to convert it to a standard ignition. I think it's in the factory manual. In the systems with points and an ignitor, there is no condensor. In a standard ignition, the condensor serves to protect the points from too much current flow so they last longer.

It's hard to know what adaptation of what that you actually have. You know your ignition is bad somewhere that that helps you trouble shoot. First, I would check that you get power to the coil when you turn on the ignition. If not, then you need to look upstream. If yes, then the problem is downstream.

Good luck, and let us know what it is.

 

[paulj]

I've been too busy to mess with it since it's been home. I have looked through both the Spector Off-Road and the Man-A-Fre catalogues, and didn't see any listings for a stock coil. If mine's fried is there any place I can get an OEM replacement?
I want to keep the truck as stock as possible, so I don't think I want to go with an electronic ignition.

 

[JohnnyC]

"napa" has a good stock replacement or even go to toyota they still have it