'78 CJ7 won't turn over

Tiny
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  • 1978 JEEP CJ7
The hubs and I just purchased a '78 CJ7. It's a V8 manual, 3 speed transmission without any mods, just restoration work. It recently had fuel pump replaced by the previous owner. After the fuel pump was replaced, it started. However, when we had it delivered to us today, it won't start. It was delivered to us on a flatbed trailer.

When I try to turn over the ignition, it clicks, but nothing else. Could this be a continued issue with the fuel pump? Maybe something got knocked out of wack during the transport or could it be an ignition/starter issue?

When I turn the headlights on and then turn the ignition to start, the lights dim. From what I understand, this means that I don't have an ignition problem (but I'm not 100% sure since I don't have a voltage tester).

If it is the starter, is there a way I can find out for sure without taking the starter out to test it?

Wondering where I should start inspecting the problem, if there are any other sounds I should be listening for, etc. Let me know if there are other details I can provide. I used to work on my old camry (valve cover gaskets, brakes, but never issues involving where the vehicle won't start so I'm a little lost). Thanks for any help anyone can give me.
Sunday, July 29th, 2012 AT 8:25 PM

38 Replies

Tiny
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I'm not sure how to delete my question, but it turned out to be a bad battery. I guess I was looking for a big issue since the CJ is older than me! Glad it was a simple fix :)
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Sunday, July 29th, 2012 AT 9:22 PM
Tiny
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Glad you got it going, I was going to tell you the Battery!
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Sunday, July 29th, 2012 AT 10:18 PM
Tiny
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COME ON BACK ANYTIME, FOR ANY OTHER ISSUES YOU MAY HAVE

EXPLORE THE CJ 5 AND CJ 7 2CARPRO FORUMS

I CAN ASSIST YOU IN LOTS OF FIXES AND TUNING HIM UP

DO YOU HAVE A REPAIR MANUAL?

THE MEDIC
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Sunday, July 29th, 2012 AT 11:05 PM
Tiny
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Thanks! I have lots of stuff I want to do with it. Replacing belts, new beefy air filter, among other things. I'm just glad I don't have to worry about him starting up now. No repair manual. Was looking online for one today but didn't come up with anything. Any recommendations for manuals?

Can't wait to get started. I know I'll have questions when I get going on these projects. It's nice to know I have a resource that's very helpful available to me! :)
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Sunday, July 29th, 2012 AT 11:22 PM
Tiny
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OK HERE'S YOUR 1ST GIFT. AS LONG AS THEY CONTINUE TO "RUN" IT

ACTUALLY IT'S FROM "MORRIS", IT GETS OVERLOOKED, BUT IT IS THE VERY BEST MANUAL YOU CAN HAVE FOR NOW.

THESE ARE THE ACTUAL JEEP FACTORY MANUALS.A PAPER FACTORY MANUAL WOULD BE BEST, THEY ARE HARD TO FIND AND EXPENSIVE.I ACCIDENTALLY GOT MY '79 MANUAL YEARS AGO AND WISH I HAD CARED FOR IT BETTER

REMEMBER THAT THE TRUCKS/CHEROKEE ARE INCLUDED IN THE READING ALONG WITH CJs. MAKE SURE YOU ARE READING THE "CJ PART"!

OTHERWISE YOU'LL BE FIXING A CHEROKEE!

THE MEDIC
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Sunday, July 29th, 2012 AT 11:38 PM
Tiny
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AWESOME! Are there any resources for original parts or will I end up piecing together things I need from other vehicles? Things I want are a door handle, passenger side mirror, and the knobs for the window handles.
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 12:08 AM
Tiny
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I see the same website has a ton of parts. So excited. Looks like I found a source for all my fun money to go to!
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 12:28 AM
Tiny
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Nice going CJ good stuff
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 1:32 AM
Tiny
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ROGER!

GLAD TO SEE THE "BUBBLING"!

THERE ARE SO MANY AFTERMARKET PARTS AVAILABLE---THE ONLY ORIGINAL STUFF YOU REALLY NEED IS THE ENGINE AND ENTIRE DRIVE TRAIN (MOST OF THE INNARDS ARE AVAILABLE AFTERMARKET)

I ALSO GET SOME OF MY STUFF FROM oconeeoffroad.com ,AND MANY OTHER PLACES TOO

BEING EXPERIENCED WITH CJs SINCE 1981 (WHEN I STARTED DRIVING) I HAVE HAD 7 TOTAL AND NEVER HAD ANYTHING ELSE, YOU SORTA GET THE KNACK FOR WHAT IS A QUALITY DURABLE PART AND WHAT IS NOT SO GOOD!

I STILL HAVE 6 & 7 WHICH I'VE HAD SINCE THE EARLY 90s (YOU TAKE CARE OF 'EM MORE AS YOU GET OLDER).....YOU ALSO ARE SORTA ABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND MAKE A REPAIR MORE EZily.

