newbie with his first FJ40

[colbytron]

Hey, everybody. I just found this site and it looks like a great place to get some info on my 1975 FJ40. I was given this cruiser by my girlfriend's brother and it has been sitting in a garage for about six years and has a lot of rust. I have had some problems tryiing to get it started. so far I have gotten a new battery, plugs, plugwires, and coil, and it still won't fire. I am pretty stumped. I cleaned the points on the dissy and have taken most if not all of the suggestions I have seen on this site. I am looking for some help if anyone has any ideas.
--------
i am blogging my progress if anyone wants to check it out
http://accidentalmechanic.blogspot.com/

 

[FJROME]

Welcome to mud, your at the right place.

 

[JohnnyC]

is it cranking over?

did you check for spark?

is there power to the coil?

did you check the ignition fuse?

 

[Cruiser_GT]

colbytron - Welcome to mudd. Love the duct tape work on the seats... innovative.

We would like some more pics. Pics of the engine compartment would be great as well.

JohnnyC has some good questions. Sometimes these trucks get customized/upgraded... can you give us some specs? Like, is the engine an original 2f or has it been replaced with a non-toy variety?

Lastly, I was wondering if you have fuel in the carb bowl? Peek in the site glass to be sure.

Color blind... wow, don't let that hold you back. Recode as the opportunity arises and update your schematic with the new code system.

Very last thing... stay on top of this thread and you'll have her running in no time.

Oh, and don't hide rust... kill it.

 

[dgangle]

All you need is a correct air/fuel ratio, a properly timed spark and compression. Gotta be one of the three.

 

[CruisinMT]

Good luck with that beast, wiring stuff is a bitch IMO. You should have her up and running in no time. Make sure to get a FSM it will come in very handy when it comes down to the really techincal stuff. You might want to blow out all your fuel lines and check for spark. Good luck.

 

[colbytron]

So, it does turn over and i am pretty sure i am getting power to the coil. I took my multimeter to just about everything i can find envolved with the the ignition system and it seems good, but i am still learning how to use it. I am getting continuity through everything i can see and also getting twelve volts and change across the coil. i got a spark tester but it really didn't seem to do much and i don't think i am producing spark, even though i just got a rad new coil this morning.

Is the Ignition fuse the same as the engine fuse? I will check the bowl on the carb tomarrow as well as take some sweet glamour shots of the engine compartment.

thanks for the warm welcome you guys are awesome even if my cruiser fails to turn over.

 

[Teebag]

If it has been standing for so long the fuel pump diaphram may have perished, take the pipe off at the carb end and check for fuel flow.

 

[Basserine]

Hi Colbytron:

I won't offer any advise as you are already getting much better than I could offer.
I just wanted to say:
Welcome to MUD.

 

[colbytron]

ok so it looks like i am getting fuel to the carb beacause it smells like gas when i crank it. i haven't removed the fuel line by the carb yet because i have to work today and i don't want to get elbow deep in the engine and have to leave it a wreck(or a worse wreck than it is). i will have more time to work on it this weekend but here are some pictures.
http://picasaweb.google.com/colbytron/Ih8mud

 

[JJS]

How's your frame?

 

[colbytron]

it's pretty rusty and it might not be worth it to get it street legal but it will make a great runabout

 

[colbytron]

actually, i want to drive this thing everyday, ignore that last post

 

[Bigslug]

Ahhh. . .a free Land Cruiser. . .that's the most expensive kind.

You'll do well here. I've been on about two weeks and have been gleaning invaluble stuff from these guys - stuff not written by people trying to sell merchandise. That two weeks has been more useful to me than ten years of glossy catalogs.

And guess what? You're my first - Welcome to Mud!

 

[landcruiserman]

free cruiser. NICE!

Welcome to mud and your soon to be addiction too land cruisers.
It's a madness that we all love.
Just wanted to say hello.
Good luck with the project.

IF you drike a few of these it will help.

Brian

 

[rsbcruiser]

Colbytron, I suggest using your timing light. First connect it as you are supposed to too number one. it will tell you two things. One if your spark timing is correct (the little bullseye on the flywheel is what should be aligned with the pointer). Two, You will know for sure that you have spark. Switch the timing light pickup coil to each plug wire, thus confirming you have spark to each wire. Next ohm your plug wires. Especially if you notice that the timing light flash looks or acts weak on some or one of the plug wires. Good luck with it. If the coil you bought is really hot you might have caused more problems. A hot coil might toast some of your ignition components.

 

[CruisinMT]

you better put a small hose clamp on the end of your fuel filter there dude. thats a bad leak waiting to happen.

WHere you located anyway you have pics from Whitefish that pretty close to my neck of the woods.

 

[K7640A]

Welcome to Mud. The folks here are inspirational to say the least . You 'll get the help you need. Have fun with the fixups.

 

[JohnnyC]

So, it does turn over and i am pretty sure i am getting power to the coil. I took my multimeter to just about everything i can find envolved with the the ignition system and it seems good, but i am still learning how to use it. I am getting continuity through everything i can see and also getting twelve volts and change across the coil. i got a spark tester but it really didn't seem to do much and i don't think i am producing spark, even though i just got a rad new coil this morning.

Is the Ignition fuse the same as the engine fuse? I will check the bowl on the carb tomarrow as well as take some sweet glamour shots of the engine compartment.

thanks for the warm welcome you guys are awesome even if my cruiser fails to turn over.

pop off the dissy cap...have somebody crank it over...is the rotor turning? and also are the points sparking?

your condenser looks old, the condensor is there to supress the spark as the points open. If the points spark is blue and you get a good spark when you open them with a screwdriver, the condenser is faulty.

replace the condensor and check timming

also..........make sure your point gap is correct...and recheck to make sure the points didnt fry if your condensor turns up bad...if so...file the contacts and they will be good as new....well sort of new

 

[colbytron]

hey CruisinMT I lived in whitefish for about a year and it was great Montana is an awesome state. I live in Ticonderoga NY now it is pretty cool but I miss Big Mountain. Where are you located in MT.

I plan on really diving into the problem this weekend and I will try to get to all of the tips you guys have given me that should get me well into sunday. So I need to get a timing light and something to check the gap and probably a new condensor. the PO said something to me about a wiring harness but he was pretty vague, i hope he didn't mean the wiring for the whole truck. that could possibly be beyond me. oh well i will give it a couple hours in the morning if i am not in too rough of shape.