Hello, I'm new to this forum and figured y'all might be able to help me out. I've been working to restore a pickup thats been sitting for around 5 years. First thing I did was replace the battery cables as they were cracking due to age and had been messed with. I later realized that there was a connector coming from the negative battery cable (like this: https://i.imgur.com/hgRs6FM.jpg) that was not connected to anything? I've looked up wiring diagrams and come back more confused than when I started. Can anyone tell me where the heck that connector is supposed to go? Bonus points if you can tell me what it does and if it could be wired to the battery post instead of at the end of the wire. I just recently managed to get the truck idling again and don't want to risk damaging something. If this is the wrong forum or any additional info is needed just let me know!

 

[QUOTE=mattiker;52466300]Hello, I'm new to this forum and figured y'all might be able to help me out. I've been working to restore a pickup thats been sitting for around 5 years. First thing I did was replace the battery cables as they were cracking due to age and had been messed with. I later realized that there was a connector coming from the negative battery cable (like this: https://i.imgur.com/hgRs6FM.jpg) that was not connected to anything? I've looked up wiring diagrams and come back more confused than when I started. Can anyone tell me where the heck that connector is supposed to go? Bonus points if you can tell me what it does and if it could be wired to the battery post instead of at the end of the wire. I just recently managed to get the truck idling again and don't want to risk damaging something. If this is the wrong forum or any add

I don`t recall any negative battery terminal with that set up with the plastic connector.

Maybe it was sourced from another vehicle to get the vehicle up and running.

Was this negative cable on the truck when you bought it or did you buy it new as a replacement.

did a past owner add that as an extra ground to a device that has been removed?
Since that comes off the main ground to the block there was a ring terminal bolted to the power steering bracket and From new that wire would be in the wire harness .

Did you find any ring terminal bolted to the power steering bracket ?? This is one of those wires that seems to never get hooked up after it was removed the first time because it is a pain.

 

This is a one owner truck and the previous owner never mentioned having changed the battery cables. This is supported by a few ebay listings that I've found that show identical power cables, like this one: https://imgur.com/7mqrmtH, which is advertised as fitting 85-87 pickups, although it came off of another 86 like mine. I'm assuming it's OEM as the plastics look very similar and have aged similarly as well. I can check to see if there's anything around where the power steering bracket would be, although my truck does not have power steering. Theres' a chance that because this is a base model that it might have been a cord that went to an option that I just don't have.

 

I have a 1986 22RE 4WD. I don't see any wire piggybacked on the engine block ground cable like that.

 

I have an 87 pickup, 22R, 2WD, MT. AND an 87 4Runner, 22RE, 4WD, MT.

For whatever it's worth, I remade the battery cables, both positive and negative, and neither set on either truck looked like that at all, for whatever that's worth. One negative cable went down to the AC compressor's mounting bracket, the other to the body ground point, in front of the battery, just behind the headlight.
I made them from 2-0 cable, with ring terminals on both ends, sealed up with meltwall heatshrink, and switched out the terminals on the battery with Marine terminals. The cable may be a trifle large, but it's worked great for the last 30+ years, so I'm going to stick with what I have.
Super easy to remove the negative cables from the battery, too, should I need to work on something. Just loosen the wingnut off, no NOT the one behind the wheel , the one on the BATTERY terminals, pull the cables off, and move them aside. Same if I want to pull the battery out completely.

Not super helpful, I know. If you can't find a matching connector somewhere, it may be a cable made for several model trucks, with options your's just doesn't have. Since it separates from the main ground cable early, it could be anywhere within the wire's reach, less a little for stress relief. IOW: I would look for a matching connector within the length of the wire, but loosely stretched out, not tight.
Also, see if you can find the cable for the body ground. It's an important ground to have!

Good luck to ya...
Pat☺

 

2WD 5 lug engine option ??

Coming off the main engine ground it would need to go to a part completely isolated unable to source a ground any other way.

All the mid eighties Toyota 4x4`s I did battery terminal and cable up grades I never saw or replaced any thing like that coming off the main engine ground.

If every thing is working like it should I would just remove it.

I would love to know just what that was installed for.

 

Yep, 5 lug 2wd 22r. It doesn’t seem to impact function as I’ve been able to get the truck to idle with my new cables.

 

For what it is worth, my 1987 22R Automatic 2WD does not have that smaller ground wire, just the two main cables.

My ground cables are still the factory Toyota cables.

I am sure you have done this already, but have you looked around to see if you can find the other half of the connector?

Maybe it is for optional emissions equipment?

I will need to do some more digging...

 

I have never seen this but I never see 2WD trucks.

Then I venture all the 22re or R engines had 100,000 miles plus and if that small wire had been cut off not like I looked real close when removing the old cables just tossed them in the scrap.

I am curious just where the cable came from just about any negative battery cable off any Toyota RWD car will work on a ebay listing to say will work on 4x4 truck.

 

This is one of the ebay listings, the last picture is the vin of the truck that it came from. https://www.ebay.com/itm/20253577128...evt=1&mkcid=28

It is an 1986 2wd as well for what it's worth.. At this point I'm not too worried about it as it doesn't seem to impact function, but it would be interesting to know why it was even on there. Too bad the 86 fsm is unobtanium, it might have some answers.

 

Interesting the add on Ebay you link to was pulled because of errors in the listing

I have the 86 Toyota EWD for the Pick up and 4Runner and looked for about an hour through every circuit diagram and could find nothing.

My local Toyota Service manager does not recall that cable but them seeing trucks that old is very rare.

Could that truck have been built for a non USA market?? That could be why we have never saw it
Options they have don`t show up in the manuals for USA vehicles

 

And the plot continues to thicken. The idea that it might have been made for another market is an interesting theory. The truck was originally sold through a dealership in Arkansas, so I wonder if imports to Canada or Mexico might have had additional equipment that it was meant to go to.

 

I think I finally Found what it is for it is the ground for the digital dash display does your truck have that option?

Since I never had one of those in person I have never run into that being Hooked up or needed that being the case if it was not needed and that cable was removed that wire and connector would be cut off and tossed.

It just took figuring out what Toyota calls things.

They refer to that as the right side Engine Ground yet in the starter circuit they just show the ground from the battery.

 

Interesting, no digital dash, just bare bones with no tach. I think you've found the solution though. I'll have to keep an eye out for digital dashes in junk yards now to see how they're wired up. I'll look around near the firewall for a stray connector as well.

 

I just removed the oem ground cable from my 86 2wd, automatic pickup, it is identical to your cable. I have been using a 78 series, side terminal battery for years. I have finally gotten on track with a permanent high quality ground cable solution for my side terminal battery. I wanted to convert the hook lift bracket bolt on the 22R cylinder head to a major cable junction post and run a ground cable to a starter mounting bolt. I found by stacking two cables, I could cover all the bases. I have an ACDelco SD30XA 1/0 G cable going to the original ground location near the AC compressor. I have a 1 G, 52 inch long, starter switch cable mounted to the same ground bolt and running to the back of the cylinder head. The other battery cable is a GM 22848162 that is actually similar to our oem cable. It has an accessory wire at both ends. The GM 22848162 cable is going from the battery to the lower starter mounting bolt. The top accessory cable mounts in the original body ground location. I have mounted the lower accessory cable to a bolt holding a brake line bracket in the wheel well.

 

A minor cable adjustment for a better fitment and a closer look at the bottom of the original ground cable. My truck has a Feb 1986 manufacture date.