I WISH I HAD CAUGHT YOU BEFORE YOU GOT YOUR BATTERY...I WAS AT WORK

THIS IS THE "ONLY" WAY (METHOD) TO PURCHASE ANYTHING----SEE THIS ANSWER ON July 16, 2012, IT STARTS OUT """AS FAR AS I KNOW THEY HAVE NOT SOLD THAT JEEP YET"""

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1985-jeep-cj7-inconsistent-curb-idle-low-power-hi-rpms

USE THIS METHOD TO PURCHASE...PICK UP AT STORE WHENEVER POSSIBLE (SAVES ON SHIPPING--SEE WHAT YOU GET, BEFORE YOU ACCEPT IT)

SEE MY ANSWER ON May 23, 2012--AT THIS POST

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1985-jeep-cj7-6cyl-258-ci-that-through-ingnition-modules-they-cookies

MY LINKING SPEEDS THINGS UP, AS I AM A SLOW HUNT AND PECKER...I MAY HAVE ALREADY EXPLAINED A PROCESS TO ANOTHER POST (WHY RE-WRITE IT?)

SEND PICS OF YOUR RIG, LIKE SEVERAL OF THE JEEP AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT

THE MEDIC
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 2:12 AM
Tiny
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Everything I order online will have to be lightweight. Since we live in Panama, it's a little bit harder to find things in store here and costs $6/pound to ship in from the states and import fees on values over $50 will really increase cost. Hopefully I can find the heavier items down here in the tropics.

I miss big box stores like Advanced Autoparts that have all their deals because we really don't have anything like that here. We didn't buy another battery, although the hubs will be getting one tomorrow morning. We just took a battery out of another Jeep we have to see if it would work since we knew that the other Jeep's battery worked for sure.

Good to know about the aftermarket stuff. I thought that would be hard to find, especially on a '78 CJ7. And my wish list grows. Shifter boots, door seals. Hmmm.
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 2:42 AM
Tiny
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Hopefully pics will come tomorrow. It's been raining ALL day, but hey, that's rainy season for ya :p
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 2:43 AM
Tiny
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STAYED AT FT. SHERMAN ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. MOSTLY IN THE "TROPICAL WOODS" WHEN I WAS IN 'BATTALION. CAUGHT ME A KUDAMUNDE IN A "TWITCH-UP" USING NASTY OLE C-RATION SPAGHETTI THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE. TOTALLY UNINTENTIONAL, WE HAD A HECK OF A TIME CUTTING HIM LOOSE!

JUST REPLY BACK TO THIS POST IF YOU NEED MORE ASSISTANCE, I WILL GET AN EMAIL ALERT

THANKS FOR COMING TO 2CARPROS

THE MEDIC
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 3:46 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
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Look how far we, ve come from a dead battery! Arent you glad you didnt just delete to post?
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 7:17 AM
Tiny
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WHEN YOU OWN A SPECIAL KINDA VEHICLE. YOU GET A SPECIAL KINDA TREATMENT!

THEY PROBABLY CALL HIM UP DURING AN EMERGENCY. LIKE WHEN THE "MULES" ARE ALL TORN UP AT THE LOCKS AND THEY GOTTA PULL SOMETHING HEAVY THRU THERE

THE MEDIC
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Monday, July 30th, 2012 AT 5:54 PM
Tiny
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Okie dokie. So we went, picked up another battery, stuck it in the cj and now it just turns and turns and won't turn on! We stuck the other battery from the other jeep in to see if that battery still worked (making sure we didn't buy a bum battery) and that one didn't work either. Why would the cj turn on after changing the battery the other day and not now? What could be the problem? :(
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Tuesday, July 31st, 2012 AT 6:00 PM
Tiny
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GOT A VOLTMETER?

YOU WILL ALWAYS NEED ONE!

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE AT POSITIVE COIL TERMINAL WITH THE "KEY ON"

WHERE'S THEM PICS????

THIS IS PROBABLY YOUR PROBLEM!!!!!---CHECK THIS 1ST--BEFORE YOU CONTINUE!

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1996-chevrolet-tahoe-wont-start-sounds-dead-battery-jumpbox-get-same-reults

ARE YOU HOOKED UP LIKE THIS ON THE SOLENOID? A-B-C-D LABEL THE TERMINALS1-6 ARE THE WIRES

1) POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE

2) CABLE TO STARTER

THESE MAY BE SWAPPED OPPOSITE ON YOURS (1&2).....IT'S BEST TO RIG IT LIKE I HAVE IT (THIS AIDS IN USING A SCREWDRIVER TO "REMOTE" TURN IT OVER)

3) AND 4) AND OTHERS----THIS IS IGN WIRES AND ALL ACCESSORIES...THEY STACK AGAINST THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE (WHEREVER YOU PUT THE POSITIVE CABLE)

