Won't start (1 Viewer)

[paulj]

Quite a few posts are up about voltage regulator problems so I'll add mine. I've had an ongoing alternator/voltage regulator problem resulting in a run down battery in my '76 FJ 40. Whenever I drove for more than an hour or so and ran anything that draws a lot of amps such as the a/c or lights the ammeter would go way over to the left. If I turned off the engine it wouldn't start again. So I had the alternator tested in car at my local parts store, and the readout said "low diode output". I replaced the alternator but still had the same problem, so I put in a new voltage regulator too. Now the car won't start at all. Turn the key, and it just goes click. The lights on the dashboard don't come on and the engine doesn't turn over. The battery is fine, everything else electrical works, and all the wires are good with clean and tight connections. Starter is new.
Some additional info. When I took out the old alternator, I discovered that the group of wires connected to it were crammed against the battery tray, and one of them was frayed and broken which I spliced and taped back together. My truck has electronic ignition (Toyota mini-truck, I think) installed by PO. Could a short from the frayed wire have fried it? Is there an inline fuse just for the ignition? I checked the fuse in the fuse panel and it's good. Both alternator and voltage regulator came from Cool Cruisers, and they're aftermarket, but similar if not exactly the same as to what was installed before. Voltage regulator is for 1978 and later models as was old one. I need help!

 

[76FJ55]

If the engine doesn't crank I would diagnose this first don't worry about the ignition untill it will crank over. You say the battery is good. If it only clicks when you try to start this indicates a low voltage condition. Either the battery is not fully charged (try jump starting it) to verify this is not the prob. Another option is bad conections at the battery. If you have a volt meter have a friend, while you crank the engine, measure the voltage across the battery terminals (contact the actual terminals not connecters) and record the voltage. if there is little drop durring cranking do the same expiriment with the volt meter on the terminal connecters. with good connections these voltage drops should be virtualy the same. The last option is bad contact at the engine and chassis grounds. bad/discharged battery or bad battery connections seem the most probable since it won't crank and the lights don't come on.

 

[TJDIV]

My best friend just had the same problem with his and he "thought" the battery was fine being that it was brand new. He had a bad battery.

 

[paulj]

In response to the above posts, I need to reiterate that the battery is fine. My old battery was shot, and I took it back to Sam's and they gave me a brand new Interstate as a free replacement. I checked it with a squeeze-bulb type tester, and the little float rides high and it says "good". As I said in my original post, everything else electrical works. The blower works, the radio, the lights, cigarette lighter, etc. I can't "crank the engine" because nothing cranks. Turn the key and nothing happens. Also, all the connections are good and clean. I took off the ground wire and wire bushed it. Ditto both cables to the battery, the starter and the alternator. The cable that runs from the electronic igniton to the distributor is fine and attached tight. I will try to use my voltage tester when I turn the key, but I'm not sure what to test.

 

[76FJ55]

OK. Another attempt. I'm assumint the radio is wired through the ignition, right? if it is. I think this is the trigger wire going to the starter solonoid that is the problem. this howerever doesn't explain the non lighting lights. my FJ55 however has no indicator lights on the dash. I would check for voltage at the + terminal of the coil to confirm that it is getting power in the run position. if it is getting power try shorting from the large terminal of the starter to the small terminal. this will send 12 volts to the trigger circuit and cause the engine to turn over. this will allow you to test the starter, battery,and all the heavy connections (battery terminals/grounds). If this starts the truck then it is definately the trigger circuit that is bad. If there is no power at the coil It would seem to me that the power to the ignition switch is interupted. this would explain the indicator lights, however this is contrary to the working heater, radio (unless unswitched). These are just my thoughts on the situation.

 

[FJAfrica]

Make sure the ground wire goes to the engine as well as the frame.