Help Needed - 1F Won't Start.

[oldfj40]

My limited mechanical skills have failed to start my truck.

Here's the story.I got the truck,a '73 FJ55,as a non runner.The PO claims that it just died while idling in his driveway some time back.He said that it was as if it ran out of gas ie. no big bang.
Well I got a great deal on it and could use it for parts but why not try to start it first.
Everything looks fine.Oil,rad etc.No obvious signs of abuse or leaks.Set points at .018.Plugs are at about .028.Fuel pump is working - removed line at carb and had someone turn it over.Has spark - removed plug and turned over.Figure the gas in the tank could be old so,as it is being started,I poured a small amount of fresh gas directly into the carb.This fine rig doesn't even act like it wants to start.I did turn the dizzy a few degrees either way during test starts - nothing.
It does have a 2 barrel Rochester carb on it and a recent looking after market coil but everything else looks stock.
Hopefully someone out there can figure out a solution.

Thanks in advance,

 

[captahab18]

Sounds like you've tried all the obvious fixes. From my own experience I have always found that problems with idling and not starting up / difficulty are related to my carb being full of crap. Couldnt hurt to rebuild it.

 

[bajaphile]

I had a similar experience with my 66. Turned out the gas was bad. Had sit for 4 years.

 

[apeterson]

timing???

 

[e rock]

Since you're starting completely blind, you've got to go through all the basics.

You've verified that gas can get to the carb. You don't know that it's good gas, though. And you don't know how well the carb is handling that fuel.

You've verified that the ignition system is capable of making spark. But you don't know if it's making that spark at the right time. Time to find your timing marks and timing light to get it somewhat close.

You don't know if you have decent compression. From the supposed history, that's probably not a problem, but on the other hand, I don't know anybody that hasn't cursed at a rig's PO at least once when an unexpected discovery arises.




First, I would drain the gas. Use it in your lawnmower or as a weedkiller or something. Get a few gallons of good gas in there. Then I would hook up a timing light and get that taken care of.

After the cranking from setting the timing (assuming it doesn't start), pull the plugs. Check them to see if they're getting wet from fuel or not. When the plugs are out, check compression in each cylinder. IMO it's not critical to do dry/wet/leakdown tests at this point - you just want to make sure there isn't a major failure somewhere.

 

[steverb]

if you have point and condenser change them and gap the points . you might have spark but not hot inuff.

 

[jrtredo]

pull your plugs after cranking over the engine a few times. check to see if they are wet. this will tell you if you are getting gas to the combustion chamber. trying some starting fluid down the carb.

While you have your plugs out check all for spark. What do you plugs look like?

I would lean toward it being carb related.

good luck

 

[bsmith123]

starting

check points plugs condenser and wires
fresh gas
a shot of ether ----if you are getting spark it should attempt to fire with a shot of ether even if the gas is bad--if it doesn't even try I'd bet ignition

do your coil check then check at the plugs

Make sure you have compression even if you can only do a thumb check over the spark plug hole

look for evidence of a blown head gasket, vacuum leak, etc

good luck

 

[oldfj40]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll drain and change the gas.I'll dig out the timing light and check that out.Good thought on the wet plugs - I'll check.
As far as the coil goes,the PO said that he changed that as part of trying to solve the problem.Possibly an incorrect coil?He put in an MSD Blaster 2.Pn 8202.I have a good running 2F - would the coil off that work well on the F? I've got one auto parts store in town and the Toyota dealer is 1 1/2 hours away so I'd like to use what I have.
Maybe voltage regulator? Again,would one from the 2F work at least to test?
Plugs looked like new.I'll check each for spark as well.

Thanks again,

 

[oldfj40]

Okay,I just about had going it tonight.
New points and condenser,drained the old gas (tasty) and put a few gallons of new stuff in the tank,set the timing - was way off.Plugs were wet when pulled (gas).Compressions:1-132,2-122, 3-125,4-135,5-130,6-130.

I set the two mixture screws on the rochester 2 jet at 1 1/4 turns - which is where they were.

Only 'leak' I found is what appears to be a drilled and possibly tapped hole (getting dark) in the front of the exhaust manifold below the carb.Looks like someone had plugged it in the past and it blew out.I put a temporary plug in it but it didn't help.

It wants to start and just about catches but just won't kick over.It even carried on roughly after I released the key but to do so I need to pump the pedal like a madman.Spraying ether into the carb pre-start didn't help.

Other than the exhaust hole I can't see or hear any other leaks while the is turning it over.

Here's a couple pics.Any ideas?



Yes,the clutch master is empty.That's for after it's running.

