Okay, so after searching and searching I am at a stand still! When I go to open my windows or basically do anything the gauge in the 4runner seems to dramatically drop! The lights dim the whole works, so from what I know from the little electrical work I have done is that its probably got a wire with a small gauge that doesnt allow enough power. So if I am way off or if someone can help me out a bit it would be greatly appreciated! We can get this thread going or go ahead and pm me! It would help me out tons!

 

Check all your grounds make sure there all good first..

 

Everything seems to be good, but I may be missing some! Now that its 10 pm and only 32 degrees outside I dont feel like venturing out! So what grounds should I check? Just to the body? Oh, and would upgrading the positive wiring gauge help? It kinda sounds like a PITA

 

First off, you shouldn't need to upgrade anything unless you've added a significant new load. Don't trouble shoot buy buying a bunch of parts.

Remove each battery terminal and clean it with a battery terminal cleaner. Then clean your posts with a post cleaner. I don't care if they "look" clean, they're not. Next follow each cable coming off the batter to the other end of it. Clean whatever it is attached to and the connector on the end. Replace any connector that won't clean up.

Now re-attach the batter and see if there is any improvement.

If not, you need to get a multi-meter, preferably digital. Read the instructions on how to place the meter in series with one of battery leads. Check the current draw with everything off. There should of course be no current flow. If there is start pulling fuses one at a time until the current flow stops. When it does, you have found the circuit with the problem. Then you get to trace the wiring, yeah!

Let us know how it goes...

 

okay, i will get on that! I just thought that the gauge of the wire wasn't enough! I have a multi-meter! So then Ill check all the draws, but if something like pushing the window switch causes a draw when the truck is running would that really mean an open circuit?

 

This maybe

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...rite-up-33526/

 

^^ Yeah Try that out....i did, and it made a HUGE difference.

 

Maybe your alternator is getting weak, or the battery, or both. Get a tester to check your charging system, and battery.

 

I read that post and thats what made me make a post of my own. Because its not like the radio whines or lights dim, its just that when using things like my power windows which are slow enough it seems to have a huge draw, when i thought it was only minor, and I really dont want to hook up KC, or a power inverter or anything if its going to drain my battery. So am I just over exaggerating or is this legit?

 

When I first saw the title to this thread I thought it said "2nd gen 4runner MAKES too much power". . . . . . but that made no sense at all.

 

Yeah, my 4runner does not make to much power! especially with the 3.slow! But I still love it!

 

I believe what you are percieving as too much power draw is true and not true at the same time. Let me try and explain in simple terms (I am an Electrical Engineer and some people tell me my version of simple isn't simple at all but i'll try).

Basically, what i tried to say in my original post, is something like your window motors draw the same or a very similar amount of power today as they did when they were specified by the design enginner 20 years ago. So when you say you think they are drawing too much power for the stock electrical system that just doesn't make sense.

What I believe is happening is you have a highly resistive connection somewhere in your main power circuit. This resistive connection is essentially "stealing" some voltage from your electrical devices. This is easily calculated given a few assumptions: V = IR or the voltage drop across the bad connection is equal to the current flowing through it multiplied by the amount it is resisting current flow.

Again, understand i'm talking relatively here, but the idea is if your bad connection is resistive enough to drop 2 volts across it, then any device upstream, or downstream of it is going to only "get" 10 volts. Not good for something designed to work on a 12 volt system.

You seem to indicate that this problem affects all or most of your electrical devices which points to something that is common to all devices. This is of course only your battery, alternator and engine compartment fuse box. Thats why my original post states to clean the grounds/posts/etc. The thread with the main power wire modification is a good idea, more for the new connectors in my opinion but using a bigger wire won't hurt anything.

Keep us updated...

 

Well I appreciate this, so then if i get this right, I have a connection that is "bad" so, I need to go and trace all the wires from the battery! And check all the connections. Clean my terminals and then if the problem is still there... What do I do?

I am to the point to where it is a nuisance. It doesn't really dim the lights to much, its slight, pressing the brakes really doesn't effect it. Its more like when I hit the lock or when I use the windows.

Also, is the 4runner supposed to click twice when the door is opened then you get in and shut it? It does like a little double click noise and I start it, which I might add is a push button ignition. NOT installed by me, but by someone along the line.

So then I may want to have the battery checked? It may be an alternator, or simply a bad fuse?

 

Back to my original post, start with what is easy and free:

1. have battery tested - free
2. have alternator tested - free
3. Clean battery posts and terminals - free
4. Clean all ground connections - free
5. Check each fused circuits current draw per the procedure I outlined above. - free

As far as I can tell from your posts you haven't done any of these things. You need to do each of those things before we can help you diagnose your problem, other wise you are going to get a long list of things to replace that are probably perfectly fine.

 

I am on it today! I then will let you know what is going on and hopefully we can keep it in the free range. Thanks for the help ill keep you posted