As I'm backing out of the garage this morning, I rolled up my driver's side window. Already had my headlights on. When the window gets to the top, I held on a beat too long, and I noticed that my dash lights got BRIGHTER for that beat.

Now, I know that many Toyota switches/electrical run off of a negative/ground contact to function (not what I was used to). Therefore, when you hit a switch such as the power window, it creates a ground that activates the motor. HOWEVER, it also creates an "extra" ground for the entire system, hence the lights going brighter temporarily. I'm also keenly aware that this Toyota electrical system is pretty weak. Any use of switches/headlights/back window/etc causes serious draw down by comparison to other vehicles I've owned.

Question: would there be any benefit to "adding" a general ground point to the entire system (maybe at the fuse block behind the battery?), and if so, where would you suggest it be located? I've also heard of grounding the alternator casing.

Thoughts?

 

It never hurts to add more grounds. Just use decent gauge wire or upgrade(the "big three" mod) all the exsisting stuff.

 

weird, mine dims in similar situations. also dims when I throw on the rear defrost.

And if your rig is as huge and beefy as BBP's, you need to scale a power pole for a large enough guage of wire to ground it out.

 

Did the Big 3 in overkill fashion when I re-did the motor, etc. Still have this condition. Even upgraded to 8 ga. wire from the battery to the accessory block...

Turning on headlights brings down rpms at idle slightly. Holding the window switch too long, etc. Just a weak overall system, in my opinion.

 

my stuff gets dim not brighter as well. I suppose you could get a smaller belt or a bigger pulley for your alternator which is something I need to do anyways.

 

Maybe I'm the "odd" one, then. I thought I did a good job of grounding overall: ground from neg battery side to chassis and body, ground from head to firewall, ground to radiator for potential electrolysis, all aftermarket items grounded well. Engine block to chassis grounded.

Did I miss something? Where can I add?

 

There is a ground from the alternator to the block(actually the bracketry there). Have you looked a iamsuperbleeder's thread on 22R-E ground locations?

 

Recently changed the alternator (though the condition is no different from before to after), and don't recall a ground anywhere...

I'll see if I can locate 'Bleeder's thread. Thanks!

 

Found it, for anyone following this discussion:

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...-guide-194413/

I need to verify these locations and contacts when the rain stops...

 

hmmmm well, its either from the bracket to the block or the alternator to the bracket, idk.