thomasjames

so i had my windsheild wipers, my headlights and my stereo on and i tried to start my 88 22re pickup and everything went black! i checked all the buss fuzes in the cab and under the hood, and yes i checked the voltage in the battery and it was a little over 12. i dont know where to go from here. how do i know if a relay is blown. also, sometimes the dash lights will come back on for a second when i turn the key half way, and then if i try to start it again it completely dies again. and the flasher makes a funny noise... thanks!

874runnersr5

Check your battery posts, clean them and tighten them.

bugs1961

Check your battery voltage again. A fully charged battery reads about 12.6v and a discharged battery reads 12.1 to 12.2v. Get a jump start and check your alternator voltage with the engine running--should read 13.4-14.2 at the battery. With everything going out, it sounds like the battery is dead--either from a bad battery or from a bad alternator. If the voltage is correct with the engine running, try a different battery and see what happens. You may need to put a charger on it overnight to charge it all the way up.

Could also be caused by a draw on the battery with everything turned off. Once the battery is charged, turn the key off and disconnect the negative cable. Hook an ammeter in series with the cable and battery and check for current flow. The clock, ECM, and radio will use a small amount of power with the key off so the ammeter will show .2 or .3 amps. More than an amp or so and you have a short in a component that is constantly draining your battery with the key off.

Innervision

My 4runner did this when I did not get the ground from the battery tight to the block. I would bet you have a ground issue. 4runners 6v ground attaches down by the starter. Not sure about the 4cyl pu. Check the leads from the battery and find the ground wire and track it back.

Mine would go compleatly dead when I turned the key. No starter click, no nothing. Then about 2 mintues later all the power would come back on. Then turn the key and gone again.

thomasjames

so i hooked it up to a battery charger and tried the instruments and they all worked. i guess my dumb ass just ran the battery down trying to start it or something! so the lights and instruments work now, but it still wont start! it makes a repedative clicking sound (different from a dead starter) from under the hood. wtf? ill tighten the ground and try again. thanks guys, you rock