vital22re

iTrader: (2)

Here is my suggestion. Find the wiring diagrams for the headlight system. Get familiar with where the power flows when you turn on the lights. What is the alternator putting out when the lights are on? when the lights are off? If you're dropping down too low in voltage your motor will not run. If the ecu does not get enough power to power the efi, it will keep goin kaput.

acousticrawk

yeah, ive checked nearly every inch of headlight wire. it all seems up to par.

the voltage is good when the lights are off, and it still wont run well after a couple minutes and dies. it ran fine up until a week or so ago, and the voltage started jumping up and down... here is a video of what it was doing:
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zdh4_nuE9Q[/YOUTUBE]

it became progressively worse one night (on my way to WV)... then it died... and here i am now.

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

what is the actual voltage reading. Give us some numbers at the battery or from the alternator post.

acousticrawk

from the alternator post, its 15.1v at idle... the gauge was reading lower yesterday than it is today. now its reading higher, like it did before the problems started... though the voltage is probably the same... just a better connection to the gauge now.

DIRT CLOD

trailer light kit on there?

acousticrawk

negative.

anyone in the cincinnati area want to come lend a hand? maybe another set of eyes can catch something im overlooking. cant pay you, but i have beers and burgers!

what about cutting all the electronics and converting to carb? i dont offroad. its a mild expo truck and daily driver. i will almost never be off camber... then i could run on pane later if i want?

acousticrawk

up up and away! bump!

YOTABP

I know wire problems are snafu. I feel for you man. With the alt what you should have done was the GM single alt wire conversion. Trail gear bracket is like 50, you could get an alt for around 100 then go to lows/advance to make your own single wire with fuse in it. Of course this will only solve a problem if it is something with your alt. But a single wire to your bat is so much simpler and you would get more amps. Remember the rule, "keep it simple stupid." Good luck brother, I'm subscribed though. The ONLY good thing about wiring issues is the feeling you get when its finally all worked out.

acousticrawk

yeah the GM single wire is in the future, but i just need something to drive at the moment. hopefully ill get if fixed soon, as i have nothing to drive right now.

i think my plan is to direct wire (fused) the fuel pump to the switch. then find a reg 12v ignition power wire for the red wire/gauges.

anyone know of any good 12v ignition wires under the hood or close to the fuse panel?

also... in the video where you see im pointing to the relays on the fuse box, does anyone know what those relays are?!

yoterr

start checking junkyards and ebay for an engine wireing harness...i got one for my 86 (granted it was carb) for 15 bucks..but it included the fuse panel..fuses, relays and everything...mine had a small electrical fire behind the dash...WAAAAY easier than trying to figure out a wire gremlin

acousticrawk

quick update! (and dont worry, a video is uploading as we speak!)

today its nice and sunny... and i went out... and the 4runner started right up! ran fine (idled high because i have the idle screw turned out to try and keep it running yesterday) my poor running symptoms only happen when it rains! my 4runner has always run poorly in the rain... no matter how much i seal things or spray them with WD-40, it always runs bad in the rain (the dizzy is always dry inside, but it got a mist of wd-40 to be safe). i have noticed my fuse box gets a little wet in the rain, and the round metal relay under the flasher relay was full of water yesterday... i dried it out with a hair dryer. i have no idea what that relay does... but the rain def causes my poor run condition. it was just worse yesterday then it has ever been. it has to be a leaky cowl or windshield making the fuse box wet... though im not sure that will cure it. i would never be so lucky. haha.

symptom 2.... SERIOUS voltage drop with the headlights on... i have got it worked out to the running lights. when i kick on the running (marker) lights my voltage goes to pot and the battery light comes on. if i turn the headlights on after the marker lights, there is almost no change... also, when my running lights are on my switch gets REALLY hot and so do the wires. dont worry safety police, i dont leave them on long, im not a fool. so i think i have the problem narrowed down to the running lights... my pass side headlight was dimmer than the driver side light on the night of the death of my truck. not sure if that has anything to do with it.

so... i cant drive in the rain, or at night!

the video im uploading now should make it more clear... give me a bit (upload is slow) and youll have an idea of what i have going on.

justin_4runner

hey have you tried to look in the fsm for what relay that is? also with all the issues with the electrical have u thought of replacing the fuse block in the engine bay? or even pulling it to look at the underside of the box to see what the wires look like? it sounds like something is still running to ground that shouldn't be and its causing your wire for the lights to get hot. also im not sure if u have seen it or not but there is a thread here about water falling on to the ecu on the passenger side and how someone fixed or stopped it. might want to look that up.



looked at the online copy of the fsm and it looks like that relay is the taillight relay... it was page 1167. just in case u want to look it up.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

***NOTE: Merged your similar threads**

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

You have fusible links in the engine bay box that could be seriously corroded as well.

Also, ...just for a "leaking windshield" story for ya..... I actually had a leak that dripped down right into my Circuit Open Relay(COR).....it would get SO HOT, when driving around, .....and when I would stop at a store, I'd have to wait several minutes for the truck to run right. Then, one day, while washing my truck, .....I NOTICED, "Hmmm, get's wet, and wont start"... Of course, by that point, it was a combo of WET and CORRODED, lol.... but I put in the new COR and VOILA, ..no more hot start issues. There are a few things on BOTH Sides, including the Main Relay and as you know, all that crap in the fuse panel in the kick panel as well. COR is more fuel pump related, but that whole light thing you got?>>>, ...DANG! You have a main Head light and High Beam Headlight relay.... have you pulled and checked em out if they're really corroded?

