Ok, my brother just bought a '74 fj40- very basic 1f engine, runs well, etc.. So, he's driving it, stops at the exxon for a DrPepper, gets back in- CLICK! One click, that's it. I get over there to give him a jump, but no dice! It doesn't even try to turn over. Curious, I check his lights and get nothing. There is no power to anything- lights, signals, fan, starter, nothing. I put my battery in and clean all the connections, nothing. I get the volt meter, and I have continuity through the fusable link to the starter. I checked the ammeter in the dash- there's continuity and it reads 12v. Here's where it gets really strange- we bust his steering column apart and there's continuity- plus, 12V when in the on position! We took the switch out and cleaned it (an adventure: didn't know there were bearings to lose!). Didn't do anything. Then, though I'd tried before with no luck, I shorted two of the points on the ignition relay and got a spark. Suddenly there was electricity.... until I tried to start it, then CLICK! and nothing again. What the hell is going on???

HELP!
:mad:

starter solenoid is my guess...

if you have a spare anchor lyin around try putting that starter in it (sounds like sometin in der is shortin shiat out)

hth:confused:
-Max

if I disconnect the starter all together, should that restore power for stuff like the headlights? I would've thought they'd work regardless of the condition of the starter....:crybaby2:

it should, if the starter solenoid is the culprit.

I'll try that right away!!


Thanks.

Stran,

DOn't forget a very dirty electrical connection will allow a voltmeter to read the voltage just fine, yet not pass much current.

For trouble shooting I leave all my fancy gear in the tool box, and use nothing more than a dual filament taillight bulb with two wires attached. This lets me SEE that I have full voltage, and current can flow just fine.Dang bulb gets hot enough to melt plastic floor mats, so use caution.

My first guess is the battery cables at the terminals. Then check the GROUND cable to were is attaches against the block. (Hint here is the jump didn't do a thing... so I would suspect a dirty ground connection.)

As to the starter solenoid... not enough current to operate it (so you'll hear a slight click, or clunk... solenoid is fine but needs full voltage/current to it).

Tom

ok, I'll triple check using the bulb method (if I can find one). Actually:
1) Can I use one of those testers that plugs into a wall outlet in the house? (I know it's ac, but the light shouldn't care ac/dc... it just won't pulse?? Is there a resistor I need to replace or remove??)
2) Is there another gound I should be searching out and testing beyond the battery ground?
3) Is it at all possible the ignition circuit could be responsible? For a brief moment after futzing with it for an hour we did have some power for about 10sec.
4) Is it acceptable to beat any part of the cruiser out of shear frustration :mad3:

thanks!

I'll triple check using the bulb method (if I can find one). Actually:
1) Can I use one of those testers that plugs into a wall outlet in the house? (I know it's ac, but the light shouldn't care ac/dc... it just won't pulse?? Is there a resistor I need to replace or remove??)

No. AC test light usually has a neon bulb in it, needs the higher voltage to glow.

What I like about my home made test light is that a bad connection will be noticeable due to the dim bulb. Voltmeter will always read full voltage, but once there is a load on the wiring, voltage drops down quite a bit.

2) Is there another gound I should be searching out and testing beyond the battery ground?

Just remove all the connections, clean them, and replace them. Quite often a simple twist of the battery terminal will suddenly "fix" everything. Take 'em apart, clean 'em,
put everything back together.

3) Is it at all possible the ignition circuit could be responsible? For a brief moment after futzing with it for an hour we did have some power for about 10sec.

Might have been the wire to the ammeter you actually bumped. Headlights are not controlled by the ignition circuit. I *think* the horn doesn't go through the ammeter... always a good sanity check to test the horn.

4) Is it acceptable to beat any part of the cruiser out of shear frustration :mad3:

No. Only Heeps deserve that!!! Oh, I had an '83 grand wagoneer that I spent months trying to fix the wiring on. Hit a bump, all gauges worked. Hit another... nada. SOLD IT!

Tom

my cents... not clear if you solved the problem, and it does sound like the starter solenoid, but verify using that trusty old Haynes manual and a voltmeter. If you use the 'light-bulb' as a voltmeter, beware, they can easily destroy computers, and it doesn't have to be a sophistcated computer. And I do agree, voltage present doesn't mean it can carry a full current load, if there is a contact problem, when the load is applied the voltage drops it shouldn't totally dissapear. You can pull the wire off the starter/soleniod and turn key into start postion, with no load, full voltage should be there. This will at least indicate a closed curcuit. One last option, I don't know if it viable on a 40, is to put trans into neutral and jump the starter with a screwdriver.... at least it worked on the old Chevelle !!!