non running cruiser (HELP) Long... (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Feb 24, 2005
Threads
16
Messages
311
Location
Powell River, BC
I’ve never posted on the 40/55 side before; I usually read the 60/62 or International forums. But maybe you guys can help…I hurriedly moved to BC from Alberta 4 1/2 years ago and I left my FJ40 parked in my brother-in-laws barn as it had recently died. I'm heading back for his daughters wedding and I have the opportunity to dink around with the cruiser for maybe a few hours…dirty knuckles and a suit.

The patient: Stock 1977 US Federal emissions 2F with ~100K mi. Ran just fine for the previous 7 years. The only engine mods are Jacob’s electronic ignition and coil (which did improve mileage). I left the stock ignition in place as a "get home" mode when I installed the Jacobs ignition. It has a slight lift with 4.11 and 31’s.

I went on a couple hour long highway run on a cool, drizzly, fall day (in 2000) at "high" speed ~62mph. The cruiser started to miss on the last few minutes of the trip. When I shut her down, the engine dieseled (backwards) and died. I could hardly restart it, and ran very rough on a couple of cylinders. Now it will not start at all. There were no obvious indicators (temp gage normal, no steam, no glowing exhaust manifold) of overheating.

My original thoughts were ignition. I’ve tried: switching back to the Toyota ignition, dressing and gapped the existing points (slight pitting), then put in new points, changed the cap and rotor, changed EGR valve. My timing light pickup was broke so I couldn't check timing. Checked plugs and they look normal.

I could easily flood it with the manual choke, so fuel delivery didn't seem to be an issue. But the dieseling still bugs me. That meant it had something to burn (or it was really hot) when shut off…

I had the cruiser towed to the local mechanic (in a small prairie town) with hopes he'd fix it, change some fluids, and I'd just drive it home. I left him a complete set of factory manuals (and a Haynes). He says it has spark and the timing appeared to be on. He tried a different coil. Don't think he's ever worked on a cruiser before, but he's a pretty good mechanic. He works on a lot of old grain trucks and such, also has a 50's Pontiac hot rod. I'm not sure how much time he worked on it, but he didn't charge me, since he couldn’t fix it. Neither he nor I have been this stumped before…

Any ideas where I should begin and what to bring for parts? I cannot get (import) parts in town very quickly. I know I’m Easter egging here, but I’m thinking: Maybe my stock ignition went bad while sitting idle... IIRC, there is some Mopar igniter which can be swapped in…. Did my distributor bearings go bad? How about fuel solenoid? Is there some other emissions part which could be the culprit? Vacuum lines?
 
Start basic rather than guessing about it.

In order to run, an engine needs air, fuel, compression and spark.

1. What is the engine compression?
2. Can you see fuel in the carburator bowl? Do you see a squirt of fuel inside the carb when you open the throttle?
3. Does it spark when you turn the engine with the starter?
4. Is the air cleaner or carburator obstructed?

If all of the above check out OK, then it is just a matter of getting the right air fuel mix with the spark at the right time. It will fire and run within a broad range of air fuel mix and timing, so you don't have to be picky about it right now. You can squirt fuel into the carb manually and turn the distributor while cranking.
 
Pin_Head said:
.

1. What is the engine compression?
2. Can you see fuel in the carburator bowl? Do you see a squirt of fuel inside the carb when you open the throttle?
3. Does it spark when you turn the engine with the starter?
4. Is the air cleaner or carburator obstructed?

.

1. Not checked. After all I was driving it...
2. Yep and yup.
3. Didn't check with Jacobs, would likely fry it. Not exactly blue, maybe whitish spark with stock, but it wasn't dark either...
4. Nope.

I guess I should add I did most of the "typical" troubleshooting... Maybe a compression test would be a good idea, but I did pull the vavlve cover and check valve lash and operation. Even I completley detonated a piston, she should still start, right?
 
Is it possible that the clamp for the distributor slipped, or was left loose?
 
Yep, checked that too, I've already had that problem with this 40 (and a VW vanagon as well)

Thanks, though!
 
ok, no gaurantees but i had the same problem and this was my problem...
i can't remember what the part is called, it a spring loaded piece under the points rotor. remove the cap, pull the rotor off (the little thing that spins that sends the spark to each point) then remove the cover that says, "do not remove this cover", under there is the guts of the distributor. you will find a spring loaded piece that has a contact point at the end of it (the spring is actually a tightly wound coil.) on mine the coil spring thingy snapped and wasn't working at all anymore. it is seven dollar (us) part that you can get from any parts store. i've added a diagram from specter, it is number 4 on the diagram.
hope this helps, good luck and when you get it fixed take it home with you cruisers have a tendency to build up animosity towards their owners if they are left sitting in a barn for extended periods of time.
good luck
distributor thingy.gif
 
That would certainly do it. Most people call item 4 "the points" or in England "the contact breakers". But I have already filed them first, and then replaced them as well. Thanks for your response, though.

Your right, storage can be tough on em, but good for the odometer...

The 40 is going to have a heck of an identity crisis when it meets my new HJ61...
 
Don't rush - Valve timing - ignition timing - fresh gas - clean fuel filter - fresh plugs ( gapped)- gapped points- new condenser- compression check - charged battery - properly adjusted carb - turn the key... vroom
 

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