CJ won't start after tub swap. - Page 2

beachjeep · #21 (**permalink**) 01-17-2004, 03:03 PM

Terry,

You know me, Im no help when it comes to engines and electrical, Sorry... Do you have any pics since the tub swap? Did you at least get it out of the garage. Remember, the wife said she just wanted it out of the garage, didnt say it had to run. hehehe.

TerryMason · #22 (**permalink**) 01-17-2004, 03:22 PM

Yep, I went to DMV and got new tags (they will only give one month without emmissions inspection), and am about to push it into a parking spot in my neighborhood.

It will be the first time the Jeep's made it past the driveway in about 3 years...

Inspector-Gadget · #23 (**permalink**) 01-17-2004, 04:18 PM

TerryMason · #24 (**permalink**) 01-22-2004, 11:16 AM

Gadget,
Here's a question for you - I've done the TFI swap, and can't figure out which one of the coil wires is the positive one. They aren't really labeled. In the past, it didnt' seem to make a difference. Does it matter?

Here's the coil I'm using:

Inspector-Gadget · #25 (**permalink**) 01-22-2004, 12:30 PM

TerryMason · #26 (**permalink**) 01-22-2004, 12:40 PM

Great, looks like we're going to get snow this weekend too...

Thanks for all the help Gadget, I'm ready to wrap this thing up, and I think it won't be much longer.

As for the polarity, reversing the wires didn't seem to make any difference.

1. No, and I think I need to do this. I'll try it on Saturday. I also thought today to verify my firing order, which I will do.

2. Yes, never ran great, but it did run.

3. Yep, for about a year.

I noticed that the flashing from my timing light was very sporatic, and I'll throw another battery in there and play around with it this weekend.

Inspector-Gadget · #27 (**permalink**) 01-22-2004, 01:35 PM

jay79cj7 · #28 (**permalink**) 01-22-2004, 01:40 PM

I've done the TFI upgrade, but I have put very few miles on it so far to know how good my work was. With that said, stock wiring was red to the positive terminal and green to the negative. My coil has at least a "+" and maybe a "-" molded into it by the terminals. If I remember correctly (my CJ's at grandma's for the winter), I have the coil mounted with the distributor wire up and the ignition terminals against the inside of the fender. With that orientation, I believe that positive was on the right.

Inspector-Gadget · #29 (**permalink**) 01-22-2004, 04:07 PM

redrooster · #30 (**permalink**) 01-22-2004, 04:44 PM

Two things:
Did the coil burn up when you left 12 volts on it for so long? A lot of times that will happen. Usually won't crank at all though.
Second the GM HEI requires 12 volts all the time to operate. Does the TFI?
If you wire it like the schematic above then won't you get 12 volts at start and 6 or 9 at run when it goes through the resistor.

TerryMason · #31 (**permalink**) 01-26-2004, 08:27 AM

I went to move the jeep last night before the big snow. I was going to just roll it on the starter into another spot, when it actually started up and ran!

Anyway I drove down the road, then stalled it out. It would not start, so I just ran it on the starter for a while, until I got it into a spot.

So, my newest question:
If you run your starter for a while, without the engine starting up, will your battery cables heat up? Mine were so hot they would burn you if you touched them.

I just need to figure out how I got it started.

thanks guys.

Terry

TerryMason · #32 (**permalink**) 01-26-2004, 08:29 AM

As for the TFI upgrade, All you do it replace the distibutor cap / roter, spark plugs, and then replace the coil with a new one. There isn't really any wiring to be done, just making the new coil fit.

jps4jeep · #33 (**permalink**) 01-26-2004, 09:00 AM

Those battery cables will heat up real nice, you are creating a real hard continous draw on the battery. Instead of the battery only being required to supplie 12.4-12.7 volts at a max of maybe 30 amps, now there is a demand for more voltage and more ampearage.
A starter usually only does it's job for a short period of time, and that job is to simply turn the flywheel, now your turning the enitre drivetrain for a period of time which I am guessing is longer than a couple seconds

fourtrail · #34 (**permalink**) 01-26-2004, 08:43 PM

Terry

Putting 12 volts to the coil for an extended period of time may have wasted the coil. Toss in a cheap factory style coil to see if it helps. Another part to help test things, harbor freight sells a tool that could be of use. it is a spark tester. You plug it on the plug then plug the wire into it. this will give you a veiwable flash everytime the plug fires. it can also be used in the coil wire if you have HEI style posts on the cap.

Stupid question, are you getting fuel into the carb? After sitting that long the pump could be bad or the float could be stuck.

Just more suggestions.