 

[rsbcruiser]

No real help probably but one thing youu could do to is disconnct the brake booster and plug that hose. removes the possibility that a leaking booster is contibuting to yor difficulties.

 

[Coolerman]

Not being familiar with the FJ55 I have to ask: Is that large orange cannister in the first pic a fuel filter? It appears to be plumbed to the fuel pump... It could still contain a LOT of old gas as would the carb float bowl. I would drain that filter and the float bowl and the lines then disconnect the line from the carb and turn it over until fresh smelling gas comes out. Reconnect the line then crank until the float bowl is full. A little gas down the carb will help...

 

[jrtredo]

Did you check the spark on all of the plugs? check this.

if you have a helper try to get it going again and have your helper spray some starting fluid in the carb while it is stumbling, this will tell you if you are starving for fuel. if you have spark and the starting fluid doesn't help then maybe you are flooding (could be caused by your needle sticking open in your carb or something else)

 

[oldfj40]

I'm Stuck.

Good spark on all plugs.Removed that big canister gas filter and installed an in line unit.Inside of canister was ugly.Manually open throttle while looking into carb (no ignition) and see two nice,short streams of gas going into the barrels.Battery fully charged and turning over starter well.
Tried the vacuum line to the booster - nothing.Tried several lines actually but no experiment shows the slightest improvement.
What I see is a rig ready to fire as soon as the key is turned.

What am I missing?

One thing,possibly stupid,but when I am checking the plugs for spark I have it removed,connected to the plug wire,and as my helper turns the key I get a spark on all plugs when I hold the end of the plug near the block.I do not get a spark if I hold the threads of the plug against the block.I get the feeling something is off here as the threads are connected to the block when installed so,in this scenario,I wouldn't be getting fire in the cylinder.Have I got something here or have I been sniffing too much ether?

 

[JohnnyC]

it could be very flooded...did you try putting a rag over the carb air inlet...totally choaking it off...if it does start make sure to remove the rag quickly...you will need somebody to crank it for ya as you do this....clean off the plugs before doing this also.

My 2c

 

[e rock]

Based on your earlier description of trying to start and stumbling, it sounds like the timing might be close but not quite right. Try turning the dizzy just a few degrees in each direction while your helper is cranking it over. Just loosen the clamp bolt a little.

 

[oldfj40]

it could be very flooded...did you try putting a rag over the carb air inlet...totally choaking it off...if it does start make sure to remove the rag quickly...you will need somebody to crank it for ya as you do this....clean off the plugs before doing this also.

My 2c

I did try this at one point but perhaps not long enough.I'll try it again.

Based on your earlier description of trying to start and stumbling, it sounds like the timing might be close but not quite right. Try turning the dizzy just a few degrees in each direction while your helper is cranking it over. Just loosen the clamp bolt a little.

This is one of the first things I tried before I even looked at the plugs,points,gas etc.Now that all is good I'll give it another shot.

Thanks for the suggestions.Please keep them coming.

 

[captahab18]

Okay,I just about had going it tonight.

It wants to start and just about catches but just won't kick over.It even carried on roughly after I released the key but to do so I need to pump the pedal like a madman.Spraying ether into the carb pre-start didn't help..

I had very similar problems. Starting she would turn over but never continue to fire. Just on the cusp of starting. It is like she isnt pulling enough fuel through to make the mixture of air and gas combustible. After I eliminated the fuel pump, spark plugs, spark cables, fuel filter, battery I remembered the only other time I had this kind of problem was due to a blocked jet.

Solution for me was a carb clean/rebuild.

 

[Coolerman]

How about the idle solenoid? Does it click when you turn it on?

Still sounds electrical to me.

I have never seen a plug that would arc to air. The plug MUST be grounded in order to make a spark.

Check that you have a good ground from the battery to the block and that the dizzy is grounded properly. It should ground through it's contact with the block but that could be compromised by crud and corrosion.

You can connect a simple clip lead to the body then to a good ground to test that theory.

 

[bsmith123]

spark tester

One of these can be had for less than 10 bucks and it's pretty handy for checking spark. Sounds like you have not verified good spark just yet ---plug should be grounded to block and have a nice blue/yellow cracking spark.

Check the gap on your new points

Check the wires are in the correct firing order

If in fact you have a good spark and fuel and igntition and valvetrain timing is right and not 180 out on the dizzy and nothing else is obvious wrong it's time to look for compression problems----oops I see you have done compression and it looks okay

I would still look at the possibility of antifreeze leaking into the cylinders from the head gasket

seems more likely you have an electrical prob though---even with no fuel it should fire when you pour gas in the carb or use ether so sounds like fuel is not the prob