Jeep cj5 won't fire

[sweetpeet]

I have a 1975 Jeep CJ5 with an AMC 360 in it.
It ran great a few years ago but I haven't used it in quite some time and I let it sit outside…… What a big mistake. I finally got it turning and it has new spark plugs and the battery is fully charged.

Every time I turn the ignition I get this sound of what sounds like a plunger. I'm guessing that is the sound of the pistons moving with fuel and oil but no spark. Right?

I've had a lot of help from this board in the past so I'm back again to see if I can get some more help.

I'm thinking that I need to replace the distributor but I've got an HEI so there aren't many moving parts and I see no rust. Although, that could mean that the electronics of it were affected by the moisture.
Would I need to replace the whole thing or just a part of it?

If anyone else can think of anything else that it might be please let me know.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[69jeepcj]

Sounds like the ignition module went out of your HEI. If you take the cap off your distributor you should see a flat black piece held down with two screws, it will have a couple wires and a plug. FIRST make sure you are not getting spark by taking out one of your spark plugs, hook the plug wire back onto the plug and hold it about a quarter inch from a good ground point on the engine and have someone crank the motor over, watch the plug for a spark. Do this with rubber handled pliers or you will get a good zap. If no spark, id say the module needs replaced.

 

[sweetpeet]

Ah yes, no spark!

So how do I match the part to the replacement? I've got the serial number but nothing comes up in a Google search and I don't remember the brand. Will any brand work if it looks similar? Any ideas?

 

[GlenwoodCJ7]

Well, there is more than one reason for no spark. Have you tested voltage at the coil? No idea where you live, but here in Colorado the rats love to make little homes in your engine compartment and wires is there bedding of choice. I would make sure your getting voltage at the coil before buying parts. Crank position sensor can also cause no spark but I believe it also cuts the fuel.

 

[sweetpeet]

Well, there is more than one reason for no spark. Have you tested voltage at the coil? No idea where you live, but here in Colorado the rats love to make little homes in your engine compartment and wires is there bedding of choice. I would make sure your getting voltage at the coil before buying parts. Crank position sensor can also cause no spark but I believe it also cuts the fuel.

Yup, I've checked all the wiring and fuel line (which can actually get quite pungent due to lack of firing).
Also, I have HEI and I have no voltage coil. I have positive and negative wires directly to the distributor which feeds to the module I believe. Not too sure but that's what it looks like.

 

[69jeepcj]

I have a HEI in my jeep as well and when I replaced the module, I just told them I needed a HEI module and they got it.. you could take the old one with you. Got mine at autozone. No Crank Position Sensor on a 75

 

[sweetpeet]

So I replaced the module. That may have not been the issue. I still get the same sound of it turning with gas and oil in it (kinda like a plunger sound). But that's only when it turns, now I get the clicking like 80% of the time.

 

[69jeepcj]

Any luck yet?? clicking sounds like and loose, or bad connection somewhere. Battery, distributer, starter?

 

[sweetpeet]

Any luck yet?? clicking sounds like and loose, or bad connection somewhere. Battery, distributer, starter?

I just got it to fire last night! It was the solenoid that was not grounded. Once I grounded it it only took 3 key turns to get it to fire.

Thanks for the help!!

 

[69jeepcj]

glad you got it going, sorry it wasn't the module. it sounded like it.

 

[sweetpeet]

glad you got it going, sorry it wasn't the module. it sounded like it.

No, that was part of the problem. It was grounded when I had the original and in the process of replacing it I had to move some things around. So, it was the module plus I forgot to put things back properly.

 

[herculestex]

i'm glad that was seemingly an easy fix, i know from personal experience how long it takes to figure out the electric.....i wanted to post more, my problem was simple after everything i checked and changed out....lol. my 80's cj was a daily driver when i parked it for a few months. i started it once every month, on the 3rd month it would not start. my battery was out, bloated, autozone wouldn't recharge it. I got a new one and still wouldn't start. i wasnt getting any volts to the cab even. i checked my starter relay. it wasnt getting power to the otherside. i changed it. it worked for one start, then wasnt getting power again. it had different symptoms, one led to the ignition module wasnt getting power. $15 for the part so i changed it. same symptoms, no fix yet. I went back to the relay it seemed like i somehow blew it, wasnt getting power again. i changed it again.....now i was half way there, i was actually get 2 volts to the cab, relay was getting 12 volts, checked the coil, it was getting 6 volts instead of 12 IDK i thought it needed 12, i changed it. still was not starting. well shoot only getting 2 volts to the cab not starting, i started checking all the wires while my buddy was trying to start. i bumbed a ground wire. bam! 12 volts to the cab. it tried to start. started checking all the grounds and all grounds were bad, to the block and frame even to the cab. i cleaned all the ones i found. and wouldnt you know, it started up. the problem the entire time, with the battery of course. the 0 volts to the cab was the clue, I'm not a mechanic, i'm a DIYer at best. looking to these forums for help and youtube as well. A "simple" fix, bad grounds wont let your Jeep start. I now want the Painless wiring harness to replace all the wires, and the HEI set up, In the mean time, it's my daily driver again. i never had problems when i drove it every day.........well there was that one time. lol