no spark..

[rustbucket72]

i was wondering if anybody could help.. i just bought a 72 fj40,, it will crank, but want turn over.. used a light tester.. both sides of the coil have juice,, also the condenser as power,, but the coil wire going to the distributor has none.. bought the coil from autozone, they tested the coil, and stated that nothing was wrong with coil.. we had the same problem with the reg.. coil..i have seen the wire diagram’s from the tech page,,and try to follow them, but still no spark… can some one explain to me the wiring from the ignition wire to the starter.. this is the way I have it now
(the ignition wire(switch) to the starter, I’m taking that little wire from the starter to the bottom bolt of the condenser, then using a jump wire from the condenser to the + side of the coil,, running the - side of the coil to the distributor.. also running the the ignition coil wire from the fuse box to the top bolt of the condenser..
ALSO, the the only wire that doesn’t light up when I use the tester, is the ignition switch Wire,, I think this might be the problem, but im not sure..
please help,, im about to pull my hair out with this thing

 

[Pin_Head]

i this is the way I have it now
(the ignition wire(switch) to the starter, I’m taking that little wire from the starter to the bottom bolt of the condenser, then using a jump wire from the condenser to the + side of the coil,, running the - side of the coil to the distributor.. also running the the ignition coil wire from the fuse box to the top bolt of the condenser..

Huh?

Disconnect all that stuff whatever it is. What condensor? Bottom bolt? You need to post up a picture.

The ignition wire is the black wire with a yellow stripe (not the black wire with white stripe that goes to the starter), Run the Black/yellow wire to the ballast resistor (if you have one) or to the + side of the coil if you don't. This wire should be hot when you have the key in "Ign" position. Then try momentarily grounding the - side of the coil. this should make a big fat spark. If not, there are some fundamental problems with the power to the coil or the coil itself.

If you get a spark, then hook the - side of the coil to the distributor.

 

[rustbucket72]

sorry bud

your right ,, it a ballast resistor , not a condenser .. sorry lol
i have the black/yellow wire going to the starter, then i have the other wire on the starter going the ballast resistor .. i just put the test light on the black/yellow wire,, and no light..lol

 

[Pin_Head]

Here ya go:
http://www.ih8mud.com/tech/fj40_wiring_diagram.pdf

Black/white is for cranking only and goes to the solenoid. There is also a bypass wire from the solenoid to the + side of the coil on coils with ballast resistors. I believe that this wire is black/yellow and it would only be hot during cranking. This wire helps with starting during cranking, but isn't absolutely necessary. The main black/yellow wire from the ignition key switch goes to the ballast.

 

[rustbucket72]

hey pinhead

sorry to keep bugging you.. but i have 2 black/yellow wires coming from the
firewall. the real thick wire is going to the starter, and the other is going to the top of the ballast resistors. one could be black/white,, to much grease and oil on the wires..lol thanks again..

 

[Vitesse_6]

Just a thought have you tried to use a new coil-dist wire?...Sorry, I read the dern thing 2 times I dont remember seeing anything about it?
My $.02

 

[rustbucket72]

good point... check the wire diagram..all is wired right..

 

[Vitesse_6]

Im not talking about it being wired correct, Im saying is it a good wire? Just swap one of the other's on the dist. for a min. to see if it will kick over, If so you know and get a new one. You have power to the coil, I think it shoud be putting out something.
Good luck

 

[IDave]

BW wire from the firewall goes to the spade connector on the starter (to the starter solenoid, actually). BY wire to the plus side of the coil, or the ballast resistor if one is present (which I don't think there was one in 72, because it was internal to the coil during that period of time). BW is thicker gauge than BY wire.

Also, there may very well be a black wire coming from a solenoid on the carburetor to the plus terminal on the coil. If there is a carb solenoid, there should be.

In this period in time (which was before fusable links), the Plus wire from the battery attaches to a post on the starter, and a 10 gauge white wire attaches to the same post going to the ammeter.

 

[rustbucket72]

Last Question..

if you stick a tester lighter in the coil, should it light up while turning the ignition, im talking about pulling off the distributor wire.. because i think i have it wired right to the coil,, and the coil was tested by autozone,, they told me nothing was wrong with it.. sorry to ask so many questions.. just trying to cross out each step..

 

[Pin_Head]

My problem is I don't understand what you are describing. A picture or more detail would help.
I don't know what "pulling off the distributor wire" or "I have it wired right to the coil" means. The small wire from the distributor points is supposed to go tothe - side of the coil.

The smaller black wire with yellow stripe is the ignition power wire. It should be hot only when the key is in the IGN position. this wire goes to the ballast resistor, the other end of the ballast resistor goes to the + post of the coil. If you wire it up this way and you disconnect the - (distributor) side of the coil, then turn the key on and momentarily ground the - side of the coil with a jumper you should get a big fat spark out of the center wire of the coil. Try this and report back.

 

[IDave]

The answer to your question is yes.

There are two wires going from the coil to the distributor.

A big honking one that looks like a spark plug wire, from the middle of the coil end to the center top of the distributor.

A little one that goes from the negative post of the coil to the side of the distributor, and actually connects to the condenser, which, depending on the year, may be inside or outside of the distributor. (A stock '72 would have the condensor inside the dizzy chamber, 73 and later it is outside.)

 

[IDave]

Remember, Charlie, he won't have a ballast resistor on a stock '72, because the coil has an internal resistor.

I take that back. Ballast resistor started 9/71.