Eagle564

So I've owned this 85 efi truck for around 2 weeks and its been nothing but trouble and issues. The main thing being the truck decided to stop starting. I turn the key and nothing happens. A little noise from the passenger side but thats it. Everything else comes on but the engine does not try and turn over. So i pulled the starter and had it tested, told it was fine, battery is at 700 cca also. Put starter in and cleaned connections, started up. Then 20 minutes later wouldnt start. Kept trying and came on. Again today it will not start. I can try and jump it and nothing happens, but ican rolling start it. There is no common denominator to it so im not sure what to try and do. 5speed also. Any ideas?

RAD4Runner

Happy Independence day to the lucky bastard who got an 85!

Try this special diagnostic tool

IF this ^^ consistently cranks the starter, you absolutely have to add a starter relay. The 1985 EFI 22RE cranking circuit is poorly designed. It REALLY needs a starter relay to be added if it were to be reliable.

Here's how to wire the additional starter relay:


The 1986 to 1988 had relay added but wiring is still wrong. Back in those days, Toyota had better mechanical engineers than electrical engineers. Evidenced by well-made 22RE-iable engine but poor wiring design.

The clicking you hear is the Circuit opening Relay. related to but does not affect cranking.

Eagle564

Well I WAS pretty excited for it. I was planning on building it into a great all around wheeling and DD rig but the more I do anything with it the more I realize this truck is extremely unreliable and unpredictable. It has power windows, no issues when I bought it but I get it home and they stop working, since fixed the issue there. Next it wont start, finally hit the starter with a hammer and she starts so replacing that now. In 4wd hubs locked and try and crawl up a little rock, and smoke poooours out of the tranny and/or tcase. None of this occured when I test drove it ofcourse as I tested all of this then. Unfortunately I will be saying good bye to this truck as soon as I receive the title. I may find another some day or just keep building my cherokee, as that has had half the issues in the 2 years i've owned it and beat it and wheeled it. But who knows. Thank you for the help with that relay issue too, ill probably have to end up doing that at some point too.

Stevesk88

Make a list and start getting things done. If your not daily driving it I would keep it and figure it out. In the long run you'll be happy you did cause you gained the experience and youll have a truck you know in and out.


Don't sell it cause the next guy will find something stupid easy that's wrong with it and post it up here making us all jealous cause he got it for a steal. Don't give up man. These truck are so simple you may as well be working on a lawn mower.

Eagle564

I know and I agree for the most part. Thats why I love my cherokee since i originally bought it stock. I like the truck but it has a salvage title, and for some reason it rapes me on insurance. Lowest liability only and its still almost as much as my camaro and cherokee full coverage combined lol. I imagine i can get my money back out of it and maybe come back to one another time down the road with a clean title.

BillyJack

Sorry to hear about all your issues with the truck...me too with mine. I plan to get it running and then revisit my trust in this truck.

It should be reliable, but it is old and I know there was a lot of fun had in this truck over its life!

Eagle564

Ok so i thought it was the starter because i could hit it with a hammer and it would start, autozone said it was good, so i replaced it anyways. Still having the same starting issue.

For this relay wiring, where do you locate the relay? Just wire it up and put in next to the starter or set it in the PDC somewhere? I have no clue with electrical stuff.

Or, should I replace the ignition switch since I hear those are a big issue too. My buddy has an 86 with the same issue and it was the switch, he just hot wired it together.

RAD4Runner

Many people misdiagnose the starter, when the real cause of the problem is poor wiring design.
Analogy: It's like blaming Blaster (starter) for not doing something, when the real cause was because he did not hear what Master (ignition switch) was telling him to do.

You can find a starter relay from pretty much any 4Runner and wire it like ^^^. Even first-gen relays should be good unless they've been flooded. When people suspect the starter relay (like I DID), it's probably because of poor wiring design. Even in 86-88 4Runners they were wired wrong by Toyota.

Here. Pic shows starter relay on Mid-86 to 88 4Runners with 22REliable.


Do NOT yet. Fix what's known to be broken first- the wiring design=the absence of properly-wired relay. IF, and only IF, the original problem (the absence of properly-wired starter relay) had fried the ST1 contacts of your ignition switch, then we'll find out.

Again another misdiagnosis because people do not really know the real cause. Hot-wiring is something that people who really care for their vehicles should not do. That's something that a soon-to-be previous owner that we all curse would do

How did he hotwire the ignition switch, anyway?

Eagle564

Well seems confusing to me but ill take a crack at it tonight, just buy a starter relay from an 86 4runner and wire it in that same spot? And whats the reason the headlamp one is labeled? Particular sized wire?

I think he just wired it to a seperate switch so he didnt even need a key if i remember. It was real janky lol

RAD4Runner

[QUOTE=Eagle564;52209619]Well seems confusing to me but ill take a crack at it tonight, just buy a starter relay from an 86 4runner and wire it in that same spot? And whats the reason the headlamp one is labeled? Particular sized wire?[QUOTE]

Just buy:

• The relay.
• At least five feet of 12AWG wire, same color as the wire that plugs into the starter solenoid (here)
• A good, water-resistant inline fuse holder and fuse rated for 20 amps. Based on this.
• Some heat-shrink, I think 3/16" diameter to accommodate 12AWG.
• Soldering supplies

A friend who solders well should also know how to wire up a relay.

Let us know when you have the stuff home, we'll test the relay and go from there.

Picture just happened to be labeled that way. Ignore headlamp stuff. not related.

Future owner beware LOL! Someday that switch would give out, too, unless it's rated for 12 amperes or more.

Eagle564

Im guessing butt connectors and female to male and male to female spade connectors as well?

Plus autoparts store cant find an 86-88 starter relay. According to them it does not exist

RAD4Runner

I was thinking re-use existing 1/4 inch female spade that plugs into starter solenoid, but it wud not hurt to have extras.
Yes, Butt- connector i you dont want to solder.

Autoparts clerk does not know what he's doing. They do exist but the store may not carry it. Just find a relay from donor vehicle in junkyard. Any generation Toyota truck would do, or get general purpose 30-amp automotive relay.