Replaced Starter now there is no spark

[edwjmcgrath]

Mike

Did your bad ignition cable switch prevent the starter from turning or did it result in no spark to the plugs?

My 79 FJ40 has no spark at the plugs.

Thanks

Jim

This deserves its own thread. Why don't you start one since this is confusing the original thread.

 

[Road Warrior 808]

Thanks to everyone who posted on this thread.....it solved my "where is this wire from the solenoid supposed to go" issue. Now I get spark in ON and START ignition positions, not just when ON.
Curt, I have a pretty much bone stock '75 out in Chilliwack (60 miles out of Vancouver, for those curious) if you can make it out and want to compare, or if you get it started and want to hit some logging roads.....

 

[Pin_Head]

If it only runs as long as the starter motor is engaged, but not when you let up on the key and it is in the ON position, then this is typically due to a bad ballast resistor.

 

[78fj40mg]

The switch has left Chicago yesterday so it will be here in Canada mid next week hopefully earlier. The switch was super warn so it could be the culprit.

Curt any news yet?

 

[Casey E]

I really appreciate all the help guys. We will figure it out soon i am dying to get this running

Was busy working on my basement suit yesterday i had no chance to work on the 40. I have tried to bypass the ignition by giving the coil and dizzy 12v straight from the battery. I took a good look at the cap and it does have some hair line cracks on the inside at the top where the ht lead connects, i have been told even small cracks and scrapes can cause tracking and loss of spark. So i need to get a hold of a new cap for this dizzy. I emailed Marshall about a replacement cap and where to get them from but no reply yet (it is the weekend). anyone else know what cap can be used for the trollhole dizzy? This ballast resistor, is it going to cause an issue with this unit or should it run like a champ if wired correctly with the bypass to a known working dizzy?

Ok so some background on this vehicle. I purchased this fj40 couple months back for a steal and it hadn't run for 4 years. The previous owner put in a new engine, and rebuilt transmission anything else hasn't been touched in many years. It was only driven once and on that trip it was flipped. I knew it was going to have some problems. There were a lot of ground problems with turn signals but have gotten them to work reliably now. The starter was the first big problem, first time trying to start got nothing but some clicks so i gave the starter some light taps and got it to try to engage the flywheel. The starter started grinding, took it apart cleaned it and put it back together. After the second crank she fired up like a champ we ran it for 10 min or so. The next time i tried to start it the starter shat the bed again so figured chucking in a new starter would solve this issue and away we go. This was not the case, the new starter works well and that's good but i haven't been able to get a spark since. Traced the spark to the OEM dizzy and opened it up, it was super rusty in there so i placed an order for a new trollhole dizzy with the built in ignitor. thinking this was a good choice because it replaces most of the old ignition setup and is a great deal. But i am still no further ahead.

I have a thread going on a dizzy I purchased also from Marshall and I pretty much think it cramped out again. First one I got from him the cap failed immediately and fried itself to the rotor button. So now my second dizzy started acting up and low and behold I thought it was the cap , but changed caps and still haveing same problem , then I tried to get rotor , so far I can not find a rotor that will fit on the dizzy. I'm betting your dizzy is the issue not your ignition switch.

 

[Curt]

Finally back, I had a couple busy months there and i am now looking at some more time off to dig back into the project. So the dizzy is working and i am getting spark at the plug and i am pretty sure that i just have to get this thing timed right. I may have put the dizzy in on the exhaust stroke and not compression so i have made sure i am on the TDC and i have popped the #1 plug and verified, all looks fine. Next step is to make sure the rotor is pointing towards #4 plug when installed and make sure it has seated into the oil pump slot (I am certain i have done this part correctly). I am using wire "C" as labeled in my drawings to power the dizzy, i did notice when i plug "E" and "F" together i get very little voltage at wire "C". I don't have them hooked up and i am still getting spark. More curious then anything

 

[78fj40mg]

Curt, good to have you back!

I'm looking at your setup and wondering if your car had a an ignitor box originally?

 

[Curt]

It originally had an ignitor setup and switched it out for a trollhole model with built in ignitor module

 

[Pin_Head]

The wire with the E, F, and C connectors is the ballast resistor bypass circuit that improves cold weather starting. You seem to lack a ballast resistor that would take advantage of that circuit even though you have a coil that says "Use with external resistor". The coil will run hot and may burn out without the resistor.

 

[Curt]

The resister is spliced into the ignition wire i have only 9 or so volts going to coil. Coolerman mentioned there may be a resistor wire between the ignition switch and the passenger side firewall grommet, When i opened up the harness tape i saw that resistor wire and it is verified that a 2/78 does have one. See the pink wire spliced into the larger gauge BY.

 

[Pin_Head]

If you have the resistor, the E should be plugged into F and C should be connected to the coil + terminal A if you want to use the cold start feature. It doesn't get that cold in Vancouver, but in other parts of BC, you might find it useful.

 

[Curt]

I have an aftermarket dizzy that requires a consistent voltage so that is why i have it wired up this way. If i connect everything to the coil + then the dizzy will be getting fluctuating voltage if i understand correctly that isn't good. If anyone can think of a better way to do this i am all ears. Maybe a wire from ignition bypassing the resistor wire? Pinhead i had some time to pull my carb apart following your videos and we had a couple problems there as well. Accelerator pump check valve was in rough shape. The retainer clip for the ball bearing was in many pieces and the ball was in the shaft loose. The secondary diaphragm was also shot. Cleaned all these up and put the dizzy in correct this time and i got it to start. Just need to finish up with timing the engine and adjusting carb. Thanks everyone for all the help. Probably went about it the long rout but it should be reliable now!

 

[Pin_Head]

The ignitor (inside the distributor) should see full switched battery voltage whch would be on the ignition wire before the resistor.

 

[Curt]

Pinhead should i splice into the ignition wire before the resistor and run that to the dizzy then?

 

[edwjmcgrath]

I would either do that or splice into the wire that goes to the idle solenoid on the carb (that is also switched 12v).

 

[Pin_Head]

Pinhead should i splice into the ignition wire before the resistor and run that to the dizzy then?

Yes. It is best that the only things that are on the ignition circuit are the coil and the ignitor. Anythig else can compromise the reliability of your ignition, which is a safety issue.

 

[Curt]

Alright so i have rewired the dizzy so it gets full 12 volts from the ignition. Engine starts but runs rough and idled for about 2 minutes then cut out. Fuel bowl looked to full ( may have bumped putting carb together) fixed that and thought i would also take a look at the idle solenoid. I have read that this thing is suppose to make a clicking noise when key is turned on but i don't hear anything. I get 12 volts to the connector so i suspect the unit has failed. I also connected it right up to 12 volts and cant get it to make any noises. Is this part of the culprit as well.