Hello all! My name is Chris, been browsing Toyota forums for awhile now, consuming tons of solid info (THANK YOU!). Finally joined a few months ago.



I intend this to be mostly a ‘build thread’, but I will also be asking questions and seeking input/advice/criticism...so moderators feel free to move this thread if I’m in the wrong place.



Anyways, this is my gals truck, ‘Eustice’. Purchased around 2yrs ago. 1984 2wd longbed dlx, automatic 22r.



Ran and drove great for the first year or so with some minor electrical quirks.....then the electrical started getting more and more quirky.



Research research research.....came to the conclusion I was having the classic ‘click/no start’ situation. Not equipped with a starter relay, so followed by doing the whole aftermarket relay with the same results.



Battery good, jumped the starter direct to battery, starts up as it should. What now?



Well I start diggin around and before I know it I’ve got the dash, seat, fenders, and hood off. Staring at ‘electrical spaghetti’



I consider myself mechanically inclined, do most of my own work on vehicles I’ve had, help friends out with theirs. However I’ve never torn a motor down (mainly due to lack of space and equipment) but electrical has been beyond me besides installing stereos in the past. I have a grasp on it no further than my welding background.



Holy hell have I learned a lot these past 6 months. Continuity, how relays work, fusible links, and most importantly reading a wiring diagram!



Anyways, pictures:

Here we go...got tired of working around the seat, doors, hood etc. No idea what I’ve gotten myself into at this point, but smart enough to take progress pics. Blue tape is the start of many labels.





Suppose some progress has been made at this point. Trying to bundle by color and what little I can gather from my lack of knowing how to read a wire diagram.




Well looks the same to most, feeling like I’m chipping away


Starting to just try and clear the cab of wires, but keep related things together





Hell, might as well pull the carpet and clean underneath



Early on, DIY diagram on a paper bag haha. Ended up referencing this many times


***The day the truck was purchased!
***excuse the chronological order of this post, my phone is a bit outdated and I had already uploaded photos



More recent.
Had an ‘aha’ moment where I decided to work my way from the gauge cluster, because I sure as hell don’t plan on having to remove the dash again for a while.


But wait? Maybe I should work my way from each fuse box?






Hell, I don’t know what the most efficient way of going about this really is. More than likely I had bad grounding, and a couple sketchy wires etc, but I feel waaay better about going thru everything myself and repairing bad splices etc from 30+ years.

I need to go to bed.

Im not done by any means, yesterday I finally had my moment of truth and hooked up the battery. Besides a few quirks with the dash/tail lighting (Due to some components I figured I could postpone, LETS GET THE MOTOR RUNNING FIRST! I solved quickly) IT STARTED UP FINE!! And everything else I’ve went through seems to work as it should. ˟˟˟˟˟˟˟ feels good to have it running

lazy first post, sorry need sleep but ya get the jist of it, will update as I progress

 

Update!

Welp not a very active forum but oh well...suppose a form of diary related to my rig. Any input or questions etc is appreciated.

Trying to start to make my wiring progress more permanent. However the obsessive side of me is all over the place it feels like. Decided to twist related bundles of wiring, trying to prioritize the important stuff, and stuff I hope to never have to touch for a long time...

Hopefully I dont regret twisting wires... I’ve tested prior everything’s functionality. If something fails, troubleshooting will be annoying if I have to untwist, but currently it’s much easier to manage each bundle.

ANY GUIDANCE AND INPUT WOULD BE AWESOME!

a few components I’m debating on how to route properly. Not sure how factory was exactly and also think there could be some changes that make more sense? Anyways

Inst cluster, combo switch, emissions, ign switch, cab fuse box is close...planning on split loom over everything last.

 

Many of us enjoy reading, even if we don't say much, so please keep posting. Brave task to yank out all that wiring and redo it.

 

Thanks! Like I said in my first post, I browsed this forum for a long time before posting lol.
Got to a point of no return once I started disassembling, proud of myself that everything functions pretty much on my first go!




Can anyone tell me how this is usually routed? It goes to a connector from the trans, for backup lights, neutral start sw I believe? Etc
i haven’t spliced these wires but the length is pushing it, barely meets the other connector if I go thru the passenger fender. There’s a grommet in the cab floor for the tail lighting harness that I’m considering going to but that leaves a lot of extra? Blk/wht goes to ignition switch (only wire for ign sw that I have routed this direction) but I would have to extend the red/blu reverse wire if I routed thru driver fender

 

Nevermind, decided to cut red/blu. May or may not have to add length to it but I took it thru the driver fender.



the wiring thru driver fender was pretty lonesome anyways, most of the other wiring makes the most sense thru passenger.

 

Not sure why this ylw/red is so long (fuel gauge to tank) but I could def use that extra in the red/blu in the previous post lol.

Couple questions.....I’m nearing the point of putting split loom over the wiring behind the dash. Want to get the hvac stuff back in place asap, and the main dash frame.

-anything I should inspect or modify now while I have it apart? I figure I can tap in later on to add speakers/stereo. Feel like I should check out the heater related stuff now while it’s accessible.

-dome lighting never worked since we’ve owned...pretty sure wiring is all there. I think I only need to remove the windshield side of the headliner, and the pillar trim to access that wiring?

-I’d like to insulate/deaden/soundproof the floor before I put carpet back. I only need about 25sq ft for the floor but I figure I could use the same material for the doors/headliner/behind seats. I just don’t wanna buy too much if possible, and curious on material to use...not to expensive or messy. If anyone has bought a roll and has enough leftovers I would be interested in buying perhaps