Compression Test with removed motor Help

I am trying to test the compression on my 1984 FJ 600 with the motor completely removed. When I connect the battery to the starter the starter will click but nothing else will happen. The battery appears to be charged (going to borrow better voltmeter to be sure) it was suggested that it could be in-between gears though it pushed easy with everything connected. I'm a beginner looking for any advice not only on this issue but anything you think I must know. Thanks, a lot of your stuff is inspiring as hell.

 

If you are unsure whether you are in gear, try rotating the drive gear by hand. If it is in neutral it should spin freely by hand, if it is in gear it won't spin freely. My experience with J's is that they rarely get "stuck" in between gears, and if so that would indicate significant transmission dysfunction, requiring a transmission rebuild. However it is far more likely that there is something going wrong with the starter motor. You can pull it and do a bench test on it, see if it will rotate under power, and evaluate how strong it is (with a good starter and good battery, the starter should just leap right off the bench). If it tests good go ahead and throw it back in, perhaps you had a bad connection or ground through your jumper cables or something.

 

You should be able to freely spin the countershaft sprocket to ensure the trans isn't in gear.

 

I did the bench test I wouldn't say it leaped and I felt it was pretty weak. Friend thought otherwise. I took the starter apart the brushes were good length I want to say 7mm and the commuter met specs as well. Now that I've put it back on the motor I'm getting less action from it, but the bench test hasn't changed.

 

hows your ground?

 

Honestly I don't know, how do I tell? For the most part I have been doing this with the ground wire and some old speaker wire.

 

SPEAKER wire?

Try using a set of automotive jumper cables.