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NEED HELP GETTING MY JEEP STARTED. DONT KNOW WHERE TO START ON THE TROUBLESHOOTING

  • Tiny
  • NHerring1991
  • 1978 Jeep CJ7

I just bought a 1978 cj7 and I dont know where to start on the troubleshooting. This is my first jeep and I hope it will be a enjoyable experience. The battery is good. I put gas in the carb and jumped the solenoid. The fan in the front of the jeep spun but did not sound like it was wanting to start the engine. When I turn the key, nothing happens. I have no idea where to start or what to begin on. Help would be greatly appreciated.

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Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 AT 9:22 PM

129 Replies

  • Tiny
  • ASEMaster6371
  • Expert
  • 25,556 posts

Checking the condition of the battery is always first. Good clean connections are the first thing.

Is it a stick or automatic

Roy

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Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 AT 9:25 PM
  • Tiny
  • NHerring1991
  • Member

Battery is good. Brand new.
Stick. 3 speed. V8

Thanks for the quick response.

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Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 AT 9:33 PM
  • Tiny
  • ASEMaster6371
  • Expert
  • 25,556 posts

If it wont crank, there is a clutch switch on the clutch pedal that will not allow the starter to engage till the clutch pedal is on the floor. Check that

Roy

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Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 AT 9:48 PM
  • Tiny
  • CJ MEDEVAC
  • Expert
  • 9,357 posts

NEGATIVE! NO CLUTCH SWITCH ON ANY CJs!

ARE YOU GOOD WITH WIRE DIAGRAMS?

I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO START WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH, OR MAYBE THE WIRING TO IT (I FEEL SURE, UNLESS THIS WAS A ONE OWNER, THINGS HAVE BEEN TAMPERED WITH OVER THE YEARS)

GONNA SEND YOU A LINK EXPLAINING THE IGNITION SWITCH AND "CALIBRATING" IT. THIS IS HARD TO REACH, BUT WITH MY HOMEMADE PICS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO "FEEL" WHAT YOU CANNOT SEE!

http://www.2carpros.com/questions/1989-ford-f-250-remove-ignition

LET ME KNOW HOW THIS GOES/ OR NOT!

MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM--I'VE HAD 6 CJ5s SINCE 1981, ALL MY PRIMARY DRIVERS, MANY MANUALS, WIRE DIAGRAMS, HOMEMADE PICS...HELPIN' THE CJs WAS MY PRIMARY REASON FOR ANSWERING HERE (INVESTIGATE OTHER CJ5 AND 7 ANSWERS I'VE GIVEN, IN THE 5 & 7 FORUMS)

I'LL HANG WITH YOU ALL THE WAY, AS LONG AS YOU RESPOND

DO YOU HAVE A HAYNES', CHILTON OR OTHER REPAIR MANUAL TO MAYBE SORTA HELP YOU ALONG? VOLTMETER? OTHER TOOLS? KNOW YOUR WAY AROUND YOUR RIG?

LET ME KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I LIVE FOR, KEEPS ME FROM GOING TO THE OTHER FORUMS WHEN I'M BORED!

YOUR TURN FELLOW JEEP FELLER!

THE MEDIC

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Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 AT 12:04 AM
  • Tiny
  • NHerring1991
  • Member

Cj medevac, I appreciate the response. I read many of your posts and only signed up hoping that I could personally send you a question.
I do not have any diagrams etc. I am a electrician so I have any voltage meters you could think of. Even though cars are much different from houses, I have basic 12v knowledge. I am not home but plan on working on the jeep most of the day tomorrow. What do I do first with the ignition switch?

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Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 AT 12:25 AM
  • Tiny
  • CJ MEDEVAC
  • Expert
  • 9,357 posts

WELL NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT

LET'S GO TO THE SOLENOID AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS HOOKED ON CORRECTLY

PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO "S" AND "I" WIRES AND THE TERMINALS THEY HOOK TO---IF THEY ARE SWAPPED, IT WILL NOT CRANK!

YOU CAN ALSO CHECK TO SEE IF VOLTAGE IS CORRECT TO "S" WIRE, WHEN YOUR HELPER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START POSITION", AND DIES WHEN RELASED TO THE "ON POSITION"

SORTA GO TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THIS LINK

http://www.2carpros.com/questions/1992-ford-ranger-wont-start

IF THAT AIN'T CUTTING IT, LOOK AT THE 1ST PIC I GAVE YOU ABOVE (I'M SURE YOU KNOW, CLICKING ON IT WILL ENLARGE IT)

AT 10 O'CLOCK THERE ARE 2 NUTS, THIS HOLDS THE IGN SWITCH IN PLACE, IF YOU LOOSEN THEM, JUST ENOUGH TO SLIDE MR. SWITCH (A 7/16 STUBBY WRENCH IS GREAT FOR THIS!) THE SWITCH WILL SLIDE TOWARDS THE RADIATOR OR TOWARDS THE STEERING WHEEL...THIS IS THE "ADJUSTMENT" TO "CALIBRATE" TO THE KEY POSITIONING....IT MAY BE SLID TO FAR FORWARD, AND THE "L" SHAPED ROD (ALSO SEEN IN THE 1ST PICS), JUST CAN'T PUSH THE SWITCH ENOUGH TO ENGAGE "START".....KEY/ ROD TRAVEL RUNS OUT...YA?