Funny thing was, I'd looked at that COR many times, ...looked fine. When I pulled it and looked from behind and under the cover? HOLY CRAPOLI!

acousticrawk

hey! yes, i checked the COR as per the FSM. thankfully that side isnt leaking any water... im thinking it has to be that relay on the driver side thats getting west and is shorting out causing my draw... maybe.

as for the fuse box under the hood. the PO disconnected it and its just hanging in there. he also installed bigger battery cables too! thats about the only thing hes done right.

again, the draw on my voltage is only when the MARKER lights are on. first click on the head light turn knob creates the draw... second click, still a draw, but it doesnt get any worse.

here is the most current video:
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOw3apu5nKA[/YOUTUBE]

acousticrawk

see the video in the post above this for an update^^^

id like to ad... i just disconnected every exterior light individually until they where ALL disconnected... no change. problem still is the same as above.

EDIT!
my dimmer switch for the gauges! if i turn in all the way off, ALL IS WELL! if i turn it even to the slightest so i have gauge lights... BAM-voltage drops like a rock!... im about to bypass it and see what happens!

edit 2: its not the dimmer switch... i bypassed the switch.. no change. also, when the gauge illumination is off, my switch doesnt even get warm!

any ideas?!

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Those two round relays down there(brass colored), are your "MAIN" 1 & 2 Relays(At least one of them says "MAIN" as I remember. I know FOR SURE that your "MAIN" is at least one of those two..... My buddy had a bad deal of corrosion in the EFI harness on the passenger side that was causing his to get really hot(it was still good, just didn't like the shorty-shortz, lol.)

Interesting that you turn on just the runners and it starts up..... Sure everything on your Light/Signal arm is all corrosive free, etc?(I"m sure you checked all that, just asking)... and none of the goodies that run that in your kickpanel relay/fuse box are rotted behind there to the point of EASILY causing damage/grounding/voltage draw?

I know for CERTAIN that that fuse getting wet can cause serious issues. Can you pull that whole panel and see if it's really corroded behind there, etc? Also, if it's leaking there, it's most likely leaking into that MAIN CONNECTOR, where like 30 wires connect in one connection. Sometimes they pull out the back and ground out on things.

Just seems like this guy did something that caused a BAD short/ground-out that's causing many of the issues. If you don't start fresh with the wiring diagrams and just do it all exactly how it's laid out, ....well, you know that already, but I just hate to see people chase their tail like this....because of STUPID PO'S! lol.

acousticrawk

i have the bottom bolt out of the fuse box on the drivers side kick panel, but can get it out to check the back... is there a bolt on top? ill at least plast it with some wd40 or spray everything down back there with plasti-dip to water proof the back and wd40 the front side. i think the wet is def the cause of my truck running so poorly in the rain.

as far as the power drop with the lights on, its the gauge lighting causing the problem. im not sure where because i havent pulled the gauges.... but i can tell you, with the dimmer turned all the way left so my gauge lights are off, everything is fine. as soon as the dimmer even comes on slightly, the voltage plummets and my switch and wires get pretty hot (they would melt if i didnt kill the lights). i bypassed the dimmer to est if its the dimmer shorting out, but its not. bypassing the dimmer resulted in the same problem.

what would cause my gauge lights to draw so much power?!

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

I would definitely think it's either something crossing/grounding/shorting in the cluster wiring(it's like Tape Wire, much of it), or the relay/fuse to that portion of the chassis electrical is either corroded or shorting out. I have been in there a few times(changed out the oil pressure gauge, temp gauge from one cluster to my original)...and I believe it's 3 larger tape type plugs and the Speedo cable. It's very easy to remove, and might be worth it to see if somehow something arced across the boards in there or moisture is pooled up in there somewhere. The dimmer, I believe, is separate from the tape wiring(tape wires I think just run the gauges).

Not sure just spraying stuff back there will do the trick. I would ask a Yota Shop Guru who's had to pull those if there's a specific way to get them out. Toyota usually has either a hidden clip style (like with the fusible link sectors) or it could be bolted from the rear/inside from the other side.... meaning, you might have to look from inside the fenderwell/under the skirt, like how the antenna is up in there on the other side). It's gotta be in the FSM, ....must be.

I'm actually still trying to chase down a 'voltage drop' issue of my own. And my truck is pristine, pretty much, with almost no rust, etc. One leaking windshield can change all that, quick, eh? lol. Somehow, when I put on the lights, then headlights, then turn signal, ....the rmps drop from like 800 to 600 and sputtering/struggling. I'm going to be replacing as much of my "CHARGE" wiring and chassis wiring that's suspicious as possible. Just haven't had time to get to it, and it's not stopping me from running, ....so I had to chase other gremlins first.

Be careful with that fuse block, etc., ..... it might very well be grounded primarily by the rear/hidden portion that you can't find to release it, ya know?

acousticrawk

well, i got everything wired up, with some heavier gauge wire, soldered all my connections, used proper connectors, added an inline fuse, and sealed all of the open wire and went for a drive. 4runner runs just as it did before.

with that said... i still dont have gauge lights... oh well! i have a GPS! and if im really going to drive and night, ill just wrap my headlamp around the column and aim it at the gauges. id like to ad, even after adding bigger gauge wire and a good 30a switch, if i kick the gauge lights on my voltage doesnt drop AS BAD, but the battery light still comes on... so ill just leave the gauge lights off for now! thanks to everyone who chimed in to try and help!!! yotatech is where its at!!