Bad starting+lights on dash

slisdexia · 10-07-2008, 04:07 PM

so I took my truck to Kelly Flats on Sunday for a quick trip in the dirt. We played around a little bit, not long at all really including going through the puddle at the bottom of heart attack hill. I couldn't help it. When we were almost to the parking area the brake light and the charge light came on in my truck. We decided to trailer it back to town. It had been idling fine, no sputtering or nothing. Once back in Fort Collins I went to pull it off of the trailer and it doesn't want to start. Since then it drives fine but the lights are on and it still doesn't like to start. Ideas? The plugs are new along with the wires, the cap, rotor, pcv valve and most of the vacuum lines. That's an ongoing process. The lights do occasionally go off but then come back on. I was thinking maybe I fried the alternator(or got it dirty). Haven't been able to check the voltage with it idling yet, my voltmeter is broken. I don't know where to start looking.

904_runner · 10-07-2008, 08:27 PM

alternator, just happened to a friends after a trip through the mud on his 22r.

you can take it off and get it tested.

Scooby098 · 10-07-2008, 08:30 PM

yulp same with mine alternator, water and mud, put in a fresh battery and it will run i bet.

schmooot · 10-07-2008, 09:34 PM

yup keep the battery charged up and you can get by lon enough to get your alternator fixed

refried · 10-08-2008, 12:41 AM

are you sure you got all of the water out of the distributor? take off the cap and dry it out again.

slisdexia · 10-08-2008, 12:34 PM

haven't done the distributor yet, I'll get that after class today when I try to get the rest of the vacuum lines. Can you blast water through the alternator to clean the crap out of it or does that just make things worse? Luckily the lights didn't show when I went to work earlier so maybe.....I'm lucky? I will be checking voltage after class though as well.

AbeWhat · 10-09-2008, 11:36 AM

Yeah, I have an 85 22r pick up with those lights on on the dash. I got the alternator tested today and it was OK. Not sure if there are any loose wires? Any suggestions on what else to check? Where should I test voltage? Thanks Abe

slisdexia · 10-09-2008, 02:56 PM

I checked my voltage and inside my distributor. Lo and behold there was mud inside of it(hmm). Cleaned the dried mud out and reinstalled the cap with some rtv on the edge to maybe better water proof it. We'll see if the fumes blow up a little bit later. Also checked battery voltage and it showed a little over 13, as high as 14.2 when the engine was revved. I took that to be good that it wasn't at 11. Maybe too high?

slisdexia · 10-09-2008, 02:56 PM

and got the rest of the vacuum lines

semo · 11-11-2008, 09:23 PM

I had the same problem my CHarge light went on and off or ocaccionally my voltameater went down to 10 and then up to 12 again try to check also your voltage regulator this all started wen I fell to a river and got the whole engine wet the electrician look everywhere and the only left to look was the voltage regulator he opened it and waaalaaa it was all rusty so he clean it up help but I ended buying a new one so try to see if it isn't that

10-07-2008, 04:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
slisdexia Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado Posts: 169	Bad starting+lights on dash so I took my truck to Kelly Flats on Sunday for a quick trip in the dirt. We played around a little bit, not long at all really including going through the puddle at the bottom of heart attack hill. I couldn't help it. When we were almost to the parking area the brake light and the charge light came on in my truck. We decided to trailer it back to town. It had been idling fine, no sputtering or nothing. Once back in Fort Collins I went to pull it off of the trailer and it doesn't want to start. Since then it drives fine but the lights are on and it still doesn't like to start. Ideas? The plugs are new along with the wires, the cap, rotor, pcv valve and most of the vacuum lines. That's an ongoing process. The lights do occasionally go off but then come back on. I was thinking maybe I fried the alternator(or got it dirty). Haven't been able to check the voltage with it idling yet, my voltmeter is broken. I don't know where to start looking. __________________ I blame the automatic transmission for the wussification of America 1983 Toyota Pickup. 22r, 5 spd, 4x4, totally sweet chrome steelies and Big 0 mesas 235/75-15s And floor mounted speed holes but only 50k on the rebuild!

10-07-2008, 08:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
Scooby098 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Roseburg , OR Posts: 216	yulp same with mine alternator, water and mud, put in a fresh battery and it will run i bet. __________________ 83 Toyota pickup 20 R engine 4 inch lift 36 in superswampers.

10-08-2008, 12:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
refried Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: San Juan Islands, WA. Posts: 79	are you sure you got all of the water out of the distributor? take off the cap and dry it out again. __________________ 1981 Shortbed 4x4 Buick 231 V6, Turbo 350 4" springs 35x12.50 15 Bfg MT 300,000+ miles

10-08-2008, 12:34 PM	#6 (permalink)
slisdexia Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado Posts: 169	haven't done the distributor yet, I'll get that after class today when I try to get the rest of the vacuum lines. Can you blast water through the alternator to clean the crap out of it or does that just make things worse? Luckily the lights didn't show when I went to work earlier so maybe.....I'm lucky? I will be checking voltage after class though as well. __________________ I blame the automatic transmission for the wussification of America 1983 Toyota Pickup. 22r, 5 spd, 4x4, totally sweet chrome steelies and Big 0 mesas 235/75-15s And floor mounted speed holes but only 50k on the rebuild!

10-09-2008, 02:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
slisdexia Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado Posts: 169	I checked my voltage and inside my distributor. Lo and behold there was mud inside of it(hmm). Cleaned the dried mud out and reinstalled the cap with some rtv on the edge to maybe better water proof it. We'll see if the fumes blow up a little bit later. Also checked battery voltage and it showed a little over 13, as high as 14.2 when the engine was revved. I took that to be good that it wasn't at 11. Maybe too high? __________________ I blame the automatic transmission for the wussification of America 1983 Toyota Pickup. 22r, 5 spd, 4x4, totally sweet chrome steelies and Big 0 mesas 235/75-15s And floor mounted speed holes but only 50k on the rebuild!

10-07-2008, 09:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
schmooot Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 61	yup keep the battery charged up and you can get by lon enough to get your alternator fixed

10-09-2008, 11:36 AM	#7 (permalink)
AbeWhat Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Salida, CO + Chicago, IL Posts: 21	Yeah, I have an 85 22r pick up with those lights on on the dash. I got the alternator tested today and it was OK. Not sure if there are any loose wires? Any suggestions on what else to check? Where should I test voltage? Thanks Abe

10-09-2008, 02:56 PM	#9 (permalink)
slisdexia Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado Posts: 169	and got the rest of the vacuum lines __________________ I blame the automatic transmission for the wussification of America 1983 Toyota Pickup. 22r, 5 spd, 4x4, totally sweet chrome steelies and Big 0 mesas 235/75-15s And floor mounted speed holes but only 50k on the rebuild!

11-11-2008, 09:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
semo Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Mexicali, Baja California Mexico Posts: 28	I had the same problem my CHarge light went on and off or ocaccionally my voltameater went down to 10 and then up to 12 again try to check also your voltage regulator this all started wen I fell to a river and got the whole engine wet the electrician look everywhere and the only left to look was the voltage regulator he opened it and waaalaaa it was all rusty so he clean it up help but I ended buying a new one so try to see if it isn't that

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