WHILE YOU ARE IN THAT CONTORTED POSITION, DANGLING ON THE DRIVER DOOR FRAME, AND HEAD CRAMMED BETWEEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND COLUMN (CURSING!) SEE IF YOUR CONNECTOR IS SNAPPED IN GOOD (MAYBE DO THAT 1ST!) SORRY, I'M USED TO DOING IT FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, I SELDOM HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT!

GO BACK TO MY 1ST LINK IN THE 1ST ANSWER, SEE IF IT MAKES SENSE ON SLIDING THE SWITCH ACCESSORIES---IF THERE IS NO RADIO, YOU MAY HAVE TO CALIBRATE FROM "ON"---OR @@@@@ DISCONNECT THE BATTERY!!!@@@@@@ HAVE YOUR ASSISTANT HOLD THE KEY AT "START" AND YOU PUSH THE SWITCH REARWARD (PUSHING THE SPRING LOADED-NESS IN THE SWITCH TOO. (BASICALLY BOTTOMING OUT THE SWITCH REARWARD, WHILE THE KEY IS HELD "STARTING"---AGAIN BATTERY DISCONNECTED TO DO THIS!YOU'LL GET THE HANG OF IT!

A MIRROR AND A GOOD LIGHT MAY HELP YOU SEE IT TO KNOW WHAT YOU GOTTA DO, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, YOU CANNOT LEAVE 'EM IN PLACE AND CRAM YOUR NOW BATTERED HANDS IN THERE---IT'S ALL FEEL!---SEVERAL BREAK TIMES--LOTS OF BAD WORDS, UNTIL IT CLICKS INTO YOUR HEAD!.......CHIROPRACTOR TOMORROW

YES, I KNOW I'M NOT A GOOD TEXT TEACHER---MAKE SENSE AT ALL??? REMEMBER MY 1ST PICS ARE OF A FORD PICK-UP, THE COLUMN IS DROPPABLE!

THE ONLY SURE FIRED EZ WAY TO DO THIS IS TO CUT A BIG OLE HOLE IN YOUR COWL!

THE MEDIC

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Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 AT 1:29 AM
  • Tiny
  • CJ MEDEVAC
  • Expert
  • 9,357 posts

GOTTA SORTA COME BACK HERE WITH YOUR RESPONSES!

I CHANGED MY EMAIL ADDRESS RECENTLY AND I'M NOT GETTING REPLIES BACK FROM OLDER POSTS.

SO HAPPENS WIFE AND I SHARED THE OLD ADDRESS, EZer TO MAINTAIN ONE, THAN 2. TILL SHE LET HER GROWN YOUNGINS ACCESS HER ACCOUNT (THEY HAVE THEIR OWN?) LAST STRAW WAS WHEN A DATING SERVICE FLOODED THE INCOMING MAIL (HER DAUGHTER DIDN'T WANT IT FLOODING HERS, 'CAUSE THEY WENT TO HER PHONE AS WELL!)

I FIGGERED, WHEN I CHANGED MY INFO HERE, ALL OF MY STUFF WOULD COME TO THE NEW ADDRESS. SITE IS STILL NEW. GLITCHES I RECKON!

SO ANYWAY STAY HERE!

THE MEDIC

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Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 AT 3:46 AM
  • Tiny
  • NHerring1991
  • Member

Medic,
I tried to pull start my cj today. I hooked it up to my f150 and had my dad drive the jeep and attempt to crank it that way. The carburetor was blowing alot of air out of it. I removed the gas line from the fuel filter and put new gas in it. After a few pulls down the street, the old gas started pouring out of the line. I continued until new clean gas was coming out then reattached the fuel line. The exhaust manifolds are getting hot which I think means that I am getting a spark? So I have fuel running to my fuel filter and hopefully a spark. The engine kinda sounded like it wanted to start but wasnt. I also kept pouring gas into the carb hoping that would pop it off. Nothing. What direction should I troubleshoot next?

Also, I can not get the gear shifter to go into either 2nd or 3rd gear. Any help with that?

Thanks,
Nathan

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Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 AT 11:18 PM
  • Tiny
  • NHerring1991
  • Member

Did my last question go through? I sent it about an hour ago and I dont see it on the site.

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Thursday, September 29th, 2011 AT 1:53 AM
  • Tiny
  • NHerring1991
  • Member

I guess not. Today I hooked my jeep up to my f150 and tried to pull start it. Got nothing but alot of air coming out of the carb. My dad was constantly trying to pour gas into the carb to jump start the engine but nothing. We drained the old gas and check the fuel filter. We removed the fuel line right before the fuel filter and gas is coming out when we pull the jeep. The engine is sounding like it kinda wants to start. Also, the exhaust manifolds are hot. Does that mean we are getting spark? I dont know which direction to go in next. I want to make sure the engine will run before dumping money into starters, solenoids, etc etc.

Also, Im having problems shifting the shifter into 2nd and 3rd gears. It only goes back and forth from first and reverse. Any help on that?

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Thursday, September 29th, 2011 AT 2:04 AM

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