Please Help With No Spark (1 Viewer)

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Hello:
Sorry for the long post. I have searched the archives but have not found a solution to a baffling no spark situation. History: 1970 FJ40 recently acquired. Was running fine. Removed after-market carburetor and replaced with OEM rebuilt. Vehicle started and ran fine. Took her for a test drive of about 3 miles. She died. Would start and drive a bit and die. It didn't seem fuel related. Got back home and determined no spark by pulling spark plug wire. But I could get her to intermittingly start but same thing after about 5 minutes she would die and then testing showed no spark. Now I cannot even get her to intermittingly fire. The ignition is definitely not stock. Looks like an electronic ignition was put in but I need help identifying. I'm asking for help because I'm stumped. I bought a new coil. I've tried jumping a ground from the battery to the negative post of the coil. I tested 11.87 volts with a multimeter at the coil with ground to battery. I'm at wits end. Do you think it could be the module in the distributor? How would I even test?
Thanks everyone for your collective knowledge and help.

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Almost certain its the module, those distributers are cheap knock offs. Had one fail after 5 minutes!!
 
Almost certain its the module, those distributers are cheap knock offs. Had one fail after 5 minutes!!
If I were to replace, would you recommend I get a whole new distributor or just replace the internals? Is there a specific kit that you recommend? Thanks!
 
I have been using gm hei distributers with good results.
Thanks. Do you happen to recall where you bought it and a part number? Was it a straight swap or did you have to make other modifications?
 
Mark

I don’t recognize that ignition system at all, so I can’t be sure on how best to advise.

I would want to know if the distributor itself was a knock off, because I would be more leery about putting $$ into trying to revive a knockoff.
If it’s OE, it would have a nippondenso sticker on it.

if so, I also offer pertronix kits, so there’s no need to resort to Amazon.😛
 
Mark

I don’t recognize that ignition system at all, so I can’t be sure on how best to advise.

I would want to know if the distributor itself was a knock off, because I would be more leery about putting $$ into trying to revive a knockoff.
If it’s OE, it would have a nippondenso sticker on it.

if so, I also offer pertronix kits, so there’s no need to resort to Amazon.😛
Thanks Mark and I hope that you had a pleasant holiday. Searching through old posts by the PO, I came across one in which he said that "Ended up buying one from Trollhole. " That's the extent of what I've discovered. But, I have tinkered and got her to start and run a bit. She seems to idle okay but then cuts out suddenly. I've been adjusting the timing somewhat blindly by ear. I desperately need to go get a timing light. I have not a clue as to how to adjust the advance screw on the side of the distributor. I'm definitely interested in purchasing from you an OEM distributor with a Petronix already installed with a coil and new set of wires. Maybe you can call me tomorrow and we can square up.
Thanks again for all your help!
 
Thanks Mark and I hope that you had a pleasant holiday. Searching through old posts by the PO, I came across one in which he said that "Ended up buying one from Trollhole. " That's the extent of what I've discovered. But, I have tinkered and got her to start and run a bit. She seems to idle okay but then cuts out suddenly. I've been adjusting the timing somewhat blindly by ear. I desperately need to go get a timing light. I have not a clue as to how to adjust the advance screw on the side of the distributor. I'm definitely interested in purchasing from you an OEM distributor with a Petronix already installed with a coil and new set of wires. Maybe you can call me tomorrow and we can square up.
Thanks again for all your help!
Will do.😉
 
I have not a clue as to how to adjust the advance screw on the side of the distributor.
See my Posts #26 and #27 here:

 
See my Posts #26 and #27 here:

Hello:
Sorry for the long post. I have searched the archives but have not found a solution to a baffling no spark situation. History: 1970 FJ40 recently acquired. Was running fine. Removed after-market carburetor and replaced with OEM rebuilt. Vehicle started and ran fine. Took her for a test drive of about 3 miles. She died. Would start and drive a bit and die. It didn't seem fuel related. Got back home and determined no spark by pulling spark plug wire. But I could get her to intermittingly start but same thing after about 5 minutes she would die and then testing showed no spark. Now I cannot even get her to intermittingly fire. The ignition is definitely not stock. Looks like an electronic ignition was put in but I need help identifying. I'm asking for help because I'm stumped. I bought a new coil. I've tried jumping a ground from the battery to the negative post of the coil. I tested 11.87 volts with a multimeter at the coil with ground to battery. I'm at wits end. Do you think it could be the module in the distributor? How would I even test?
Thanks everyone for your collective knowledge and help.

View attachment 2721684

View attachment 2721685


isn't this a OEM TOYOTA NipponDenso Unit small cap , with a aftermarket type Electronic aftermarket PERTRONIX Copy Cat set up installed inside it in place of the factory point set up ?


those 2 gold / yellow insulated FLAG terminals are a HUGE RED Flag from what i know and can see in the fuzzy but sorta ok'ish photos above ?


perhaps Dr. NipponDenso / @4Cruisers and Mark A / @65swb45 can chime in about these observations .......... 🤔

or

since it's overall way too clean and pretty inside a entire aftermarket AMAZON type unit all together ?

if this is the case in either way ?

then a simple Diagnose and Verify , that aftermarket igniter pickup thing should be the #1 place to start to see if it is functioning ?



7142713484435816968_1.png
 
Last edited:
isn't this a OEM TOYOTA NipponDenso Unit small cap , with a aftermarket type Electronic aftermarket PERTRONIX Copy Cat set up installed inside it in place of the factory point set up ?


those 2 gold / yellow insulated FLAG terminals are a HUGE RED Flag from what i know and can see in the fuzzy but sorta ok'ish photos above ?


perhaps Dr. NipponDenso / @4Cruisers and Mark A / @65swb45 can chime in about these observations .......... 🤔

or

since it's overall way too clean and pretty inside a entire aftermarket AMAZON type unit all together ?

if this is the case in either way ?

then a simple Diagnose and Verify , that aftermarket igniter pickup thing should be the #1 place to start to see if it is functioning ?



Thank you. Very insightful discussion in the archives by @4Cruisers. I have ordered a new OEM distributor with Petronix from Mark's Off Road. Mark always provides great service and professional advice.
 
Thank you. Very insightful discussion in the archives by @4Cruisers. I have ordered a new OEM distributor with Petronix from Mark's Off Road. Mark always provides great service and professional advice.


GOOD JOB !
 
That doesn't look like an OEM distributor. Too many telltale signs, especially w.r.t. the breaker plate.
 
That doesn't look like an OEM distributor. Too many telltale signs, especially w.r.t. the breaker plate.
For anyone who may come across this thread in the future, I'm posting an update in the hopes that it may possibly help someone facing a similar issue: I was working on the trying to get the parking brake light to work... I happened to have the engine running for some reason while I was doing this and when I reached behind behind the dash my hand grazed the back of the ignition and the engine died. I pulled out the plastic disconnect from the back of the ignition and found that the female connection was cracked and the wires were lose. Unable to source a replacement, I have fashioned a temporary repair with electrical tape. My theory is that the connection was sufficient to get 12 v to the starter and coil but when things warmed up the connection shorted thus killing the engine and causing a no spark scenario.
Thanks.
 
Late to the party but that's not my dizzy.
It's much different than Marshall's distributor - an extra small cap distributor (early F engine or non-US) with an unknown breaker plate/pickup coil set-up. I haven't seen one like that before. Maybe at one time the PO had installed a Trollhole distributor.
 

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