CJ2a starting |
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Jack Williams
Member Joined: 10 Aug. 2014 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 24 |
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Posted: 22 Oct. 2018 at 5:19pm |
I have a 1948 CJ2a with a 6 volt system, solex carburator, and pertronix electronic ignition. I was having trouble tuning the engine to run smoothly so I tried the EI. The engine runs smooth as silk, but I have one heck of a time starting it. I am lucky if I can start it with the key. It starts and runs fine if I roll it and jump start it. I've even started it using the hand crank I made for it, but it doesn't want to start using the electric starter. I put in a new coil at the same time I installed the EI. It started for a while using the electric starter, but now nothing unless I jump start it. Does anyone have any ideas? I'm thinking the coil doesn't have enough ohms or the fuel pump is not working correctly, but when I check those two they come up fine on the limits suggested. Does the pertronix EI require more ohms?
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Jack
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athawk11
Member Joined: 18 Jan. 2012 Location: Arvada,Colorado Status: Offline Points: 4145 |
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A couple things to look at:
1.Battery condition...and whether the charging system is actually charging the battery. 2. Battery cables on 6v systems are critical in two ways. They MUST be well grounded to the frame...and the frame must be well grounded to the engine. The ground points should be cleaned and polished. Any rust or paint will cause starting issues. Also, the cable must be heavy duty. Most recommend at least "0" gauge cables on 6v systems. If light duty, you'll continue having starting issues. |
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1- 1946 CJ2A
2- 1949 CJ3A |
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smfulle
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 16 Sep. 2010 Location: Ogden, Utah Status: Offline Points: 6123 |
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Jack,
if I recall correctly, Petronix requires the full amount of system voltage to activate the spark. (I don't have one on my 2a, but I do have a 12 volt version on my 59 Chevy). Do you have some sort of resistor in the ignition circuit that might reduce the voltage to the coil? If so, maybe the starter is drawing enough to reduce the voltage below the threshold for the Petronix. Pull starting or hand cranking doesn't pull any juice from the battery so everything can go to the coil/distributor. Could your battery be on it's last leg?
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drm101
Member Joined: 12 Dec. 2012 Location: Clarkston, MI Status: Offline Points: 1468 |
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I'd check spark with a spark checker or pull a plug and make sure you have good spark while cranking with the starter.
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Mark W.
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 09 Nov. 2014 Location: Silverton, OR Status: Offline Points: 7923 |
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ALSO DO NOT USE SOLID CORE WIRES WITH PETRONIX
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Chug A Lug
1948 2A Body Customized 1949 3A W/S 1957 CJ5 Frame Modified Late 50's 134L 9.25"clutch T90A D18 (1.25") D44/30 flanged E-Locker D25 5.38 Since 1962 |
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a4cj2a77
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 03 Sep. 2012 Location: Seal Beach Ca. Status: Offline Points: 566 |
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x2 on cables and battery as stated above
Phil
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Sod Buster
Member Joined: 31 July 2018 Location: Mt. Airy NC. Status: Offline Points: 1 |
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Smfulle is correct....youre not getting full power to the coil when you crank the starter. You need to run a jumper wire from the starter lug on the solenoid to the coil side of your resistor. Then when you crank it it's momentarily sending full voltage to the coil to start. I had the identical problem with a Continental F-162 when I converted it to pertronix.....Run the jumper wire and you won't even have to turn the key...just point at it and she'll be purring like a kitten
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Sod Buster
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cpt logger
Member Joined: 23 Sep. 2012 Location: Western Colorad Status: Offline Points: 3022 |
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Just an FYI, Ohms is a measure of resistance, while Voltage is a measure of the electric pressure, or the pressure difference between two points. Voltage is what you measure across the battery terminals. Most of the time when one is diagnosing an electrical system to see if it has power to a unit, they use the volt setting on their meter. Unless you pulled the wires off of the coil & changed your meter setting to the appropriate Ohm scale, you were measuring voltage, not Ohms. I am not picking on you, I am trying to help you communicate better with other folks. Do not take offense. IHTH, Cpt Logger.
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