If this thread lands in the wrong forum please tell me.
I have not yet found a painful wiring question forum.

It is my nephew’s truck (1981 4wd) and I am pretty sure it has been under water.

It has many intermittent problems and many more not so intermittent problems. That is- The park lights sometimes don’t work, the lighter doesn’t work, the defrost switch does not work, the tachometer bounces around, etc…

Has anyone here used a “Painless Performance” kit? Where would a new fuse block fit? Where can I pick up various connecters, if needed?
Or, does anyone have a favorite place to get another complete harness that I can play with (fix up)?

I am not a stranger to enormous wiring jobs. I done more damage to axels and carburetors than have I wires, integrated circuits, or computers.

 

one of the first things you start to do is to get a wiring diagram. if you search for "81 wiring diagram" you will eventually find one on these forums. Dropzone has an 81 fsm and he scanned the diagram and posted it on here. Aftermarket suppliers make a complete wiring harness for almost all vehicles but ive never seen one for a toyota truck. a DVOM will be nice to check for continuity in your circuits. good luck.

 

I found Dropzone's pictures but, Is the sticky from 83Toyota88
named "1983 Toyota Pickup FSM download" not Sufficient?

Where can one purchase a genuine FSM book, anyway?

As for tools were fine:
Have many meters, lights, and Big Soldering Gun

Thanks for reply though.

 

They are different and similar in some ways. having the right one would be helpful. maybe different color of wires and some things are not in the 83 manual thats on your truck. you may find it usefull though.

 

The wiring itself is pretty much the same from year to year for the 79-83 Pickups; HOWEVER, the colors are not at all. You can use the schematics, but you need to verify your wire colors.

 

I would post up a WTB (wanting to buy) thread and hope for the best.

I know that I have a couple spare 88 EFI harness, that if someone wanted one I would part with it. I'm sure someone has a 81 out there somewhere...

 

I have rewired my friends street rods, customs, trucks, etc. for years. The difference in 1979-1983 Toyota truck wiring is some component wire color code changes but the plug-in wire connectors are the real problem. Replacement connectors are hard to find and factory repair kits are not available. If you could find another harness, switches, components, etc. in good condition that would save you a lot of time. As far as after market wiring kits I only use RON FRANCIS WIRE WORKS kits. They are not the cheapest but they are the best and after 25 + years of using them they do not have any problems.

 

Late to the party, as always.
Anyway, were I in your position and not inhibited by emissions equipment and laws, I would just build a harness from the ground up. Carby engines are a simple setup when you don't have to run smog gear, and for all the legwork required to run a Painful Performance harness, you could build your own for a fraction of the price.