5) "S" WIRE IS "HOT" (12V) ONLY WHEN YOUR KEY IS IN THE "START POSITION"......THIS 12 VOLTS INTRODUCED INTO THE TERMINAL MAKES THE SOLENOID'S ELECTROMAGNET WORK TO CONNECT "1" AND "2" WHICH MAKES THE STARTER TURN OVER

6) THIS IS "I" TERMINAL OR WIRE----THIS TERMINAL BECOMES ENERGIZED WITH FULL BATTERY VOLTAGE WHEN THE SOLENOID GETS ENERGIZEDTHIS GIVES THE COIL A "BOOST" WHILE THE ENGINE IS TURNING OVER (AS THE STARTER IS "STEALING" THE POWER THAT NORMALLY WOULD BE FEEDING THE COIL (ON POSITION OF THE KEY)ONCE THE ENGINE "BUSTS OFF" AND IS RUNNING, THEN YOU RELEASE THE KEY AND "S" AND "I" SORTA DIE OUT----THE COIL THEN RUNS OFF OF THE REDUCED VOLTAGE PROVIDED FROM THE "ON" POSITION OF THE KEY

JUST FOR YOUR INFO---WHEN "I" TERMINAL "DIES" (BATTERY FULL VOLTS)--- THE "I" WIRE WILL NOW SHOW THE REDUCED VOLTAGE THAT IS NOW FEEDING THE COIL (MINE IS A LITTLE OVER 7 VOLTS)

JUST FOR GIGGLES--LET'S DUMP A COUPLE OF "SODA TOP-FULS" (DRINK CAP-FULS) OF GAS DOWN THE CARB AND SEE IF IT WANTS TO START UP----WHAT I'M TRYING TO CONVEY IS...JUST A LITTLE FUEL, NOT A BUNCH!

REMOVE THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP, PLACE IT OUT OF THE WAY OF THE ROTOR--CRANK IT OVER----DOES THE ROTOR BUTTON TURN?

HAVE YOU REMOVED THE DISTRIBUTOR BY CHANCE? (DON'T, NOT YET ANYWAY!)

SEND BACK ALL OF YOUR FINDINGS....I HAVE LOTS MORE STUFF, SHOULD IF WE NEED TO GO THERE!

THE MEDIC
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Tuesday, July 31st, 2012 AT 9:18 PM
Tiny
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The second we drip some gas into the carborator, the jeep cranks. The new fuel pump that was put in is electric and there was a new fuel line installed as well. It sounds like the pump comes on when I stick the key in and turn it (but not turning the engine on)
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Wednesday, August 1st, 2012 AT 8:20 PM
Tiny
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DOES THE JEEP STILL HAVE THE ORIGINAL 2 BBL CARBURETOR?

THE ELECTRIC PUMP IS A BAD IDEA IN MY EYES

WHAT KINDA PRESSURE DOES THAT PUMP PUT OUT?

YOUR CARB REALLY NEEDS LESS THAN 5 PSI TO RUN---ANY MORE COULD DAMAGE THE NEEDLE AND SEAT OR OVERPOWER THE FLOAT

BELOW IS HOW MINE IS SET UP---THE RETURN LINE IS A "MUST" TO KEEP THE FUEL SORTA REGULATED AWAY (BYPASSING) FROM THE CARB WHEN TOO MUCH PRESSURE IS PRESENT

I REALLY DO NOT NEED THE REGULATOR OR THE MINI GAUGE---BUT THEY ARE COOL!.....AND I CAN MONITOR AND FINE ADJUST THE PRESSURE GOING DIRECTLY INTO THE CARB

IF YOU ARE USING A ELECTRIC PUMP IT NEEDS TO BE A LOW PRESSURE TYPE

THE ORIGINAL MECHANICAL PUMP IS VERY RELIABLE---AND INEXPENSIVE

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_mechanical-fuel-pump-airtex_5404002-p?searchTerm=fuel+pump

MY PICS ARE OF MY 6 CYLINDERTHE SET UP IS EXACTLY THE SAME FOR A 8 CYLINDER

IS YOURS LIKE THIS?

HAVE YOU CHANGED THE FUEL FILTER?

THE MEDIC

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Wednesday, August 1st, 2012 AT 8:59 PM
Tiny
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Fuel pump went out. Don't have voltage meter, but do have car battery charger and when I hook up that, nada. I think it actually shorted out the battery that was in there before.

What would cause a brand new fuel pump to go out like that? Could it be all the corroded cables? Should I change out that cable? (Not looking forward to getting into that cruddy old harness just yet.I wanted to do it all at once so I could do it right and do it purdy)
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Wednesday, August 1st, 2012 AT 10:42 PM
Tiny
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Oh.I tested it by taking the fuel pump out and connecting it directly to car battery and even car battery charger
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Wednesday, August 1st, 2012 AT 10:43 PM

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